“I am the servant of Baha”

Akka, 1901

In this greatest period there are only two Manifestations. The Blessed Báb, may my soul be a ransom to Him, and a Manifestation of the Blessed Perfection, glory be to Him. We are all the servants of the threshold of Baha. And the one who serves most in His holy Threshold is the most beloved. My greatest wish and desire is submissiveness and servitude at His Holy Threshold. My name ‘Abdu’l-Baha means the servant of God. My heart is the servant of Baha. And my spirit is the servant of Baha and rejoices only in this name. My purpose is love not only by word but by action. The essence of all essence is love, which is like unto the meat of the nut while all else is like unto the shell or outside. Through the providence of the Blessed Perfection our spirits must be full of the love of God. Therefore anyone who ask you about me, should be told that I am the servant of Baha, because this is my only wish.

Some years ago two believers became excited over a discussion as to the station of the Blessed Perfection. One of them declaring that Baha’u’llah was the holy identity of God. To settle the dispute they submitted the matter to the holy presence and the Blessed Perfection answered: “When there is a quarrel all are wrong. But when there is love all are right.” The Blessed Perfection said: the only thing that is not beloved is discord. And all that is beloved is love. The believers must love each other, and must reflect the love of God. Some may say the lamp is the light, others may say the lamp is the place of the manifestation of the light. Both statements are correct. But what is wrong is the quarrel. Because it is contrary to the foundation laid by God. Therefore in order that there may be no discord all of the believers in the Truth must not mention me except as ‘Abdu’l-Baha, the servant of God. The essential thing is love. I must love you and you must love me. Such is the meaning of the truth while untruth means rancor, discord and hatred. All else save love is merely outwardly uttered words. ‘Abdu’l-Baha expressed the hope that the faithful followers of God in America would become gardeners in the paradise of El Abha and fruitful trees of that Garden. The fire of their love should be as the heat in rays of the sun. Their teaching should be like the rains of providence. Their spiritual character should be like the life-giving breezes which diffuse the fragrances throughout all regions. 
~ ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a table talk; excerpt from the transcript of a talk given by William Copeland Dodge relating the account of his pilgrimage to ‘Akka in 1901) (To listen to and read the entire talk please visit Baha’i Talks, Messages and Articles)