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SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT

‘Abdu’l-Bahá sent for me. I found Him in a little room opening from the courtyard. He was sitting upon a raised chair, His beautiful face, majestic in repose and strength, turned toward the only window. He greeted me joyfully. Both the daughters were present. He said, “I want you to carry away from ‘Akká the joy and peace of the spiritual life.” I answered, “It would be impossible for me to be in this atmosphere of Spirit as I have been and not receive wonderful benefit.” He continued, “God is like the calm and limitless sea. His Bounty is overflowing and illimitable. In our physical selves we are like the animals; yet in some ways the animals are even higher than men—they are more restful and composed—more trustful and reliant upon the Bounty of God—more in the flow of His Will. The birds of Mount Carmel are His creatures. They can fly to the highest branches of the trees and build their nests. From the treetops the bird can enjoy the beautiful view of sea and mountain by its power of sight. All this beauty exists for us as well. The Love of God, the Beauty of God is everywhere and exists for man if he will but rise to spiritual heights, open his spiritual vision, and behold it. Is the king free as the bird is free to fly upward? The king’s head is often heavy with anxiety and the things of this world which hold him down. The true pleasure and happiness depend upon the spiritual perception and enjoyment. The powers of mind are the bounties of God given to man to lead him toward spiritual happiness. The highest grace in man is to love God. Love of God, Knowledge of God is the greatest, the only real happiness, because it is Nearness to God. This is the Kingdom of God. To love God is to know Him. To know Him is to enter His Kingdom and be near Him. This is what I desire for you—that you may walk in this path.”

I answered, “Now that you have shown me the way, I wish to walk in this heavenly path.” He said, “You are near to God, and day by day you will progress by the knowledge of God toward spiritual joy. Then you will be a source of guidance to others. In you they will now behold another person; in fact, everybody will witness the change in your life. You must develop spiritual love in yourself and in them. Physical love is very different from spiritual love. To awaken spiritual love in others is to attain peace and joy for yourself.”

I said, “I wish to teach this Message of Light and Truth, but I feel that my efforts are small and unimportant.” He answered, “The mountain is large, but it has no intelligence. The diamond is small, but it is filled with light. The elephant produces no melody; the nightingale’s song is like the music of Heaven. I will pray that you may become the recipient of the Bounties of God. You will be filled with power because the Spirit will speak through you. You must not bring unhappiness to others. In the future sacrifice yourself more and more in the Cause of God. Then the Love of God will grow and grow in your heart.” I told Him my regret in leaving the Household where everything is in such peace and harmony. He said, “You are always here in spirit; you will never be absent now.”

I asked, “What shall I say to those who state that they are satisfied with Christianity and do not need this present Manifestation?” He answered, “Let them alone. What would they do if a former king had reigned and a new king was now seated upon the throne? They must acknowledge the new king, or they are not true subjects of the Kingdom. Last year there was a springtime. Can a man say, 'I do not need a new springtime this year—the old springtime is enough for me'? No! the new spring must come to fill the earth with beauty and brightness. The sun rose this morning. Shall we say to the sun, 'Go away! We do not need you this morning; you were here yesterday'? If we strive to upbuild this Cause with faith and love in our hearts, it will overpower all the science, philosophy, and metaphysics of this Day. I Myself am surprised at the wonderful things that are happening. The Word of God shows such power and penetration that all will be surprised and astonished at Its advance.”

I said, “I will pray to be assisted and strengthened.” He replied, “God will help you in this.” Then He continued, “Do everything in your power to help the poor and needy. Serve God in this way. The poor are the trust of God. Give the Message to every listening soul. Give them whatever they can take of it. In Persia there was a man who could not read or write, yet he was the cause of guidance to many great men in this Truth by his pure love of God. If you will turn to God, He will turn to you and assist you. He will make you eloquent. He will make you irresistible by His Wisdom. The tongue speaks from the heart, and if you are sincere, God will speak for you. Help and assist others to see this Truth as you do. Be their guide and helper. This Message is vital to young and old. In it the young must make more progress and bring forth more fruit than the old, just as young and vigorous trees yield the most fruit to the gardener. Christ said, 'Ye shall know the tree by its fruits,' meaning whether the fruits be good or bad, much or little. Those who are born of the Spirit have all the Divine qualities of growth. Without these qualities they are nothing but mere men and women; they are not spiritually alive; they are without the power of growth. Christ said they were 'dead.' Let all your thoughts be upon this so that the believers and others will know that you have the Spiritual Spring within your soul and have attained a newness of life. This is complete happiness, the only Peace. After awhile you will realize that you have been in the Presence of the Blessed Perfection. You are always in the Presence of God. Open the windows of your soul so His Presence may be within you.”

“Souls differ in their capacity to receive and manifest the Light of the Spirit. The Blessed Perfection said, 'There are as many ways to God as the breaths of His Human creatures.' Each soul must develop cording to its individual capacity. Peter differed from John, Paul from Barnabas, yet all of them were filled with the Light of the Spirit of Christ. Therefore, it follows that as each soul has its own possibility of development, it is necessary for each soul to stand alone before God. No one can stand for you in the Presence of God in the 'Last Day.' As the soul grows, its capacity increases. Capacity is the measure of development. Love is the evidence of capacity. When we love humanity as God loves us, we have reached the perfect station. Eternal Life is then ours, and this mortal world can give us nothing more. Do good each day, if only by speaking a kind word. Knowledge of God is attained through Desire and Patience. We must knock at the Door of Truth and seek God with earnestness. Ignorance is as much our natural condition as Knowledge is our condition of Development. A good conscience is the divinity within us that needs to be awakened and which shapes our eternal destiny. All souls come into this world through the Bounty of God and have equal right of Development. The soul is affected by its hereditary qualities, but no matter what its condition, it never loses the possibility of being quickened by the Fire of the Spirit of God. One brain may work quicker than another; one soul may acquire intelligence easier than another; but the power and presence of the Spirit does not depend upon mental capacity. The disciples of Christ were humble fishermen, while the learned Pharisees failed to see Him. The soul or mental intelligence awakes in the mother’s womb. Spirit enters when the conscience is quickened and the soul awakes to eternal Realities. Jesus said, 'The true worship is to worship God in Spirit and in Truth; for such worshipers as these the Spirit seeketh.' Therefore, as all souls have capacity for enkindlement by the Spirit and as we may all be assisted by Its Divine Power, we must will to receive it.”

“Some behold in a seed only a hard black substance, while others see in it the life principle, a tree, leaves, and fruit. The true believer in Bahá‘u’lláh brings forth leaves and fruit, proving that the life principle within him has been awakened and quickened. People are not sure of this being the Reality and complete Truth. It is bound to be true if we see spiritual growth in souls from the Blessed Perfection’s planting. Christ spake the parable of 'the seed.' The seed contained the Truth. Some of the seed was wasted He said—and some that grew up was choked by human teachings. For instance, by associating with people who do not believe in God the growth of the Spirit is stopped. When we find believers in this condition, we should strive to get them into different surroundings and under better influences. They need a physician. The most needy are the ones to help first. The 'poor are always with us,' Christ said, meaning those who are without the Teachings of the Word. They are our charge and responsibility. During the Greek-Turkish war the condition of the Turkish soldiers was frightful. The people appointed a Commission to raise money for their relief. Many contributed for a while, but finally nobody but Myself gave to help them. The soldiers complained that they were receiving less and less assistance. The Governor replied to them that all they were getting came from the hand of ‘Abbás Effendi and that all other donations had ceased. The soldiers showed no gratitude for what they were receiving but on the contrary complained bitterly against their benefactors. Just so we cry out to God, 'have mercy upon us,' when God is the only Giver of Bounty to us. War is a grievous calamity. It begins and ends in disaster. A mother has a beautiful boy filled with every grace and promise. He develops into manhood, goes to war, and in an instant all his possibilities sand usefulness are cut off.”