Teaching and confirmation: effort, humility, and unseen help

How can I succeed unless Thou assist me with the breath of the Holy Spirit, help me to triumph by the hosts of Thy glorious kingdom, and shower upon me Thy confirmations, which alone can change a gnat into an eagle, a drop of water into rivers and seas, and an atom into lights and suns?

O divine friends! Today every soul who teaches is confirmed, and the teachers in the front ranks are near to the Threshold of Grandeur and assisted by the Abha Kingdom.Therefore, the friends of God must show the utmost love, respect and consideration to the teachers, and wherever they arrive, joy and gladness must result. As for the qualities of teachers, they are revealed in the divine Tablets - let them act according to those qualities. By God, besides Whom there is no God! If today even a weak gnat acquires the qualities of teachers and calls to the divine Kingdom, it will become a soaring celestial eagle, and a perishing fly will become a royal falcon of the All-Merciful heights.

Deliver the Cause of thy Lord to all who are in the heavens and on earth. If thou findest one who turneth unto it, reveal unto him the pearls of the wisdom of God, thy Lord, which the Spirit hath cast upon thee, and be of them that turn. And if thou findest one who turneth away, turn thou away from him and put thy trust in God, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds.

Whosoever and whatsoever meeting becometh a hindrance to the diffusion of the Light of Faith, let the loved ones give them counsel and say: "Of all the gifts of God the greatest is the gift of Teaching. It draweth unto us the Grace of God and is our first obligation. Of such a gift how can we deprive ourselves? Nay, our lives, our goods, our comforts, our rest, we offer them all as a sacrifice for the Abha Beauty and teach the Cause of God." Caution and prudence, however, must be observed even as recorded in the Book. The veil must in no wise be suddenly rent asunder.

O army of God! A letter bearing your signatures, one and all, hath been received. Its wording was endowed with the utmost grace, eloquence, fluency, and sweetness, and from the reading thereof the deepest joy was obtained. It testified to the observance of the Fast of the month of abstinence. Happy are ye that ye have carried out the commandment of God and, in these blessed days, arisen to fulfill the Fast. For this bodily fast is a symbol of the spiritual fast, that is, the restraint of the self from all selfish desires, the adornment of the soul with spiritual attributes, attraction to the breaths of the All-Merciful, and enkindlement with the fire of the love of God. Likewise, that letter was itself an evidence of the unity and concord of hearts.

The hope cherished through the grace and bounty of the Lord, the Glorious, in this new age, is that the western land may become the dawning-place of the Sun of Truth, and that the loved ones of God may be the daysprings of light and the manifestations of divine signs; that they may remain guarded and protected from the doubts of the heedless, and steadfast in the Covenant and Testament; that they may strive day and night to awaken the sleeping, make the negligent mindful, admit the deprived into the sanctuary of mysteries, bestow upon the destitute a portion of everlasting grace, become the heralds of the Kingdom, and summon the people of the mortal world unto the realm of the Divine.

O army of God! Today, in this world, every party wandereth bewildered in some wilderness, stirred by desire and passion, each pursuing and seeking according to its own imaginings. Amid the factions of the earth, this community of the Most Great Name standeth detached from every vain fancy, severed from every selfish aim, established in purity of motive, and striving and laboring with utmost longing in the divine teachings, that the face of the earth may become a very paradise, that the world of humanity may be transformed into a mirror of the Kingdom, that this world may become another world, and that the human race may acquire a new education, a new way, and a new manner of life.

O army of God! Through the protection and help vouchsafed by the Blessed Beauty -- may my life be a sacrifice to His loved ones -- ye must conduct yourselves in such a manner that ye may stand out distinguished and brilliant as the sun among other souls. Should any one of you enter a city, he should become a centre of attraction by reason of his sincerity, his faithfulness and love, his honesty and fidelity, his truthfulness and loving-kindness towards all the peoples of the world, so that the people of that city may cry out and say: 'This man is unquestionably a Baha'i, for his manners, his behaviour, his conduct, his morals, his nature, and disposition reflect the attributes of the Baha'is.' Not until ye attain this station can ye be said to have been faithful to the Covenant and Testament of God. For He hath, through irrefutable Texts, entered into a binding Covenant with us all, requiring us to act in accordance with His sacred instructions and counsels.

O army of God! The time hath come for the effects and perfections of the Most Great Name to be made manifest in this excellent age, so as to establish, beyond any doubt, that this era is the era of Baha'u'llah, and this age is distinguished above all other ages.

O army of God! Whensoever ye behold a person whose entire attention is directed toward the Cause of God; whose only aim is this, to make the Word of God to take effect; who, day and night, with pure intent, is rendering service to the Cause; from whose behaviour not the slightest trace of egotism or private motives is discerned -- who, rather, wandereth distracted in the wilderness of the love of God, and drinketh only from the cup of the knowledge of God, and is utterly engrossed in spreading the sweet savours of God, and is enamoured of the holy verses of the Kingdom of God -- know ye for a certainty that this individual will be supported and reinforced by heaven; that like unto the morning star, he will forever gleam brightly out of the skies of eternal grace. But if he show the slightest taint of selfish desires and self love, his efforts will lead to nothing and he will be destroyed and left hopeless at the last.

O army of God! Praise be to God, Baha'u'llah hath lifted the chains from off the necks of humankind, and hath set man free from all that trammelled him, and told him: Ye are the fruits of one tree and the leaves of one branch; be ye compassionate and kind to all the human race. Deal ye with strangers the same as with friends, cherish ye others just as ye would your own. See foes as friends; see demons as angels; give to the tyrant the same great love ye show the loyal and true, and even as gazelles from the scented cities of Khata and Khutan offer up sweet musk to the ravening wolf. Be ye a refuge to the fearful; bring ye rest and peace to the disturbed; make ye a provision for the destitute; be a treasury of riches for the poor; be a healing medicine for those who suffer pain; be ye doctor and nurse to the ailing; promote ye friendship, and honour, and conciliation, and devotion to God, in this world of non-existence.

O army of God! Make ye a mighty effort: perchance ye can flood this earth with light, that this mud hut, the world, may become the Abha Paradise. The dark hath taken over, and the brute traits prevail. This world of man is now an arena for wild beasts, a field where the ignorant, the heedless, seize their chance. The souls of men are ravening wolves and animals with blinded eyes, they are either deadly poison or useless weeds -- all except for a very few who indeed do nurture altruistic aims and plans for the well-being of their fellow men: but ye must in this matter -- that is, the serving of humankind -- lay down your very lives, and as ye yield yourselves, rejoice.

O army of God! The Exalted One, the Bab, gave up His life. The Blessed Perfection gave up a hundred lives at every breath. He bore calamities. He suffered anguish. He was imprisoned. He was chained. He was made homeless and was banished to distant lands. Finally, then, He lived out His days in the Most Great Prison. Likewise, a great multitude of the lovers of God who followed this path have tasted the honey of martyrdom and they gave up everything -- life, possessions, kindred -- all they had. How many homes were reduced to rubble; how many dwellings were broken into and pillaged; how many a noble building went to the ground; how many a palace was battered into a tomb. And all this came about that humankind might be illumined, that ignorance might yield to knowledge, that men of earth might become men of heaven, that discord and dissension might be torn out by the roots, and the Kingdom of Peace become established over all the world. Strive ye now that this bounty become manifest, and this best-beloved of all hopes be realized in splendour throughout the community of man.

O army of God! Beware lest ye harm any soul, or make any heart to sorrow; lest ye wound any man with your words, be he known to you or a stranger, be he friend or foe. Pray ye for all; ask ye that all be blessed, all be forgiven. Beware, beware, lest any of you seek vengeance, even against one who is thirsting for your blood. Beware, beware, lest ye offend the feelings of another, even though he be an evil-doer, and he wish you ill. Look ye not upon the creatures, turn ye to their Creator. See ye not the never-yielding people, see but the Lord of Hosts. Gaze ye not down upon the dust, gaze upward at the shining sun, which hath caused every patch of darksome earth to glow with light.

O army of God! When calamity striketh, be ye patient and composed. However afflictive your sufferings may be, stay ye undisturbed, and with perfect confidence in the abounding grace of God, brave ye the tempest of tribulations and fiery ordeals.

Last year a number of the unfaithful, both from within and from without, both known to us and strangers, took before the Sultan of Turkey slanderous charges against these homeless exiles, bringing against us grave accusations with no basis in fact. The Government, conformably with prudence, determined to look into these charges, and dispatched a Commission of Investigation to this city. It is obvious what an opportunity this afforded our ill-wishers, and what a storm they unleashed, all this beyond description by tongue or pen. Only one who witnessed it could know what a turmoil they created and what an earthquake of anguish was the result. And notwithstanding this, the response was to depend utterly upon God, and to remain composed, confident, long-suffering, undisturbed, to such a degree that a person knowing nothing of the situation would have thought us easy of heart and mind, perfectly happy, thriving and at peace.

Then it came about that the accusers themselves, those who had made the defamatory charges against us, joined with the members of the Commission to investigate the accusations, so that plaintiffs, witnesses and judge were all one and the same, and the conclusion was foregone. Nevertheless, to be fair, it must be stated that up to now His Majesty the Sultan of Turkey hath paid no heed to these false charges, this defamation, these fables and traducements, and hath acted with justice.

In truth, were it any king other than this sovereign, no trace of these exiles would have remained. Justice requireth that one should not depart from fairness. In this day, throughout the whole expanse of Asia, verily the sovereign of the Ottomans and the King of Persia, Muzaffari’d-Din Shah, have neither peer nor likeness. Did ye but know to what degree the corruption of the enemies, the mischief of the malevolent, and, above all, the sedition of the unkind brother, both here and in Persia, have reached, and yet behold, notwithstanding all this corruption and all this strife, how these two kings move with tranquillity and composure, ye would assuredly be convinced that both are just. Had the former monarchs been in their place, assuredly a thousand souls a day would in Persia have been destroyed. Wherefore, pray ye in behalf of these two kings, and beseech aid and grace for them, and seek for them victory and triumph, most especially for the sovereign of the Ottomans, who hath dealt with these exiles, even unto this day, with pure justice.

A prayer:

O Thou Provider! Thou hast breathed over the friends in the West the sweet fragrance of the Holy Spirit, and with the light of divine guidance Thou hast lit up the western sky. Thou hast made those who were once remote to draw near unto Thyself; Thou hast turned strangers into loving friends; Thou hast awakened those who slept; Thou hast made the heedless mindful.

O Thou Provider! Assist Thou these noble friends to win Thy good pleasure, and make them well-wishers of stranger and friend alike. Bring them into the world that abideth forever; grant them a portion of heavenly grace; cause them to be true Baha'is, sincerely of God; save them from outward semblances, and establish them firmly in the truth. Make them signs and tokens of the Kingdom, luminous stars above the horizons of this nether life. Make them to be a comfort and a solace to humankind and servants to the peace of the world. Exhilarate them with the wine of Thy counsel, and grant that all of them may tread the path of Thy commandments.

O Thou Provider! The dearest wish of this servant of Thy Threshold is to behold the friends of east and west in close embrace; to see all the members of human society gathered with love in a single great assemblage, even as individual drops of water collected in one mighty sea; to behold them all as birds in one garden of roses, as pearls of one ocean, as leaves of one tree, as rays of one sun.

Thou art the Mighty, the Powerful, and Thou art the God of strength, the Omnipotent, the All-Seeing.

Furthermore, the teaching work should under all conditions be actively pursued by the believers because divine confirmations are dependent upon it. Should a Baha'i refrain from being fully, vigorously and wholeheartedly involved in the teaching work he will undoubtedly be deprived of the blessings of the Abha Kingdom. Even so, this activity should be tempered with wisdom---not that wisdom which requireth one to be silent and forgetful of such an obligation, but rather that which requireth one to display divine tolerance, love, kindness, patience, a goodly character, and holy deeds.

Since your intention is good and your purpose is to serve the unity of the human world and spread the light of truth and abandon the prejudices of the world of nature, divine confirmations will surely reach you and you will be successful and assisted.

One must never consider one's own feebleness, it is the strength of the Holy Spirit of Love, which gives the power to teach.

He who is educated by the Divine Spirit can, in his time, lead others to receive the same Spirit.

The doors of knowledge are opened before him, his eyes become seeing and he is assisted with the breaths of the Holy Spirit. He is guided himself and becomes the cause of guidance of others.

… Moreover, everything is limited except the bounty of God and this bounty descends upon man through teaching the Cause of God; then divine inspiration will assist him.

When a person teaches the Cause he learns more than the pupil. From his heart will flow the fountains of explanations and the springs of marvelous utterances.

When the friends do not endeavor to spread the message, they fail to remember God befittingly, and will not witness the tokens of assistance and confirmation from the Abha Kingdom nor comprehend the divine mysteries. However, when the tongue of the teacher is engaged in teaching, he will naturally himself be stimulated, will become a magnet attracting the divine aid and bounty of the Kingdom, and will be like unto the bird at the hour of dawn, which itself becometh exhilarated by its own singing, its warbling and its melody....

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Conveying the Message (or teaching) is accomplished to-day by the Confirmation of the Holy Spirit, and not by any fund of knowledge or by the possession of facts.

Read them and ponder over them carefully, for if you are fully informed of the Cause of Baha'u'llah, then you will witness that the teachings of Baha'u'llah are the cause of the illumination of the world. They will bestow great joy upon the hearts.

Once the Lord hath enabled thee to attain this condition, be thou assured that He will inspire thee with words of truth, and will cause thee to speak through the breathings of the Holy Spirit.

It is my hope that the breaths of the Holy Spirit will so be breathed into your hearts that your tongues will disclose the mysteries, and set forth and expound the inner meanings of the Holy Books; that the friends will become physicians, and will, through the potent medicine of the heavenly Teachings, heal the long-standing diseases that afflict the body of this world; that they will make the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the dead to come alive; that they will awaken those who are sound asleep.

Speak, therefore; speak out with great courage at every meeting. When you are about to begin your address, turn first to Bahá’u’lláh and ask for the confirmations of the Holy Spirit, then open your lips and say whatever is suggested to your heart; this, however, with the utmost courage, dignity and conviction.

O thou maid-servant of God! Whenever thou art intending to deliver a speech, turn thy face toward the kingdom of ABHA and, with a heart detached, begin to talk. The breaths of the Holy Spirit will assist thee.

Turn thy face toward the Kingdom of God, ask for the bestowals of the Holy Spirit, speak, and the confirmations of the Spirit will come.

Rest assured in the fact that the breaths of the Holy Spirit will aid you, provided no doubts obtain in your hearts. Is not this so, Juliet?

I hope you will fill the minds with the tumult and acclamation of the kingdom, set aglow the hearts with the fire of reality and spread far and wide the good news of the King of eternal life..."

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Speak openly of all the signs of the Kingdom of God that ye have witnessed with your own eyes and share with the utmost happiness and exultation all that ye have heard of the divine teachings. I fervently supplicate God to bring assurance to your souls and to raise you up with such steadfastness that each of you may withstand an entire nation. May you become so inebriated with the wine of the love of God that ye may cause your hearers to dance with blissful rapture to the song and melody of the love of God.

If one arise to promote the Word of God with a pure heart, overflowing with the love of God and severed from the world, the Lord of Hosts will assist him with such a power as will penetrate the core of the existent beings.

Those souls who have become subservient to the will of God as manifested in the life and teachings of Baha'u'llah must know of a certainty that they attract unto themselves heavenly confirmation and assistance. Now, existence upon the Sacred Threshold is a magnet whereby aid is attracted. The more the believers humble themselves at the Divine Threshold, the more powerful and universal will be the descent of the Holy Spirit of new dedication upon them. The more they strive to teach souls the greater will be their power of sanctification and attraction.

Those souls who possess the capacity to receive the outpourings of the Kingdom and are qualified to obtain the confirmations of the Holy Spirit become attracted through a single word. But those souls who lack capacity, no matter how much thou mayest explain the divine counsels and advice to them, and no matter how much the breeze of the Holy Spirit may waft, it will produce no effect; rather, it will only increase their frozenness and heedlessness. Oil becomes instantly ignited when it comes in contact with fire, but black stone is not affected by the heat of the fire.

When a Cause is confirmed it is evident and manifest from its signs. For example we say this earth is confirmed. Why? Because as the result of the downpour of rain and the shining of the sun it is covered with green plants and flowers.

This tree that is planted in the realm of possibility will reach to the branches of the Supreme Concourse, becoming full of leaves and blossoms, laden with fruits, and these fruits will be scattered throughout the world of existence. One righteous deed becomes the cause of abundant bounty.

This pure seed that thou hast sown shall yield many, many harvests and will produce most great results in the future.

When one sows a seed in fertile soil, it will bear a hundredfold fruit. This Cause needs many teachers who sacrifice their soul, and those who arise to teach will see the confirmation increasing around them.

Now is the time when no confirmations descend except for seed sowing. Whosoever sows seeds at this time is confirmed -- that is, whosoever teaches is confirmed. That means that whosoever sows the seeds of faith in the fertile soil of hearts, such a one is confirmed.

It is not my duty to command particular persons to arise and teach the Cause. Whosoever arises to spread the Word and performs this service, will behold the Doors of Confirmation are open wide before his face. This is the season of teaching, and therefore it will yield results. In every season, something will be productive.

Soon we shall witness the fruits of this bestowal and bounty in the Most Glorious Kingdom, and whatever has been sown shall be reaped.

The more you advance in this important matter, the more divine confirmations and heavenly successes will become manifest and evident, to such a degree that you yourselves will be astonished. This is an assured matter and an unfailing promise.

Today the friends must count time as precious and arise with all their power to guide all who dwell on earth, for teaching is the magnet of divine confirmation. Whoever arises to teach, the hosts of the Supreme Concourse will assist them, and this is an inevitable matter.

In short: Teaching the Cause of God is the cause of life to the souls and a magnet for attracting Divine, Invisible aid.

The lamp of bounties is aflame within the glass of teaching, and the hosts of divine confirmation accompany him who speaks forth the Most Great Name.

As much as thou art able, diffuse the sweet savors of God and strive with all thy might to spread the lights of the Kingdom of God in every direction, for thou art the object of the glance of favor of the Ancient Beauty.

If thou seekest confirmation from all directions, open thy tongue to spread the Divine proofs, make seeing the sightless eyes, rend asunder the veil of heedlessness from the heedless, awaken those who sleep, and open the gates of knowledge before the faces of the ignorant. Then shalt thou witness the assistance of the hosts of the Supreme Concourse and behold the aid and victory of the angels of the Most Glorious Kingdom.

Therefore, focus on teaching so that mighty confirmation may come and at every moment you may witness new favors.

It is clear and evident that today the divine invisible confirmations encompass the teachers, and if teaching is delayed, confirmations will be entirely cut off, for it is impossible and inconceivable that the friends of God would receive confirmation without teaching.

No endeavor receives confirmations like teaching, and no soul will succeed except the teacher.

You will be confirmed; a great bounty will descend upon you. You will become eloquent. Your tongue will be loosed. Teach, always teach. The confirmations of the Holy Spirit will descend upon those who teach constantly.

Therefore, blessed are those souls who arise to teach the Cause of God. By thy life, this is indeed a great bounty!

Today teaching the Cause of God is the greatest of all affairs and whoever arises for it will receive the fragrant breezes of the Holy Shrine from afar and attain the station of a pilgrim. Divine confirmations will encompass them and heavenly assistance will be unveiled.

This service is highly acceptable in the court of the One and is the cause of drawing near to the Worshipped One. This is the station of those drawn nigh, this is following the Manifest Light, and this is a mercy to all the worlds.

Surely those souls who are aware of this hidden secret will dedicate their breath to this foundation and basis, and the sweetness of this gift will so sweeten their palate that its sweetness will endure in the eternal world. This was the ultimate aim and desire of the longtime friends. Engaging in other matters is like building a house from spider's web, but this glorious purpose is like an eternal lofty palace and a divine foundation and gift of both worlds.

Should you be aided to render such a service, rest ye assured that your heads shall be crowned with the diadem of everlasting sovereignty, and at the threshold of oneness you will become the favored and accepted servants.

Likewise in the provinces of Canada, such as Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Ungava, Keewatin, Mackenzie, Yukon, and the Franklin Islands in the Arctic Circle--the believers of God must become self-sacrificing and like unto the candles of guidance become ignited in the provinces of Canada. Should they show forth such a magnanimity, it is assured that they will obtain universal divine confirmations, the heavenly cohorts will reinforce them uninterruptedly, and a most great victory will be obtained.

These souls are the armies of God and the conquerors of the East and the West. Should one of them turn his face toward some direction and summon the people to the Kingdom of God, all the ideal forces and lordly confirmations will rush to his support and reinforcement.

… O ye kind friends! Uplift your magnanimity and soar high toward the apex of heaven so that your blessed hearts may become illumined more and more, day by day, through the rays of the Sun of Reality, that is, His Holiness Baha'u'llah; at every moment the spirits may obtain a new life, and the darkness of the world of nature may be entirely dispelled; thus you may become incarnate light and personified spirit, become entirely unaware of the sordid matters of this world and in touch with the affairs of the divine world.

O ye servants of the Sacred Threshold! The triumphant hosts of the Celestial Concourse, arrayed and marshalled in the Realms above, stand ready and expectant to assist and assure victory to that valiant horseman who with confidence spurs on his charger into the arena of service. Well is it with that fearless warrior, who armed with the power of true Knowledge, hastens unto the field, disperses the armies of ignorance, and scatters the hosts of error, who holds aloft the Standard of Divine Guidance, and sounds the Clarion of Victory.

This is easily proven, and the hosts of the Abha Kingdom in the Supreme Concourse have arranged their ranks and await the charging forth of souls in this field, so they may confirm and grant victory and open the cities of hearts with the keys of the Most Great Name.

O thou Godlike person and spiritual friend!

Verily God hath, through His bounty and grace, removed the covering from off thine eyes and inspired thee the night in which the Morn of Guidance dawned and the Holy Spirit breathed in the being of "The Exalted, the Supreme". Ye went out, desirous to witness and visit the Lord, and awaited the appearance of the Great Bounty in that brilliant night. Is there any evidence greater than this to the discerning? No, by my Beloved, the ABHA! This is a gift to which ye have been assigned among mankind. Thank ye God for this bestowal in which the inspired ones glory in the kingdom of heaven.

As to thee, strengthen thou thy back to spread that Spirit and diffuse that Light and arise to serve the Cause of God in His vineyard, so that thou mayest be of the first to call in the name of God and draw nearer unto the Kingdom of thy Lord, the Glorious, the Supreme.

Verily I say unto thee that if thou be steadfast in this Cause, and arise with all thy power to promote the Word of God in those regions, and exert thine utmost effort to breathe the spirit of life into the hearts of the righteous, thou wilt find thyself assisted by the angels of heaven and the hosts of the Concourse on high. Thou wilt raise the banner of peace and sound the clarion of love and unity throughout those lands, guide the souls unto the wellspring of life, lead them unto the arena of true understanding, grant them to drink from the cup of certitude, quicken them with the breaths of the All-Merciful, attire them with the robe of bounty, and give them to quaff of the wine of faithfulness through the love of Bahá. Thus will they be awakened from the slumber of selfish desire and behold the mighty signs of their Lord in this exalted creation. Better is this for thee than all the glory and dominion of the world.

As to thy coming at this time to the Blessed Spot (Acca), this is not in accordance with the wisdom revealed in the tablets. Send unto us some of the traces of thy pen (writings) so that we may see it and pray God to assist and render thee successful in everything.

Now you should pray for them and supplicate confirmation and assistance for them that they may be able to promote the Word of God and be favored with the privilege of serving the world of humanity, that they may help to establish universal peace and lay the foundation of the oneness of the world of humanity.

The believers must arise in perfect unity in teaching the Cause of God and grasping each other's hands be engaged in the diffusion of the fragrances of God, and know of a certainty that the confirmations of His Holiness Baha'u'llah shall descend upon them.

I was pleased to know, also, that you have organized a committee for correspondence with all part of the world, and another committee to each the Truth to the youths. Wonderful confirmation and complete assistance is destined for all the members of these various committees.

Thou didst write of the Nineteen Day festivity, and this rejoiced my heart. These gatherings cause the divine table to descend from Heaven, and draw down the confirmations of the All-Merciful. My hope is that the breathings of the Holy Spirit will be wafted over them, and that each one present shall, in great assemblies, with an eloquent tongue and a heart flooded with the love of God, set himself to acclaiming the rise of the Sun of Truth, the dawn of the Day-Star that lighteth all the World....

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By God, the True One, verily, the Sun of Truth will cast forth its lights in your assemblies and will make you shining lamps, glittering stars, brilliant signs, and as souls attracted to the Holy Spirit. This is the great prosperity! This is the manifest light!

Praise be to God that their journey proved to be a cause of progress for the souls, that it produced harmony and accord, and that the friends of God and the handmaids of the Merciful received new enthusiasm and revitalization through it.

Both letters brought joy to hearts, for the words of each were an eloquent tongue in the love of God and told of the attraction of the heart to the breaths of the Holy Spirit.

Praise be to God that you have succeeded in raising the Word of God in Japan.

O thou who art attracted by the breaths of the Holy Spirit!

Your detailed letter dated February 9, 1914 was received and its contents brought joy and delight, for it indicated the manifestation of the power of God's Cause in that land and the outstanding services of those firm in the Covenant and Testament.

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That day news came of the spreading of the Cause and of the entrance into the Kingdom of some of the ministers in America. It made him very happy and he sent a number of tablets to America, saying:

"My happiness is in these glad-tidings and victories. Praise be to God! the confirmations of the Kingdom of Abha are assisting.

One day in Germany, as I was walking down a street, I saw a girl who was half the size of Fujita (Fujita was a Japanese servant who had a very small frame and was very short in stature). I saw several tall men following this girl. I was very surprised and stopped in the street. I asked her what was happening and who these people were who were following her. She said, "These are my children." I said, "How could you, being so small, have given birth to such big children?" She said, "I taught them the Faith."

Then, in a special tone, He said, "Behold the confirmations of the Blessed Beauty."

To awaken spiritual love in others is to attain peace and joy for yourself.

This is the means of the happiness of the believers of God! This is conducive to the confirmation of the friends of the True One! This is the source of their nearness to the Throne of the Almighty! This is the way through which the world and the inhabitants thereof are enlightened.

Make mention of Me on My earth, that in My heaven I may remember thee, thus shall Mine eyes and thine be solaced.

He, verily, aideth him who aideth Him, and remembereth him who remembereth Him. To this beareth witness this Tablet which hath shone forth from the horizon of the loving-kindness of your Lord, the Mighty, the Compelling.

Praise be to God, whosoever turneth toward Him is blessed in that moment, before it and after it, with God's mention and the attention of His merciful grace.

Be not dismayed, O peoples of the world, when the day-star of My beauty is set, and the heaven of My tabernacle is concealed from your eyes. Arise to further My Cause, and to exalt My Word amongst men. We are with you at all times, and shall strengthen you through the power of truth.

Wherever we have been, praise be to God that the confirmations of the Blessed Perfection reached us and the victory of the Kingdom of Abha was vouchsafed. That is why he hath said: "We shall make victorious whosoever shall arise in the service of my Cause with a cohort from the Supreme Concourse and an army of the favoured Angels."

Praise be to God, the Ancient Beauty - may my spirit be a sacrifice for His promise - fulfilled all that He promised. He made the path smooth, turned the rocky ground into a level highway, spread the carpet of security and safety, and opened the way of justice and benevolence. He opened the gates of triumph and expanded confined hearts. He sent forth the hosts of the Abha Kingdom and dispatched the army of the Supreme Concourse. The waves of His confirmations arrived successively like ocean billows, and the ranks of the angels of divine success were arrayed.

The confirmations of God, exalted be His glory, arrive successively, and that beloved one, praise be to God, is wholly engaged in His service and likewise recognizes the stations of grace and favor. Well is it with you and pleasant it is for you!

Your services at the Sacred Threshold of the Most Glorious Beauty - may my spirit be sacrificed for His loved ones - are accepted, your servitude is confirmed, confirmations follow one after another, divine success arrives in succession, the hosts of the Kingdom assist you, and the near angels are present.

Praise be to God, the confirmations of the Abha Kingdom arrived and thou didst become the cause of guidance to souls.

Praise be to God, the hosts of the Supreme Concourse secure the victory and the power of the Kingdom is ready to assist and to support. Should ye at every instant unloosen the tongue in thanksgiving and gratitude, ye would not be able to discharge yourselves of the obligation of gratitude for these bestowals.

The Blessed Beauty, in unmistakable language, hath made this promise in His Book: "We behold you from Our realm of glory, and shall aid whosoever will arise for the triumph of Our Cause with the hosts of the Concourse on high and a company of Our favored angels."

He will come to your aid with invisible hosts, and support you with armies of inspiration from the Concourse above; He will send unto you sweet perfumes from the highest Paradise, and waft over you the pure breathings that blow from the rose gardens of the Company on high. He will breathe into your hearts the spirit of life, cause you to enter the Ark of salvation, and reveal unto you His clear tokens and signs. Verily is this abounding grace. Verily is this the victory that none can deny.

Because this aim is heavenly, merciful and godlike, unquestionably it will display most great effect and will assist you in the service of the Kingdom of God. Rest ye assured in the Favor and Bounty of His Holiness Baha'u'llah; for His Grace is like unto the vernal showers and His Confirmation, the cohorts of heaven.

This blessed purpose of thine is the magnet of the confirmations of the Abha Kingdom.

Consider how every soul who has arisen to serve the Word of God will be confirmed with the heavenly Cohorts.

All those who consecrate themselves to this work are accompanied by divine protection.

… I pray that thou mayest be aided and strengthened.

Rest thou assured that I will be with you and you will be enabled to render great services. Let thy heart be at ease and have no fear.

Rest thou assured that thou wilt find such a confirmation that thou wilt become the envy of all the women of the world.

Verily He will make thee a manifest example and an evident proof for the attainment of His Kingdom in this glorious century.

I ask God to make him a sign of guidance and to guide, through him, souls (people) of his native land and of other people. Verily, my God chooses whomsoever He willeth, by His mercy and generosity, for entrance into the Kingdom of Glory and shineth the lights of (His) Beauty upon them.

The seekers flowed toward him and the thirsty ones hastened to drink from the water of his utterance. … O my God! Help him by the hosts of the approximate angels, assist him by the cohorts of the Supreme Concourse amid Thy creatures, make him a lamp of guidance in that distant part of the earth and a luminary shining and sparkling from the dawning-place of faithfulness, in order that he may serve Thy holy threshold, falling prostrate upon the ground thanking and praising for Thy bounty, liberality and gifts to him; girding up his loins of endeavor in Thy service and becoming reinforced and empowered in Thy adoration!

Now my purpose is to charge him with a mighty task, and my hope is that he will, as befitting, rise to fulfill it and be confirmed. He will light a lamp that will burn forever, kindle a fire that will consume the veils of multitudes....

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O thou who warmest thyself by the fire of the love of God, spreading from the Tree of the Covenant! Let thy soul be at ease and thy heart in peace concerning the perfect success and progress which the pen is not able to express, for in a short time thou shalt see the flag of the Kingdom waving in those far and wide regions, and the lights of the Truth shining brilliantly in its dawn above those horizons, and thou shalt know that thou art the center of the circle of the love of God, the axis around which souls revolve in their way and supplication to God.

I hope that through the grace and bounty of the Lord you will attain comprehensive results and witness the unlimited rewards of this service in the Abha Kingdom.

By the Ancient Beauty! - may my life be a sacrifice for His loved ones - Were the friends to realize what a glorious sovereignty the Lord hath destined for them in His Kingdom, surely they would be filled with ecstasy, would behold themselves crowned with immortal glory and carried away with transports of delight. Erelong it shall be made manifest how brilliantly the light of His bountiful care and mercy hath shone upon His loved ones, and what a turbulent ocean hath been stirred in their hearts! Then will they clamour and exclaim: Happy are we; let all the world rejoice!

So great are the things ordained for the steadfast that were they, so much as the eye of a needle, to be disclosed, all who are in heaven and on earth would be dumbfounded, except such as God, the Lord of all worlds, hath willed to exempt.

In the Book of God it is recorded that should a person embrace this Faith, his father and mother shall also receive forgiveness.

Verily I say, such is the greatness of this Cause that the father flieth from his son, and the son flieth from his father. Call ye to mind the story of Noah and Canaan. God grant that, in these days of heavenly delight, ye may not deprive yourselves of the sweet savors of the All-Glorious God, and may partake, in this spiritual Springtime, of the outpourings of His grace. Arise in the name of Him Who is the Object of all knowledge, and, with absolute detachment from the learning of men, lift up your voices and proclaim His Cause. I swear by the Daystar of Divine Revelation! The very moment ye arise, ye will witness how a flood of Divine knowledge will gush out of your hearts, and will behold the wonders of His heavenly wisdom manifested in all their glory before you. Were ye to taste of the sweetness of the sayings of the All-Merciful, ye would unhesitatingly forsake your selves, and would lay down your lives for the Well-Beloved.

Who can ever believe that this Servant of God hath at any time cherished in His heart a desire for any earthly honor or benefit? The Cause associated with His Name is far above the transitory things of this world. Behold Him, an exile, a victim of tyranny, in this Most Great Prison. His enemies have assailed Him on every side, and will continue to do so till the end of His life. Whatever, therefore, He saith unto you is wholly for the sake of God, that haply the peoples of the earth may cleanse their hearts from the stain of evil desire, may rend its veil asunder, and attain unto the knowledge of the one true God—the most exalted station to which any man can aspire. Their belief or disbelief in My Cause can neither profit nor harm Me. We summon them wholly for the sake of God. He, verily, can afford to dispense with all creatures.

I pray that thou mayest be so enkindled, by the fire of the love of thy Lord - which is none other than light itself in this Manifestation of the All-Compelling God - that the whole of creation may be moved and stirred by its warmth, and turn unto the Truth. Glory be unto him who hath attained unto the lights of guidance and recognized God, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Say: Glory be unto Thee, O Creator of the heavens and Possessor of all names! I beseech Thee by the revelations of Thy signs and the hidden tokens of Thy favor to make me one of them who have turned unto Thee and turned away from all else save Thee, who have acknowledged Thy singleness and confessed Thy oneness, and who have soared in the atmosphere of nearness to Thee until they became captives in Thy domains and abased among Thy creatures. O my Lord! I have laid hold on the cord of Thy bounties and clung to the hem of Thy generosity. I beseech Thee not to shut me out from Thy gate which Thou hast opened unto all who dwell in Thy heaven and on Thy earth. Then grant me, O my God, that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones and written down for Thy loved ones. Aid me, moreover, to serve Thee in such wise that the denial of them that have turned away from Thee shall not keep me back from observing Thy right, nor shall the assault of the oppressors prevent me from proclaiming Thy Cause.

Wilt Thou, O my God, withhold me from drawing nigh unto Thee after Thou hast called me to Thee? Wilt Thou drive me from the dawning-place of Thy signs after Thou hast summoned me to the horizon of Thy grace? O Lord! This is one who thirsts for the river of Thy bounty, and an ignorant one who seeketh to draw near to the ocean of Thy knowledge. Teach me, O my God, from Thy hidden knowledge whereby Thou didst give life to what was and what shall be. Make me, moreover, to circle round Thy good-pleasure, to be submissive to Thy command, and humble before Thy loved ones who have sought Thy presence and attained the light of Thy countenance, and entered the city wherein the sweet savors of Thy revelation were wafted and the fragrances of Thy inspiration were diffused. Thou art, verily, powerful to do what Thou willest. I testify that Thou art the Sovereign over all who are in earth and heaven, and the Almighty over all things. There is none other God but Thee, the Most Exalted, the All-Powerful, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.

O bondswoman of God! The human spirit possesseth wondrous powers, but it should be reinforced by the Holy Spirit. What thou hearest other than this is pure imagination. If, however, it be assisted by the bounty of the Holy Spirit, then will its strength be a thing to marvel at. Then will that human spirit uncover realities, and unravel mysteries. Turn thy heart fully to the Holy Spirit, and invite others to do the same; then shall ye witness wonderful results.

The source of courage and power is the promotion of the Word of God, and steadfastness in His Love.

Say: Beware, O people of Baha, lest the strong ones of the earth rob you of your strength, or they who rule the world fill you with fear. Put your trust in God, and commit your affairs to His keeping. He, verily, will, through the power of truth, render you victorious, and He, verily, is powerful to do what He willeth, and in His grasp are the reins of omnipotent might.

If thou art of the people of this field (race-course) let loose the reins and rely upon the Merciful, and He will indeed assist thee with the hosts of the unseen at all times.

You must arise with superhuman strength to spread the teachings for the Cause is GREAT; and whosoever shall arise in this Day to TEACH, know that he will be assisted by the Divine Concourse.

Praise be to God that the Bounty and Bestowal of the Blessed Perfection are with us; His Confirmations, His Spirituality, His Teachings, His advices and His Exhortations are with us. He had given us such an irresistible power that all the nations of the world cannot withstand it…

May you ever be under the protection of God!

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When I entered a convention or a meeting I saw with my own eyes the confirmations of the Holy Spirit hovering like white-plumaged birds over my head and the Kingdom of existence with all its mighty forces coming to my assistance.

O my Lord! Thou beholdest them clinging to the rope of Thy grace and holding fast unto the hem of the mantle of Thy beneficence. Ordain for them that which may draw them nearer unto Thee, and withhold them from all else save Thee. I beg of Thee, O Thou King of existence and Protector of the seen and the unseen, to make whosoever ariseth to serve Thy Cause as a sea moving by Thy desire, as one ablaze with the fire of Thy Sacred Tree, shining from the horizon of the heaven of Thy Will.

Whosoever arises to teach the Cause of God, kills nine birds with one stone. First: Proclamation of the Glad-tidings of the Kingdom of Abha. Second: Service to the Threshold of the Almighty. Third: His spiritual presence in this Court. Fourth: His perfection under the shade of the Standard of Truth. Fifth: The descent of the Bestowals of God upon him. Sixth: Bringing still nearer the age of fraternity and the dawn of Millenium. Seventh: Winning the divine approval of the Supreme Concourse. Eighth: The spiritual illumination of the hearts of humanity. Ninth: The education of the children of the race in the moral precepts of Baha'u'llah....

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It is the Holy Spirit which quickens the souls, not the teacher. The teacher is the reed; the Holy Spirit is the Water of Life passing through the reed.

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One should remember it is not the individual who confirms another, but the Holy Spirit which confirms. Thus the individual must become a reed, through which the spirit may descend, and quicken souls. Thus the best way to develop capacity in teaching the Faith, is to teach. As one teaches, he gains more knowledge himself, he relies more on the guidance of the spirit, and expands his own character. This is why Baha'u'llah made it incumbent on all to teach the Faith.

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Consecration, dedication and enthusiastic service is the keynote to successful teaching. One must become like a reed through which the Holy Spirit descends to reach the student of the Faith. We give the Message, and explain the Teachings, but it is the Holy Spirit that quickens and confirms.

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What is needed to achieve success in the teaching field is a complete dedication on the part of the individual, consecration to the glorious task of spreading the Faith, and the living of the Baha'i life, because that creates the magnet for the Holy Spirit, and it is the Holy Spirit which quickens the new soul. Thus, the individual should be as a reed, through which the Holy Spirit may flow, to give new life to the seeking soul.

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Do you think it is the teachers who make converts and change human hearts? No, surely not. They are only pure souls who take the first step, and then let the spirit of Baha'u'llah move them and make use of them. If any one of them should even for a second consider his achievements as due to his own capacities, his work is ended and his fall starts. … Stop being conscious of your frailties, therefore; have a perfect reliance upon God; let your heart burn with the desire to serve His mission and proclaim His call; and you will observe how eloquence and the power to change human hearts will come as a matter of course.

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It is the Holy Spirit that confirms. It is the Holy Spirit that gives new life. The constant prayer of the teacher should be that he may be purified, so the Holy Spirit may cause him to say or do something to affect the heart of the student.

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The Master assured us that when we forget ourselves, and strive with all our powers to serve and teach the Faith, we receive divine assistance. It is not we who do the work, but we are the instruments used at that time for the purpose of teaching His Cause.

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At all times we must look at the greatness of the Cause, and remember that Baha'u'llah will assist all who arise in His service. When we look at ourselves, we are sure to feel discouraged by our shortcomings and insignificance!

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Do not feel discouraged if your labours do not always yield an abundant fruitage. For a quick and rapidly-won success is not always the best and the most lasting. The harder you strive to attain your goal, the greater will be the confirmations of Baha'u'llah, and the more certain you can feel to attain success. Be cheerful, therefore, and exert yourself with full faith and confidence.

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The invisible hosts of the Kingdom are ready to extend to you all the assistance you need, and through them you will no doubt succeed in removing every obstacle in your way, and in fulfilling this most cherished desire of your heart. Baha'u'llah has given us [a] promise that should we persevere in our efforts and repose all our confidence in Him the doors of success will be widely open before us....

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...the untapped sources of celestial strength from which it can draw are measureless in their potencies, and will unhesitatingly pour forth their energizing influences if the necessary daily effort be made and the required sacrifices be willingly accepted.

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There is no doubt that thou art assiduously engaged in serving the Cause, giving eloquent talks at the meetings of the friends, and elucidating divine mysteries. These exertions will cause the outpourings of His invisible assistance to descend, and, as a magnet, will attract divine bounties. I earnestly hope that through the vitalizing breath of the Holy Spirit thou mayest be strengthened day by day, and be empowered to deliver more eloquent addresses...

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Verily, thy Lord will assist and inspire thee with the breath of the Holy Spirit and will cause thee to utter the proofs and principles of thy Lord with great penetration and confidence. in

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Today, any soul who looseneth his tongue in the delivery of Truth and is engaged in the diffusion of the fragrances of God, he shall undoubtedly be assisted and confirmed by the Holy Spirit and can resist the attacks of all the people of the world, [for the] power of the Realm of Might shall prevail.

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They that have forsaken their country for the purpose of teaching Our Cause -these shall the Faithful Spirit strengthen through its power. A company of Our chosen angels shall go forth with them, as bidden by Him Who is the Almighty, the All-Wise.... If he be kindled with the fire of His love, if he forgoeth all created things, the words he uttereth shall set on fire them that hear him.

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Verily, We behold you from Our realm of glory, and shall aid whosoever will arise for the triumph of Our Cause with the hosts of the Concourse on high and a company of Our favored angels.

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Today, as never before, the magnet which attracts the blessings from on high is teaching the Faith of God. The Hosts of Heaven are poised between heaven and earth, just waiting, and patiently, for the Baha'i to step forth, with pure devotion and consecration, to teach the Cause of God, so they may rush to his aid and assistance.

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The Hosts of the Supreme Concourse are in martial array, poised between Earth and Heaven ready to rush to the assistance of those who arise to Teach the Faith. If one seeks the confirmation of the Holy Spirit, one can find it in rich abundance in the Teaching Field.

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The power of the Holy Spirit is decending in torrents, and it only remains for the individual Baha'i to arise and serve and teach, in order to receive the confirmations from on High.

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The Divine Confirmations are descending in torrents on those who arise to teach. At this critical time in the history of the Faith, teaching is the one Baha'i service that is confirmed.

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By God, besides Whom is none other God! Should any one arise for the triumph of our Cause, him will God render victorious though tens of thousands of enemies be leagued against him. And if his love for Me wax stronger, God will establish his ascendancy over all the powers of earth and heaven. Thus have We breathed the spirit of power into all regions.

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...The Baha'is are the leaven of God, which must leaven the lump of their nation. In direct ratio to their success will be the protection vouchsafed, not only to them but to their country. These are the immutable laws of God, from which there is no escape: 'For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required.'

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"Say: O servants! The triumph of this Cause hath depended, and will continue to depend, upon the appearance of holy souls, upon the showing forth of goodly deeds, and the revelation of words of consummate wisdom." "Center your energies in the propagation of the Faith of God. Whoso is worthy of so high a calling, let him arise and promote it. Whoso is unable, it is his duty to appoint him who will, in his stead, proclaim this Revelation, whose power hath caused the foundations of the mightiest structures to quake, every mountain to be crushed into dust, and every soul to be dumbfounded." … "Blessed is the spot, and the house, and the place, and the city, and the heart, and the mountain, and the refuge, and the cave, and the valley, and the land, and the sea, and the island, and the meadow where mention of God hath been made, and His praise glorified." "The movement itself from place to place, when undertaken for the sake of God, hath always exerted, and can now exert, its influence in the world. In the Books of old the station of them that have voyaged far and near in order to guide the servants of God hath been set forth and written down."

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