July 6, 1912
New York City
Man in the world of existence has traversed certain degrees until he has arrived at the world of manhood. In every degree he has attained the capacity for advancement to the next degree. While in the mineral kingdom he was attaining the capacity for promotion into the vegetable kingdom. In the vegetable kingdom he has received preparation and capacity for the animal kingdom. He has come from the vegetable kingdom to the animal and then on to the human kingdom.
In the beginning of his life man was in the matrix world. In the world of the matrix he obtained capacity and preparation for this world. The forces and powers necessary for this world he attained there. In this world he needed eyes; he received them potentially, in the other. He needed ears; therefore he obtained them in the world of the matrix. All the powers he needed in this world he attained potentially in the world of the matrix. In the world of the matrix therefore he was prepared for this world; so that when he came to this world he found that all the necessary forces were ready—all his needs for material sustenance were provided.
Therefore in this world also he must prepare himself and get ready for the life hereafter. That of which he is in need in the world of the kingdom he must obtain here. Just as he prepared himself by acquiring the forces necessary in this world in the world of the matrix, so likewise it is necessary that all needful in the Kingdom, all the forces of the Kingdom—must be acquired in this world.
What is he in need of in the Kingdom after he is transferred from this world to the other world? That world is a world of sanctity, therefore it is necessary that he acquire sanctity in this world. In that world there is need of radiance, therefore radiance must be acquired in this world. In that world there is need of spirituality. In this world he must acquire spirituality. In that world faith and assurance, the knowledge of God, the love of God, are needed. These he must acquire in this world so that after he ascends from this mortal to that immortal world he shall find all that is needful in that life eternal is ready for him.
It is self-evident that that world is a world of Lights; therefore there is need for illumination. That world is a world of Love; hence Love of God is needed. That world is a world of perfections; virtues or perfections must be acquired. That world is a world of the Breaths of the Holy Spirit and in this world must they be acquired. That world is a world of the Life Eternal. In this world must he acquire it. But how can he? By what means can he acquire these things? How is he to obtain these merciful powers?
First,—through the Knowledge of God. Second,—through the Love of God. Third,—through faith. Fourth.—through philanthropic deeds. Fifth,—through self-sacrifice. Sixth,—through severance from this world. Seventh,—through sanctity and holiness. Unless he obtain these forces, unless he attains to these requirements, surely he will be deprived of the Life Eternal. But if he attain the Knowledge of God, become ignited through the fire of the Love of God, witnesses the great and mighty signs, becomes the cause of love among mankind and lives in the utmost state of sanctity and holiness, surely he shall attain to second birth, will be baptized through the Holy Spirit and witness the Life Eternal.
It is astonishing! It is a most amazing thing!—that God has created all humanity for the knowledge of Himself, for the love of Himself, for the virtues of the human world, for the Life Eternal;—for perfect spirituality, for heavenly illumination has He created man;—nevertheless, man is utterly negligent of all this! He is seeking the knowledge of everything except the Knowledge of God. He seeks, for example, to know the lowest stratum of the earth. His utmost desire is this. Day and night he strives to know what he can find ten metres below the surface; what he can discover within the stone; what he can learn archaeologically through the dust! He puts forth arduous labors to penetrate a mystery of terrestrial mysteries; but he is not at all thoughtful of knowing the mysteries of the Kingdom, traversing the fields of the Kingdom, becoming aware of the verities of the Kingdom, discovering the Secrets of God, arriving at the Knowledge of God, witnessing the Lights of Reality and becoming informed of the verities of the Kingdom. He is not at all thoughtful of these. How much he is attracted to the mysteries of matter, and how utterly unaware he is of the mysteries of Divinity! Nay, he is even utterly careless of the mysteries of Divinity. How stupid this is! how ignorant this is! how conducive to degradation this is! It is like this—that a son should have a very kind Father who has provided for him great Books, in order that he may become aware of the mysteries of creation, and supplied also many means of adornment, comfort and enjoyment. But the son, because of immaturity and lack of intelligence, loses sight of all these and lays them aside, attaching himself to pebbles, passing his time day and night with playthings, neglectful of all the gifts which his Father has provided for him. How ignorant such a child is! how heedless! The Father has wished for him Glory Eternal, and he is content with the greatest deprivation. The Father has built for him a royal palace, but he is playing with dust. The Father has prepared for him garments of silk, but he is content with his nakedness. The Father has prepared for him the most delicious foods and most luscious fruits, while he seeks the grasses of the fields. Such is the analogy.
Praise be to God! you have heard the call of the Kingdom! You have opened your eyes; you have turned to God. Your object is the good-pleasure of God. Your purpose is the understanding of the mysteries of the heart and your intention is to discover the realities. Day and night must you think, strive and investigate, that you may attain to the mysteries of the Kingdom; that you may learn the evidences of Divinity; that you may attain certainty in knowledge; that you may know this world has a Creator, has a Maker, has a Resuscitator, has a Provider, has an Architect—but know this through proofs and evidences, not through susceptibilities; nay rather through decisive proofs, evident arguments and real vision—that is to say, visualizing it just as you visualize the sun. May you with complete certainty behold the signs of God and attain to the knowledge of the Holy, Divine Manifestations.
You must come into the knowledge of the Divine Manifestations through proofs and evidences. You must know the teachings of the Holy Divine Manifestations. You must learn the mysteries of the Divine Kingdom. You must become capable of discovering the realities of things. Thus may you become the manifestations of the mercy of God and real believers,—firm and steadfast in the Cause of God.
Praise be to God! the door of the Knowledge of God has been opened by Baha’u’llah. For He has laid the foundation whereby man may become acquainted with the verities of heaven and earth, and has bestowed the utmost confirmation. He is our teacher; He is our adviser; He is our seer. He is the one clement towards us. He has prepared all His gifts. He has vouchsafed His Providence. Every admonition has He given unto us. Every behest has He uttered for Us. He has prepared for us the means of eternal majesty. He has breathed for us the breaths of the Holy Spirit. He has opened before our faces the doors of the Paradise of Abha. The Lights of the Sun of Reality has He caused to shine upon us. The clouds of mercy have poured down upon us. The sea of favor is surging towards us. The spiritual springtime has come. The infinite bounties and favors have appeared. What therefore is greater than this? What bestowal is greater than this? We must appreciate this and act in accordance with the teachings of Baha’u’llah, so that all good may be stored up for us and in both worlds we shall become precious, attain to the blessing everlasting, taste the delicacy of the Love of God, find the sweetness of the Knowledge of God, see the bestowal of Heaven and witness the Power of the Holy Spirit. This is my advice and this is my admonition.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Talk given on 6 July, 1912, New York City; Star of the West, vol. 3, no. 11; September 27, 1912)
