October 19, 1912
Los Angeles, Saturday evening
This is a good gathering, a good meeting. This assemblage is the assemblage of God, for it is not convened for any worldly purpose; it is not organized because of any commercial purpose; it is not held because of any political purpose; nor is it held because of some material end or purpose. It is held purely for the sake of God. Therefore I am very pleased. I am very glad to find such a meeting in this city—an assemblage, the members of which are in the utmost unity; an assemblage which does not entertain any desire save the good pleasure of God; an assemblage which has responded to the call of the Kingdom of Abhá, saying Yá-Bahá-‘u‘l-Abhá; an assemblage, the purpose of which is the illumination of the world of humanity; an assemblage, the purpose of which is universal guidance. Surely, such an assemblage is blest.
Today, the various nations of the world are submerged in the sea of materialism, having no purpose except material profits, and they are working for naught save the realization of their own ends. An assemblage which is turned to the Kingdom, which is possessed of the spiritual subtilties; which is possessed of attractions of the conscience, which is directed to God —this is a Bahá’í assemblage. Outside of that, all the others are submerged in the sea of materialism. Therefore, you must thank God that — Praise be to God! — the sun of reality has shone upon you, the breezes of favor have blown toward you, heavenly Manna has descended upon you, the Signs of God have been revealed to you; the hosts of the Blessed Beauty have surrounded you. You have hearkened to the admonitions of God and you are pursuing the straight pathway. Therefore, you must thank God for the manifestation of such boundless bestowals.
I hope that you may act in accordance with the Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh; that you may conduct yourselves in accordance with the behests of the Blessed Beauty. If you do so, I have no doubt that the lights of this assemblage will shine upon the world; this assemblage will be the cause of guiding a goodly number of people; this assemblage will be the cause of uniting the people of the world; this assemblage will be assisted to establish the peace of the world universal.
Do not look at your small numbers. Plurality of numbers is not important. It is, rather, the Bounty of God that is essential; it is the confirmation of the Heavenly Kingdom. Consider past times. How often it has happened that a limited meeting, a small number, has finally widened its circle and grown in proportion to the extent of including all nations and regions. Therefore, the hearts must be looked at, not the pluralities. If a limited number of souls are possessed of hearts which are pure and tender, that limited number is equivalent in strength of character to the whole population of the earth. Consider how, after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, fifty days thereafter, a limited number of disciples gathered together on the Mount of Transfiguration, not far from Joppa. The number of these was eleven; but because they gathered with hearts pure, with intentions sincere, with spirits exhilarated, in the utmost sincerity, without greed, without any intentions save the desire to do the Will of God, this limited number gathered there and held a meeting upon the Mount. Because of the purity of the hearts of those souls, because of the trustworthiness of those souls, because of the reliance of those souls, because of the attraction of the hearts of those souls, the world was illuminated, Christianity advanced; the Roman empire became Christianized; the Greek nation was Christianized; the Egyptian nation was converted; the Assyrians were converted, also the Chaldean nation. In other words, the illumination of His Holiness Christ illuminated the whole region. All these were the blessed results of that meeting of eleven souls on the mountain.
They held that meeting in the utmost of purity and sincerity, in the utmost of faith and assurance; in the utmost of attraction and zeal was that meeting held. And these colossal results were accomplished; these wondrous lights were expressed; this heavenly affair was promulgated. Therefore, do not look at your limited number, that you are not capable of having a meeting the same size as other people. Remember that importance is not attached to numbers; rather what is most important concerns faith, concerns assurance, it concerns veracity, concerns firmness, concerns attention to the Kingdom of Abhá; concerns self-sacrifice in the path of God. If you attain to this, though there be but two people, remember those two people are equivalent in strength and character to the whole world. Therefore I pray, asking for your confirmation and assistance, that the aid and uplift of Bahá’u’lláh may reach you, the hosts of the Kingdom of Abhá may reinforce you, that the powerful angels of God may assist you. Be assured of the victory; rest assured that you will be confirmed.
That which is of essential importance is your unity and agreement. You must be in the utmost state of unity and agreement. You must love one another; you must be self-sacrificing for one another. If you observe any shortcomings on the part of any, as much as you can, be forgiving and do not be hard. Even if you wish to admonish let your admonition be with justice; let your admonition be in symbols; do not express explicitly lest any heart should be saddened. Remember that in the world of existence there is nothing so bad as injuring the heart, for the heart of man is the place of the descent of the Merciful, and man must not at all disquiet or harm the place of the Merciful. Man must ever strive to make the hearts grateful, to rejoice the spirits, to render the thoughts radiant, to be the cause of comfort and ease of others. This is the station of the Bahá’ís, and this is the utmost desire of those who are divine. Now the friends of God in Persia have reached such a stage that each is willing to sacrifice his life for the others, each one accounting himself the servant of the others. How many of the nobles are occupied with the service of the poor! How many of the dear ones are most humble and submissive in the presence of the lowly! What is this for? It is for the Love of God. It is for sincerity. It is for faith. It is for certainty.
I came from San Francisco to see you and to visit Mr. Chase’s grave. Truly Mr. Chase was a glorious personage, having no desire save the good pleasure of God. His attention was directed to the Kingdom of God. He served during his life time. He was not at all wanting in service. He compiled certain books proving the validity of the Movement. As much as he could he endeavored to guide the people. You will never forget him. May you ever pray for him, be ever respectful to his family and be a source of comfort to them. As many times as possible—at least once a year—you should make a point to visit his tomb, for his spirit will be exhilarated through the loyalty of the friends, and in the world of God will he be happy. The friends of God must be kind to one another, whether it be in life or after death.
The Blessed Beauty appeared in Persia, in Tihrán. He was in the utmost ease and affluence. He was most influential and surrounded with luxury. All the pleasures of the transitory world were provided for Him, and all the grandees of Persia longed to enjoy the influence and affluence, the things of wealth and position of Bahá’u’lláh. But consider that He suffered all these things to be separated from Him. He sacrificed His Honor, His fame and His station among men; sacrificing all, even His life. Ever was He subjected to the sword, and many were the ordeals which He endured, and numerous were the disturbances to which He was subjected. How many nights He passed beneath chains, and many were the days He passed in dark dungeons.
When I visited the dungeon in Tihrán, as a child, in order to see Bahá’u’lláh — when the door was opened there were some steps leading down into the place. They took me as far as midway. I peered through the darkness; I could not find any one; it was exceedingly gloomy. Then I heard the Blessed voice saying: "Take him away." When I heard His voice I tried to see the Blessed Beauty, but because of the great darkness I could not. Then I was taken out; they seated me. They said it is customary, about midday, to take the prisoners out for their meals; so there I sat. About noontime the jailers were all ready and the prisoners were taken out. I saw Bahá’u’lláh’s neck in chains, bound to another, both of them chained to the same link, one about His neck and another about the person who was chained to Him. The weight of the chains was so excessive that His neck was bent and He walked with great difficulty, and He was in a very sad condition. His clothes were tattered and battered; even the hat on His head was torn. He was in the utmost of ordeal and His health was quite visibly failing. They brought me and seated me, and they took Him to the place where there was a pond, in order that He might wash His face. After that they took Him back to the dungeon, and I, although I was a child, was so overcome I was unconscious. And then Bahá‘u’lláh said: "Take the child away to the house," and therefore I was taken away.
This shows one of the ordeals of His life, and you can judge of the others accordingly. During fifty years, many were His vicissitudes. He suffered all these ordeals for us. He suffered all these catastrophes for us, that we may attain to faith; that we may attain to certainty; that we may turn to God; that we may act in accordance with His Teachings; that we may be the cause of the illumination of the world; that we may be the means of guiding the people. And now I wish that you—in the light of these sufferings of the Blessed Beauty for our guidance, for our illumination — likewise may be self-sacrificing. We must not forget His favors; we must not forget His troubles; we must not forget His catastrophes. We must ever remember them, striving that, perchance, in thanksgiving for these favors, we may offer worthy service; we may be the cause of guiding the people; we may act in accordance with His instructions; we may live in accordance with His behests; we may forget ourselves; and that, like these holy souls who have sacrificed their lives, we may likewise sacrifice our life; we may be the cause of the heavenly peace; be the cause of the spread of His fragrances; be the cause of the spread of His teachings.
For His Teachings are the Spirit of the world; His Teachings are the cause of the order of the world; His Teachings are the cause of the life of humanity; His Teachings unify mankind; His Teachings render eternal honor to men; His Teachings are the cause of the sublimity of human nature; His Teachings cause men to attain to progress and prosperity. His Teachings are conducive to man’s entrance into the Kingdom of Salvation.
All the people of the world look at us to see how we act; what our characteristics are; what our attributes are; what our mode of procedure is. They all look toward us, and we must act in such wise, we must live in such wise that we may not be the cause of the degradation of the Cause of God. Nay, rather, we must be the cause of the glory of God, and if we do not do so, how can we behold His face in His Kingdom? What shall be our apology? Did He not teach us according to His deeds? Did He not teach us through His self-sacrifice? Did He not teach us through His ordeals and difficulties? Is it meet that we should forget them? No, indeed, it is not meet; it is not loyalty and it is not behooving at all. Thank God that He has suffered you to attain to this great bestowal. Let us praise God that He has suffered us to be sheltered beneath the Tree of Life. Let us thank God that He has accepted us in His Kingdom. Let us offer thanks to God that He has specialized us for the favor which was the utmost aim of the Holy saints. Let us thank God that, notwithstanding the lack of capacity, every favor did He bestow upon us, every grace is showered upon us, and every bounty is revealed to us. He prepared for us the good of both worlds; He prepared for us eternal honor; He gave unto us the Life everlasting; He chose us out of all the nations of the world, and He caused us to attain to that which is the sublimity of the human world. Praise God for such an attainment as this! Tank ye God that such guidance is yours! And strive with life to hold aloft the banner of the Great Guidance; to be the cause of the illumination of the East and the West; the cause of the unity of all nations: that ye may be instrumental in spreading the heavenly morals; that ye may be the cause of manifesting spiritual attributes; that you may become characterized with the characteristics of the Bountiful, that you may become imbued with the qualities of the faithful; that you may be distinguished in all virtues; that you may be set aglow with the Fire of the Love of God and attracted by the Love of God.
This blessed dispensation is distinguished from all other dispensations. There are special features of it which are not to be found in all the other dispensations. In the other dispensations the doors of differences were opened, but the Blessed Perfection, in this great dispensation, closed the doors of all sorts of differences, so that no more shall there be a Catholic sect, or a Greek orthodox sect, or a Protestant sect or an Arian sect, or a Nestorian sect. All shall be in the same faith, all shall follow along the same way.
During the Christian dispensation, as recorded in the glorious Gospel, there was no distinct standard given whereby you could differentiate the false from the true. That is to say, if various sects were created it was unavoidable, as there was no standard to show what was right and what was wrong. At most, Jesus said to Peter: "Who dost thou think I am?" His Holiness Peter said: "Thou art the Son of God." And then Christ said to Peter: "Verily thou art the Rock, and upon this Rock will I build My Church." This was the confirmation of Peter’s faith; that the faith of Peter in Christ was perfect; but He did not say, if any differences should arise, you should refer them to Peter, and whatever he says is right. He did not say that Peter was the promulgator or expounder of the Gospel. He did not say: "Turn to Peter." Therefore, there were differences caused; there were various sects created; there were alienations.
But the Blessed Perfection in this great dispensation, in order to close the doors of differences, and in order that no one should create any new sect, according to the explicit text of the Holy Book of Aqdas, has clearly recorded that "after I depart, turn to Him who is the Branch extending from this ancient Branch, from this Pre-existent Root." And in the second verse, likewise, and most explicitly does He state in the Book of the Covenant, in His own handwriting, He has recorded as to whom He meant and what His purpose was regarding the "Branch extended." All the Branches, all the twigs, all the relatives were addressed by Him explicitly saying that all must turn to the personage, and that personage is the expounder of the Book: that is, no one has a right to say that Bahá’u’lláh said this or that. Where in the Gospel is anything recorded like this? Now He is the expounder; whatever He expounds is correct, and beyond that it is incorrect. Likewise, in all the Tablets He says: "O God, help those souls who are firm in the Covenant! O Lord, render radiant those who hold to Thy Testament! O Lord, those who are infirm, meet them with Thy wrath! O God, be an assistant to him who is an assistant of the Center of the Covenant; help those who help him! O God, avenge him who is wrathy to Him," and such statements in all the Tablets and Prayers which He revealed.
The Blessed Perfection saw that no dissension should take place in this dispensation. Lest there should be any dispute. He appointed a Center to ward off differences, and whatever He was to say was to be right — just to ward off differences. Now my purpose is this, let there be no difference here; there shall be no difference of opinion or any person. The friends who are to be the cause of the oneness of the world of humanity should they thus disagree, just as His Holiness Christ says, "Ye are the salt of the earth, and if the salt loses its saltness, wherewith shall it be salted?”
And now, God forbid that any inharmony or disagreement should exist among the friends. How could there be unity amongst the people of the world if the friends of God are not in unity? If the friends of God be not attracted to the Kingdom of Abhá, who are to be attracted? Praise be to God! In this age the doors of disagreement have been entirely shut. He has even said, "Whatever the International House of Justice decides upon, that is the Law of God." Why? In order that no discord shall be created; in order that the friends of God shall be united and agreed. For this no soul shall have any opportunity. He has said: "Whatever of the texts is not explicit, the International House of Justice is the Lawgiver, and the Law given by it is the Law of God, and its prohibition is the prohibition of God. Whatever the International House of Justice shall decide, if any soul should dispute, he is deprived of God’s Mercy, and I verily shun him, because the demands of the House of Justice are final." Thus He has emphasized this fact, lest in the future times there should be discord and differences of opinion, and that when there differences obtain there shall be a House of Justice to refer to. Whatever it decides upon, that is ever the Law of God, and there will be no room for disagreement. Consider how distinguished this disposition is! This dispensation is one people; it presents one pathway. Therefore, I admonish you for God, if any souls here should disagree amongst themselves, know that these disagreements are not accepted at the Threshold of Bahá’u’lláh. If anything should happen to you, you should ask, in order that it may be decided according to the Law of God.
Again, here in America I hear so many reports and traditions attributed to me, of which I know nothing. For example, it reaches me here that I have said such a thing that the city of New York was to be inundated at a certain time and this city should be destroyed. Of this my spirit never dreamed. Therefore, if any soul should say anything, should prophesy, you must say: "Let me have a writing on that subject; let us have some trace of His pen concerning this." If he should present you a written statement of such a thing, then it is worthy of credence, otherwise you may know it is not from me. This is a tradition and it is an imagination. It is a dream of the person speaking. Would I ever say such a thing as that the city of New York is to be drowned, or part of the country destroyed? Such a thing never emanated from my tongue. That which I have to utter has to do with the Blessed Writings, with spirituality.
I am not an astrologer, nor am I a sorcerer, nor a fortune-teller, to speak about mountains, seas and the happenings of this world. This is only the work of astrologers; it is the function of sorcerers. It is not worthy a conscientious man, to say nothing of those who believe in God.
The purpose is this, that, Praise be to God! Bahá’u’lláh did not leave anything latent. He uttered that which He should and must, and we must act in accordance with His utterances; we should act in accordance with His Teachings; we must be like a pen in the writer’s hand, so that, whatever emanates from the pen must be from the writer. We must act according to the explicit texts of the Blessed Beauty, and to that which is explicit we must direct our attention. If any discord should arise, the matters must be referred to the Expounder, and whatsoever He says, it is His explicit text and it is correct. Otherwise He has said that, if two people disagree, both are wrong. Beware lest ye have any disagreements, beware lest you have any luke-warmness, beware lest you have any vain thoughts. Strive with your hearts to promulgate the Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh; to be the cause of the illumination of the world; to be the cause of the guidance of the people; that you may be the cause of honoring the world of humanity and winning hearts to this firm purpose.
(Final word, after He turned to the door)
We talked a great deal. Good night to you all. Perchance I will leave tomorrow. I did not even have time to come as far as this, but out of love for you I came. I am hastening back to the Orient, perhaps day after tomorrow. Therefore, I beg of you not to forget me at all. Pray for me! Ask from God confirmation in my behalf. Beg for me this assistance of the Blessed Beauty, for I have a weighty burden. No one could bear what I bear. I can do nothing unless the power of His confirmation should assist me. Hence I beg of you to pray for me ever. Supplicate, asking assistance, for my days are numbered. Ere long I shall have to say good-bye — a few days left for me in the world. May the confirmations of the Blessed Beauty, may the assistance of Bahá’u’lláh be mine! Perchance I may breathe in His service. Perchance I may offer worthy service. Hence I request you especially to pray for me ever, asking confirmation in my behalf.
(World Order magazine, January 1945)
