“Thankfulness is of three kinds”

July 15, 1912

New York City, Home of Mrs. Florian Krug

I am greatly pleased to see you. Your hearts are illumined by the Lights of Baha. This meeting is in reality a divine, celestial assembly under the favor of God. All of us have no other purpose than praising and meeting God. The prayer you have just offered is a prayer of thankfulness; — a prayer of thankfulness did ye offer.

Thankfulness is of three kinds: First—verbal thanksgiving which is confined to a mere utterance of gratitude. This is of no importance because perchance the tongue may give thanks while the heart is unaware of it. Many who offer thanks to God are of this type, —their spirits and hearts unaware of thanksgiving. This is mere usage, just as when we meet, receive a gift and say "thank you," — speaking the words without significance. One may say "thank you" a thousand times, but the heart remain thankless, even sorry. Therefore mere verbal thanksgiving is without effect. But real thankfulness is a cordial thanksgiving from the heart. When man, in response to the favors of God, manifests susceptibilities of conscience, the heart is happy, the spirit is exhilarated. These spiritual susceptibilities are ideal thanksgiving.

But there is a cordial thanksgiving which comprises the deeds of man when he feels a heart gratitude which expresses itself in actions. For example, God has conferred upon man the gift of guidance and in thankfulness for this great gift certain deeds must emanate from man. To portray his gratitude for the favors of God, man must show forth deeds and actions. In response to these bestowals he must render good deeds, be self- sacrificing, kind to all the servants of God, forfeiting even life for them, showing kindness to all the creatures. He must be severed from the world, attracted to the Kingdom of Abha, the face radiant, the tongue eloquent, the ear attentive, day and night striving to attain the good pleasure of God. Whatsoever he wishes to do must correspond with the good pleasure of God. He must observe and see what is God's good pleasure and act accordingly. There can be no doubt that such commendable deeds are thankfulness for the favors of God.

“The Bahai Grand Army consists of the invisible angels of the Supreme Concourse.”

1913

Stuttgart, Germany

While ‘Abdu’l-Baha was one day looking out of his hotel window he observed a regiment of soldiers passing by in great array, and He said:

"They are ready to fight for their fatherland. How barbarous it seems to send men, who do not even know each other, to the battlefield in order to shoot each other down.

"The Bahai Grand Army consists of the invisible angels of the Supreme Concourse. Our swords are the Words of Light. Our armament is the armament of heaven. We are fighting against the forces of darkness.

"O, my soldiers! My beloved soldiers! Forward! Forward! Have no fear of defeat—do not have failing hearts. Our Supreme Commander is Baha’u’llah. From the heights of Glory He is directing this dramatic engagement. He commands us! Rush forward! Rush Forward! Show the strength of your arms. Ye shall scatter the forces of ignorance!

"Your war confers Life; their war brings death. Your war is the cause of the illumination of all mankind; their war means the breaking and darkness of hearts. Your war means victory upon victory; their war is defeat upon defeat. Your war is the means of construction; their war is the origin of destruction.

"There are no dangers before you. Push forward! Push forward! Attack the enemy! Your efforts shall be crowned with the diadem of Eternal Peace and Brotherhood.

"His Holiness the Christ was fighting even upon the Cross, and His triumphant work continued through ages and cycles." 

(Star of the West, vol. 4, no. 4, May 17, 1913)

“The world of humanity is in the dark. Our aim is to illumine mankind.”

April 3, 1913

Stuttgart, Germany

I came from a distant land. I have travelled twenty thousand miles until I came to you in Stuttgart. Forty years I was a prisoner. I was young when I was put into prison and my hair was white when the prison doors opened. After all these long years of the sufferings of prison life I willingly took upon myself all the hardships of a long journey. Now I am here in order to be united with you, in order to meet you. My purpose is that perchance you may illumine the world of humanity; that all men may unite in perfect love and friendship; that religious prejudices, national prejudices, race distinctions, all may be completely abandoned. The religions of today consist of dogmas. Because these dogmas differ from each other, discord and even hatred is manifest. Religion must be the basis of all good fellowship. Think of the turmoil that today exists in the Balkans; how much blood is shed; how many thousands of mothers have lost their sons, how many children have become orphans, and how many buildings, villages, and cities have been destroyed! The Balkan states have become a volcano. All this ruin originates from the prejudices created by the different dogmas, called forth by superstitions and race prejudices.

The essence of the religion of God is love, and the Holy Books bear testimony to that, for the essence of the religion of God is the light of the world of humanity; but mankind today has forgotten what constitutes true religion. Each nation and each people today hold to some definite dogma.