Tonight, I desire to speak to you on a most important subject,
which you must engrave on the tablets of your hearts like unto the engraving of
pictures on adamantine tack, to the extent that you may never forget it, and as
you travel through life will relate it to the believers of God.
It is this: The Holy, Divine Manifestations are unique and
peerless. They are the arch-types of celestial and spiritual virtues in their
own age and cycle. They stand on the summit of the Mount of Vision and they
foreshadow the perfections of the evolving humanity.
For example: during the dispensation of His Holiness Moses
-- Peace be upon Him -- there was not a single human soul similar or like unto
Him. He surpassed all the Holy Souls who came after Him, even the hosts of the
Israelitish prophets.
In a similar manner all the people who lived during the
cycle of His Holiness Christ -- May my life be a sacrifice to Him -- were under
His spiritual authority. They had no will of their own. He was the Sun and the
others were the lamps. He was unique and peerless, the center and the focal
point of the mighty forces. Everyone else was under His shadow. He was the Orb
and the others were the stars. He was also unique and peerless. Everyone caught
the rays of Light from Him, and was enkindled through His Fire.
In a like manner was the epoch of His Holiness the Báb --
May the life of aught else be a ransom to Him -- and He was matchless and
without a peer. All the rivers received their strength from that great sea.
Finally, during the cycle of the Blessed Perfection
Baha'u'llah -- My Life be a sacrifice to His believers -- all are beneath His
shadow. He is the Unique and Peerless One till the next Manifestation. It is,
however, not definite that it will be 1000 years; it may be 2000, or 10,000 or
20,000 years; but it is definite that for the coming 1000 years there will
appear no Manifestation; for1 000 years there shall arise no Sun. All the
appearances will be beneath the shade of the Most Great Appearance; they will
be as stars of guidance. All of them shall gather around this Fountain fame all
of them will become illumined with the rays of this Sun; all of them will
receive a share and a portion from this great Sea; all of them will become
vivified with this soul imparting breeze and all of them will be under the down
pour of this rain.
The aim is this: His Holiness the Báb gave the Glad tidings
concerning the Appearance of the Manifestation of God, and His Holiness, the
Blessed Perfection, was the "Promised One" of all the nations and
religions. The Báb was the "Morning Star," heralding the glorious
Dawn of the Sun of Reality. Now all of us are under Its shadow and receive the
refulgent Bestowals from It.
I am ‘Abdu'l-Baha and no more. I am not pleased with
whomsoever praises me with any other title. I am the Servant at the Threshold
of the Blessed Perfection, and I hope that this Servitude of mine will become
acceptable. Whosoever mentions any other name save this will not please me at
all. ‘Abdu'l-Baha, and no more. No person must praise me except by this name:
"’Abdu’l-Baha”
The Blessed Perfection and the Báb are unique and peerless
in this Dispensation, and until the next Manifestation. The belief, the opinion
and the thoughts of all believers must revolve around this common Center. This
oneness of belief must become fully realized so that in the future there may
arise no differences. His Holiness the Báb was the "Morn of
Guidance." The Blessed Perfection was the "Desired One" of all
the religions and nations, and all of us are under the Blessed Shade, non-existent
and evanescent. All of us are the servants of this Holy Threshold. All of us
are the thralls -- meek, humble and lowly. All of us receive the Light from
that Sun of Reality. There is no other mention, no other quality, no other
appellation for us save this.
I am ‘Abdu'l-Baha. The believers must be satisfied with this
explanation so that I may be pleased with them. All of the friends must be
united on this matter. Praise be to God! that up to this time, through the
Favor and Providence of the Blessed Perfection, no other title or word save
"’Abdu’l-Baha" has appeared either from my tongue or pen. I hope that
all the believers will walk in my footsteps so that I may become satisfied with
all of them. Our highest aspiration must be this: that we may become confirmed
to render some slight service in the Path of God. There is no greater station
than this.
After the Departure of the Blessed Perfection and till the
Appearance of the next Manifestation there is no other station save the Station
of Servitude, pure and absolute. Not a servitude liable to interpretation; but
an unconditional and unqualified servitude. This is the real fact. Whosoever
expresses any other interpretation, I will not be pleased with him. This is my
advice to you. This is my counsel to you. This is my desire. This is my good
pleasure. This is my last request from all the believers of God! The balsam to
my wound is servitude at the Holy Threshold. My Sadratu’l-Muntaha is servitude
at the Holy Threshold! My highest destination is servitude at the Holy
Threshold! My Supreme Paradise is servitude at the Holy Threshold! My Spiritual
Temple is servitude at the Holy Threshold! The Most Shining Crown is servitude
at the Holy Threshold! What diadem is more glorious than Servitude at the Holy
Threshold?
I hope that all of us will become assisted in this
servitude. I hope each one of us will become confirmed in absolute humility and
meekness at the Holy Threshold. This is the Delectable Paradise of the
righteous ones! This is the ultimate desire of the believers! This is the
Zenith of the hope of the favored ones!
‘Abdu’l-Baha Abbas
(Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, recorded by Ahmad Sohrab; Extract
from the Diary of Mirza Ahmad Sobrab, 17 January, 1914; Star of the West, vol.
5, no. 5, June 5, 1914)
