June 11, 1912,
309 West 78th Street
New York City
[After instructions upon certain matters, ‘Abdu'l-Baha
continued]
The essence of the intention is that I wish you to pray for
me and I will pray for you. The pathway we shall walk together is the pathway
of the disciples of Christ. After the departure of His Holiness to the Supreme
Paradise, the disciples who had followed His teachings met together in
consultation upon the summit of a mountain near Jaffa. Such a consultation was
never before held.
They said to each other, "His Holiness Jesus Christ has
been crucified. He offered His life in this way, gave up His rest and comfort,
forfeited His happiness, renounced His possessions, family and life, and
quaffed the chalice of martyrdom. He educated us in order that we might arise
after Him in His Cause. He sacrificed His life that the oil in the lamps of our
souls might become ignited and His Light shine forth from them. He suffered on
the cross that we may irrigate the tree of His planting. He consented to a
cruel death in order that the seed of His sowing might be cultivated and
preserved by us. Now must we be loyal to His Holiness. If we wish to be loyal
we must arise to carry out the duties of loyalty. Otherwise each of us will
continue to seek after his own livelihood, rest and comfort; each, like other
people, find repose, enjoy a family, have a household, provide food and strive
to gain glory and power. Shall we do this?” All said, "No! We must be
loyal and faithful to His Holiness Jesus Christ. Therefore, with our worldly
attachments we cannot attend to His service in a true spirit of severance. We
must either be occupied with ourselves or engaged in His service. This Cause is
a very great Cause; a Cause that is weighty and important, not light and
trivial; a Cause that is not easy to carry and serve.”