Book 6

Part 1, Sections 13-29

 

 

SECTION 13

It is not uncommon for people to hold certain beliefs and, at the same time, say things that basically contradict them. In general, it is not easy to be consistent. We all have habits of the mind, formed throughout our lives, that cause us to say things without thinking about them. With a little more thought, it would become clear to us that we do not really believe some of the statements we make. As our understanding advances, then, both in light of the teachings and through experience, it is worthwhile to pause from time to time and examine the validity of certain statements. Decide which of the following are consistent with your understanding of the concept of teaching as a duty. Mark them.

  • I actively participate in the consultations of my community on the teaching work and offer suggestions about how it should be done. That’s how I fulfill my duty to teach.

  • Whenever there is a focused teaching effort in my community, I say special prayers for it. That’s how I fulfill my duty to teach.

  • Whenever an opportunity presents itself, I offer some insights drawn from Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings. That’s enough for me to fulfill my duty to teach.

  • I have taught the Faith to one person this year. I’ve done my duty for the year.

  • Everyone I know is aware that I am a Bahá’í, and I have told those who are interested about Bahá’u’lláh and His Revelation. I have exhausted all the avenues open to me for teaching the Faith.

  • I fulfill my duty to teach by telling everyone I meet that I am a Bahá’í.

  • The best way I can fulfill my duty to teach is to live an exemplary life. There’s no need for words.

  • I try to obey all of Bahá’u’lláh’s commands and exhortations, including the one to teach His Cause, for only in this way will I be able to live an exemplary life.

  • I know Bahá’u’lláh has enjoined the duty of teaching His Cause on every one of His followers. But He didn’t really mean “everyone”. He was referring to those who are very knowledgeable in the Faith and have a great deal of experience.

  • Whenever I think about the beauty of Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings, I become so filled with joy that I don’t see how I would not share His message with others.
  • It is in fulfilling my duty to teach the Cause that I will receive Divine confirmation.

  • I fulfill my duty to teach the Cause because of my love for Bahá’u’lláh and the love He has instilled in me for all of humanity

  • We have so many community-building activities under way in our neighborhood, and it is only a matter of time before more and more individuals and families enter the Faith. There is no need for us to look for opportunities to speak about Bahá’u’lláh and His Revelation and help confirm souls in His Cause.

  • Memorize the following passage from a Tablet revealed by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá:

  • “O thou seeker after the Kingdom of God! If thou wishest thy speech and utterance to penetrate hearts that are hardened, rid thyself of all attachment to the world and turn thy face unto the Kingdom of God. Kindle the fire of His love within thy heart in such wise that thou mayest become a burning flame and a luminous candle of guidance. Then will thy speech, through the confirmation of the Holy Spirit, stir every heart.”

 

 

SECTION 14

Now that we have thought about the significance of teaching as a duty, let us reflect on the sacredness of this act, to which the Guardian draws our attention in the quotation we studied in Section 6. In what sense is teaching sacred? Of course, the mere fact that it is an exhortation which comes from God makes this duty sacred. But are there other dimensions of sacredness that we should explore in relation to teaching? In one of His Tablets Bahá’u’lláh says:

“That which He hath reserved for Himself are the cities of men’s hearts; and of these the loved ones of Him Who is the Sovereign Truth are, in this Day, as the keys. Please God they may, one and all, be enabled to unlock, through the power of the Most Great Name, the gates of these cities.”

In another passage He states:

“The things He hath reserved for Himself are the cities of men’s hearts, that He may cleanse them from all earthly defilements, and enable them to draw nigh unto the hallowed Spot which the hands of the infidel can never profane. Open, O people, the city of the human heart with the key of your utterance. Thus have We, according to a preordained measure, prescribed unto you your duty.”

Answering the following questions will help you to see how these passages relate to sacredness and the act of teaching.

  1. What has God reserved for Himself? 
  2. To Whom does the human heart belong? 
  3. What word do we use to describe “that which belongs to God”? 
  4. Who are as keys to the cities of men’s hearts? 
  5. From what does God wish to cleanse these cities? 
  6. To what does He wish these hearts to draw closer? 
  7. With what key are we to open the city of the human heart? 
  8. What duty has been prescribed unto us in these passages? 

 

 

 

SECTION 15

There is yet another dimension to sacredness we need to consider in our effort to explore its relation to teaching. In one of His Tablets Bahá’u’lláh refers to His Revelation in these words:

“Say: This is the sealed and mystic Scroll, the repository of God’s irrevocable Decree, bearing the words which the Finger of Holiness hath traced, that lay wrapt within the veil of impenetrable mystery, and hath now been sent down as a token of the grace of Him Who is the Almighty, the Ancient of Days. In it have We decreed the destinies of all the dwellers of the earth and the denizens of heaven, and written down the knowledge of all things from first to last.”

In the above passage, Bahá’u’lláh describes His Revelation as a sealed and mystic Scroll. A scroll is a roll of paper on which an important message is written. This sealed and mystic Scroll is the repository of God’s Decree—that is, it carries that which God has commanded and is unchangeable. The following exercise should help you gain insights into the meaning of this passage. Fill in the blanks using words from the quotation and then read the sentences together.

  1. Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation has been sent down to us as a token of God’s ___________.
  2. That which has been sent down is the ___________ and ___________ Scroll that before lay wrapt within the ___________ of ___________.
  3. It is the repository of God’s ___________ of the earth and heaven.
  4. In it God has decreed the destinies of all the ___________ of the earth and heaven.
  5. Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation contains in it the ___________ of all things from ___________ to ___________.

SECTION 16

Consider now what we have studied in the previous two sections. Teaching is the sacred duty of every Bahá’í, for it is enjoined upon us by God. Moreover, when we teach we are dealing with two very sacred things. One is the human heart which essentially belongs to God. Teaching, in fact, can be described as that spiritual act which results in the opening of the city of the human heart to Him. The other sacred thing with which teaching is concerned is the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh. We teach in order to connect the heart to His Revelation, His greatest bestowal to humankind.

Try to remember occasions in your life when you felt the presence of the sacred. If you have ever been in the Holy Shrines of Bahá’u’lláh and the Báb, you retain strong memories of how it felt to draw close to, and bow down at, Their Sacred Thresholds. But even if you have not yet had that bounty, there must be many occasions in your life when you were enraptured in prayer, with your mind and heart turned towards God, and you vividly felt to be standing in His presence. What are some of the sentiments that fill your heart in such moments? Mark them in the following list:

___ intense love
___ awe
___ indifference
___ submissiveness
___ humility
___ uneasiness
___ rapture
___ gratitude
___ joy
___ unworthiness
___ reverence
___ tranquility

 

 

 

 

SECTION 17

This last exercise has reminded us of the reverent attitude that one assumes when approaching that which is sacred and of the noble feelings that stir in one’s heart when standing in the presence of the sacred. In this context, an important question must be asked: How does your own awareness of the sacred nature of teaching imbue your acts with potency? To help you answer this question, it is suggested that you carry out an exercise in which three different ways to view the act of teaching are described and you are encouraged to think about the results of each. Do not worry if the exercise seems somewhat artificial; it will, nonetheless, provide you with certain needed insights.

As part of a growing nucleus of active supporters of the Faith in your neighborhood or village, you are a member of a team engaged in a collective teaching endeavor.

Together you and the other members visit households and discuss with individuals and families—some of whom are already, in one way or another, connected to the community-building activities under way—the fundamental verities enshrined in the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh, helping them to recognize Him as the Manifestation of God for today. Let us imagine a scenario in which your team has assisted over a period of time some thirty people in embracing the Cause and in joining the Bahá’í community. We can assume that each member of the team has carried out his or her duty to teach with the utmost sincerity and solely out of love for Bahá’u’lláh. Yet, what if the team’s perception of what it was doing was not constant in all cases?

Let us say that, at first, you saw yourselves, more or less, as salespeople. “Teaching is like selling,” you told yourselves. “The Faith has the best ideas around. We are good teachers if we can effectively package the Faith and sell these wonderful ideas to people.” Ten souls came into the Faith in this way.

Now suppose that, a little later, you and the other members of the team saw what you were doing largely in terms of recruiting individuals into a progressive social cause. “With the dire state of the world,” you said to yourselves, “what is needed is to recruit as many people as we can, as quickly as possible—people who will find in the teachings the solutions to humanity’s ills and who will work for the establishment of unity, for the elimination of prejudices, and for the cause of justice.” And so you enthusiastically began to invite others to join you in promoting such important ideals as peace, unity, the equality of the sexes, and the abolition of prejudice. Ten people came into the Faith through these efforts.

Sometime later, you were, of course, still concerned about the condition of the world and the need to increase the number of people who could apply Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings to transform it. But your team had developed a much more profound understanding of the sacred nature of teaching. Now each time you explained the verities of the Faith to someone, you were keenly aware that you were addressing a human heart, which belongs to God. What you were doing, you would remind yourselves, was using the key of your utterance to open the gates to the city of this heart and connect it to Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation. Under these conditions another ten people declared their faith.

Having helped these thirty friends embrace the Cause, your team now embarks on a systematic effort to deepen their knowledge of the teachings, encouraging as many of them as possible to enter the institute process and become protagonists of the community-building endeavor in your village or neighborhood. Do you think there will be any difference among the three groups in the intensity of their engagement in Bahá’í activity? Will your efforts be more effective with any one group? Of course, from any one of the three groups could emerge individuals so prepared by Bahá’u’lláh, so eager to delve into His Revelation, that they rapidly become deepened and involved in the affairs of the community. What you are being asked, however, is to think about each group as a whole. On average, do you think there will be any significant difference between the three? Discuss this question in your group and write your conclusions below.

To think further about the question we have posed—that is, whether your growing consciousness of the sacred nature of teaching imbues your acts with potency—let us look at another scenario. As mentioned earlier, many of the community-building activities you undertake in your village or neighborhood involve bringing souls into contact with the Word of God and can, in a broad sense, be seen as teaching. Suppose you are now a member of a team occupied in inviting group after group, especially of youth, to enter the main sequence of institute courses and begin walking a path of service. Say that, with perceptions similar to those described above, you engage in conversation with three cohorts of youth, who accept your invitation. Again, thinking of each group as a whole, do you imagine there will be any differences between them, for example, in relation to the degree of commitment they manifest to pursue their spiritual and intellectual growth and to contribute to the transformation of society?

 

 

 

 

SECTION 18

When the gates to the city of the human heart are opened and the heart is connected to Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation, a profound process of transformation begins. This transformation does not take place instantly but occurs over time as we engage in study and service with steadfast resolve. Still, we should never underestimate how important the act of accepting

Bahá’u’lláh is to this process of transformation. Recognizing the Sun of Truth and allowing its rays to enter and illumine the heart is the single most significant step that a person can take in his or her life. By reflecting on the transformation that follows the recognition of Bahá’u’lláh, we are better able to understand how we can help others take this crucial step. Can you write one or two sentences about some of the changes that occur in each of the following when we accept Bahá’u’lláh and begin to act according to His teachings?

  1. Our hearts: _______________
  2. Our minds: _______________
  3. Our thoughts: _______________
  4. Our character: _______________
  5. Our relations with our fellow human beings: _______________
  6. Our goals in life: _______________
  7. Our view of the world: _______________

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 19

We addressed briefly in Book 5 the notion of power when we reflected on the dynamics of spiritual empowerment. This theme merits further reflection in the context of our discussion here. In the physical world, change occurs through the application of power. For us to move from one point to another, for a plant to grow, for a lamp to turn darkness into light, for

the rivers to flow, and for the tides to rise and ebb, power is needed—the power supplied by the muscles of the human body, the power generated by the sun, by electricity, or by the gravitational force. It is important to ask, then, What are the powers that bring about the kind of transformation you have described in the previous section? So central is this question to our understanding of the spiritual nature of teaching that we will dedicate the rest of this unit to seeking answers to it. To begin, decide which of the following powers can contribute to spiritual transformation in the individual and in society:

  • ___ The power of prayer
  • ___ The power of pure and goodly deeds
  • ___ The power of the Word of God
  • ___ The power of justice
  • ___ The power of the sword
  • ___ The power of unity
  • ___ The power of truth
  • ___ The power of example
  • ___ The power of kindly words
  • ___ The power of convincing arguments
  • ___ The power of money
  • ___ The power of a righteous character
  • ___ The power of the Covenant
  • ___ The power of political domination
  • ___ The power of protest
  • ___ The power of love
  • ___ The power of persuasion
  • ___ The power of faith
  • ___ The power of constructive and selfless thoughts
  • ___ The power of the gun
  • ___ The power of true knowledge
  • ___ The power of reason
  • ___ The power of intimidation
  • ___ The power of humble service to the Cause
 

SECTION 20

From among all the powers that contribute to spiritual transformation one stands out as unique, as the fundamental force behind other powers. Which is it?

Throughout the centuries, there has been a belief in the existence of a substance called an “elixir” which once applied to copper, or in fact to any other element, would turn it into gold. This process, which has been sought by many but never found, is referred to as the “transmutation of elements.” In one of His Tablets, Bahá’u’lláh uses this image to reveal a most profound spiritual truth:

“The vitality of men’s belief in God is dying out in every land; nothing short of His wholesome medicine can ever restore it. The corrosion of ungodliness is eating into the vitals of human society; what else but the Elixir of His potent Revelation can cleanse and revive it? Is it within human power, O Ḥakím, to effect in the constituent elements of any of the minute and indivisible particles of matter so complete a transformation as to transmute it into purest gold? Perplexing and difficult as this may appear, the still greater task of converting satanic strength into heavenly power is one that We have been empowered to accomplish. The Force capable of such a transformation transcendeth the potency of the Elixir itself. The Word of God, alone, can claim the distinction of being endowed with the capacity required for so great and far-reaching a change.”

Now that you have read this passage, which power would you say stands out as unique, as the fundamental force behind other powers? _______________

What is this force capable of accomplishing? _______________




SECTION 21

In the above passage, we are told that, difficult as the transmutation of an element into pure gold may be, changing satanic strength into heavenly power is surely more formidable. Yet the Word of God, and the Word of God alone, can bring about such a fundamental transformation. But what is the “Word of God,” we must ask, which is capable of so stupendous an accomplishment? Bahá’u’lláh says:

“Know thou, moreover, that the Word of God—exalted be His glory—is higher and far superior to that which the senses can perceive, for it is sanctified from any property or substance. It transcendeth the limitations of known elements and is exalted above all the essential and recognized substances. It became manifest without any syllable or sound and is none but the Command of God which pervadeth all created things. It hath never been withheld from the world of being. It is God’s all-pervasive grace, from which all grace doth emanate. It is an entity far removed above all that hath been and shall be.”

The Word of God is ___________ and far ___________ to that which the senses can perceive.

The Word of God is ___________ from any ___________ or ___________.

The Word of God ___________ the limitations of ___________.

The Word of God is ___________ above all the ___________ and ___________ substances.

The Word of God became manifest without any ___________ or ___________.

The Word of God is the ___________ of God.

The Word of God, His Command, pervades ___________.

The Word of God, His Command, has never been ___________ from the ___________.

The Word of God is His all-pervasive ___________, from which ___________ emanates.

The Word of God is an entity ___________ above all that ___________ and all that ___________.




SECTION 22

Another image that gives us a glimpse of the power of the Word of God is that of the joining of the letters B and E. In the Writings we are told that God joined the letters B and E together and issued the command “BE”. Thus the whole of creation came into being. In a prayer revealed by Bahá’u’lláh, He refers to God, our Creator, as

“the One through a motion of Whose finger all the names and their kingdom were called into being, and all the attributes and their dominion were created, and Who, through yet another motion of that same finger, hath united the letters B and E (Be) and knit them together, manifesting thereby what the highest thoughts of Thy chosen ones who enjoy near access to Thee are unable to grasp, and what the profoundest wisdom of those of Thy loved ones that are wholly devoted to Thee are powerless to fathom.”

In another Tablet, Bahá’u’lláh declares:

“Every thing must needs have an origin and every building a builder. Verily, the Word of God is the Cause which hath preceded the contingent world—a world which is adorned with the splendors of the Ancient of Days, yet is being renewed and regenerated at all times. Immeasurably exalted is the God of Wisdom Who hath raised this sublime structure.”





SECTION 23

We have now learned that the Word of God is His all-pervasive command and grace and is not made of syllables and sounds. Yet there do exist words that we can read and hear which carry with them the power of the Word of God, namely, those uttered by the Manifestation. These have the power to create, to regenerate and to transform, and for this reason, they are referred to as the “Creative Word.” Bahá’u’lláh tells us:

“Every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God is endowed with such potency as can instill new life into every human frame, if ye be of them that comprehend this truth.”

“O friend of mine! The Word of God is the king of words and its pervasive influence is incalculable. It hath ever dominated and will continue to dominate the realm of being. The Great Being saith: The Word is the master key for the whole world, inasmuch as through its potency the doors of the hearts of men, which in reality are the doors of heaven, are unlocked.”

“The Word of God hath set the heart of the world afire; how regrettable if ye fail to be enkindled with its flame!”

Below are several questions that refer to the quotations in this and the preceding sections. Although some of the questions only require you to respond “yes” or “no,” completing the entire exercise should help clarify your understanding of the power of the Word of God.

Is the Word of God made of syllables and sounds? ___________

Is the Word of God made of any known substance? ___________

Can the Word of God be perceived by our senses? ___________

What is the Word of God?

a. It is none other than ___________
b. It is God’s ___________
What does it mean that the Command of God pervades all created things? ___________

Would anything in the universe exist if it were not called into being by the Command of God? ___________

What does it mean that the grace of God is all-pervasive? ___________

What would happen if God’s grace were withheld from the world of being? ___________

Since the Word of God cannot be perceived by our physical senses and faculties, how do we become aware of it? ___________

Who is “the mouth of God” through Whom God speaks? ___________

With what is every word uttered by the Manifestation of God endowed? ___________

What are some of the characteristics of the “new life” instilled into every human being by the Word of God?

How great is the influence of the Word of God? ___________

What is the master key to the whole world? ___________

What does the Word of God do to the hearts of people? ___________

What has set the heart of the world afire? ___________

With what flame should we be enkindled? ___________

Now memorize the following quotation:

“This is the day in which to speak. It is incumbent upon the people of Bahá to strive, with the utmost patience and forbearance, to guide the peoples of the world to the Most Great Horizon. Every body calleth aloud for a soul. Heavenly souls must needs quicken, with the breath of the Word of God, the dead bodies with a fresh spirit.”





SECTION 24

Let us examine the relationship between some of the ideas we have discussed in the previous sections. Bahá’u’lláh calls upon us to open the city of the human heart with the key of our utterance. Once the gates to this city are opened and the heart connected to His

Revelation, a wondrous transformation begins to occur. Among the powers that drive this transformation, the power of the Word of God, conveyed through the words of the Manifestation, is most indispensable. Does this mean, then, that it is best for us not to use our own words in teaching and only recite to others passages from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh?

In answering this question remind yourself of the behavior of certain religious zealots who carry around with them a copy of a Holy Book, from which they constantly preach at people. Certainly, this is not an approach we would want to take. In your study of Book 2, you were encouraged to seek a balance between quoting directly from the Writings and using your own words to explain the teachings and principles of the Faith. Undoubtedly, since then, you have enhanced this capacity through the acts of service you have carried out in your neighborhood or village. Read the following exhortation of Bahá’u’lláh and reflect once again on how, in our teaching efforts, we should learn to draw upon the power of the Word of God:

“The sanctified souls should ponder and meditate in their hearts regarding the methods of teaching. From the texts of the wondrous, heavenly Scriptures they should memorize phrases and passages bearing on various instances, so that in the course of their speech they may recite divine verses whenever the occasion demandeth it, inasmuch as these holy verses are the most potent elixir, the greatest and mightiest talisman. So potent is their influence that the hearer will have no cause for vacillation.”

Bahá’u’lláh tells us to ___________ and ___________ in our hearts regarding the ___________ of ___________.

We should ___________ phrases and ___________ related to various subjects from the ___________ of the Holy Scriptures.

We should memorize passages from the Holy Scriptures so that in the ___________ of our ___________ we may ___________ divine verses whenever the ___________.

We should recite divine verses in our speech inasmuch as these ___________ are the most potent ___________.

So ___________ is the ___________ of the holy verses that the ___________ will have no cause for ___________.





SECTION 25

Bahá’u’lláh tells us to memorize phrases and passages from the Holy Scriptures in order that we may use them in our speech whenever the opportunity arises. Clearly this refers first and foremost to His own Writings, for He is the Manifestation of God for today and, like those of all the previous Manifestations, such as the Báb, His utterances constitute the Creative Word.

But what about the words of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá? With the other members of your group, reflect on the power that His words exert on the listener. Think of the effect of His words on your own heart, for example, when studying them in the earlier books of this sequence. You may remember, too, the insights you gained from the statements in the second unit of Book 2 that, based on His talks and Tablets, helped you develop the capabilities needed to engage in meaningful and uplifting conversation. Although His Writings may not be considered divinely revealed verses, they possess a station of their own. From where do His words draw their power? Is it not desirable for us to incorporate passages from His Writings into our speech as we do from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh?

Now consider the same questions in relation to the writings of the Guardian, bringing to mind, for instance, how passages quoted in earlier books have illumined your thoughts on various themes. After having done so, carry out a similar discussion regarding the guidance of the Universal House of Justice.






SECTION 26

We have seen how important memorizing passages from the writings is to our efforts to teach the Cause. Yet we also know that, in sharing Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings, we need to use our own words as well, for we cannot simply quote passage after passage from the writings of the Faith to people. Quotations should be woven into our conversations and discussions in a natural way. The question is then: How can we make sure that our words touch the hearts of those with whom we converse and help them to draw closer to Bahá’u’lláh and reach the shores of the ocean of His Revelation?

Clearly the answer is that, although we use our own words, what we say should be entirely in keeping with the teachings. It is not our own theories that we should be giving, but Bahá’u’lláh’s message in the purest form possible. This, of course, requires us to immerse ourselves in the writings and to constantly deepen our knowledge and understanding of the Faith. In this connection, the Guardian advises:

“Surely the ideal way of teaching is to prove our points by constant reference to the actual words of Bahá’u’lláh and the Master. This will save the Cause from being misinterpreted by individuals. It is what these divine Lights say that is truth and therefore they should be the authorities of our statements.”
“This, however, does not mean that our freedom of expression is limited. We can always find new ways of approach to that truth or explain how they influence our life and condition. The more deep our studies the more we can understand the significance of the Teachings.”
“To deepen in the Cause means to read the writings of Bahá’u’lláh and the Master so thoroughly as to be able to give it to others in its pure form. There are many who have some superficial idea of what the Cause stands for. They, therefore, present it together with all sorts of ideas that are their own. As the Cause is still in its early days we must be most careful lest we fall under this error and injure the Movement we so much adore.”





SECTION 27

Bringing our words into conformity with the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh as interpreted by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the Guardian, and with the guidance we receive from the Universal House of Justice, endows them with great power. This power is multiplied if we actually learn passages from the writings and weave them into our speech naturally and with wisdom. But our words must satisfy other conditions if they are to touch the hearts of those with whom we converse. Particularly, they must carry with them the force of love, love that is genuinely felt, not a mere appearance of love. In one of His talks, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá states:

“If I love you, I need not continually speak of my love—you will know without any words. On the other hand if I love you not, that also will you know—and you would not believe me, were I to tell you in a thousand words, that I loved you.”

Love is not simply some abstract principle that one talks about. It is real, and when one truly loves another, a bond is created between hearts through which noble feelings and lofty ideas can flow. One soul can uplift the other, and joy fills them both.






SECTION 28

We have said that when we teach, we are translating our love for humanity into love for one or more of its individual members. The power of love finds expression when it is directed towards something or someone. We should remember, however, that love itself is not limited. Love is unlimited, boundless, infinite. This infinite love cannot be adequately expressed when confined by narrow and restrictive motives. When we love someone, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá tells us, “let it be with a ray of the Infinite Love! Let it be in God, and for God!” Love for God is “sanctified beyond the notions and imaginings of men”. We should “shed the light of a boundless love on every human being” we meet, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá says. Let us memorize the following quotation:

“O flame of the love of God! The ray must shed light and the sun must rise; the full moon must shine and the star must gleam. Since thou art a ray, beseech thou the Lord to enable thee to give illumination and enlightenment, to brighten the horizons and to consume the world with the fire of the love of God. I hope that thou mayest attain such a station, nay, surpass it.”






SECTION 29

To end this unit, we should remind ourselves of an important fact that we all have learned in our lives: that, without divine assistance, nothing can be achieved. When teaching the Cause, then, we have to be ever conscious of divine assistance and seek strength from the hosts of the Supreme Concourse. Below are only a few of the many passages from the Writings on this subject. You may wish to memorize them, if you have not done so on earlier occasions.

“By the righteousness of God! Whoso openeth his lips in this Day and maketh mention of the name of his Lord, the hosts of Divine inspiration shall descend upon him from the heaven of My name, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. On him shall also descend the Concourse on high, each bearing aloft a chalice of pure light. Thus hath it been foreordained in the realm of God’s Revelation, by the behest of Him Who is the All-Glorious, the Most Powerful.”
“He, verily, will aid everyone that aideth Him, and will remember everyone that remembereth Him. To this beareth witness this Tablet that hath shed the splendor of the loving-kindness of your Lord, the All-Glorious, the All-Compelling.”
“Say: Beware, O people of Bahá, lest the strong ones of the earth rob you of your strength, or they who rule the world fill you with fear. Put your trust in God, and commit your affairs to His keeping. He, verily, will, through the power of truth, render you victorious, and He, verily, is powerful to do what He willeth, and in His grasp are the reins of omnipotent might.”
“By God besides Whom is none other God! Should any one arise for the triumph of our Cause, him will God render victorious though tens of thousands of enemies be leagued against him. And if his love for Me wax stronger, God will establish his ascendancy over all the powers of earth and heaven. Thus have We breathed the spirit of power into all regions.”
“He will come to your aid with invisible hosts, and support you with armies of inspiration from the Concourse above; He will send unto you sweet perfumes from the highest Paradise, and waft over you the pure breathings that blow from the rose gardens of the Company on high. He will breathe into your hearts the spirit of life, cause you to enter the Ark of salvation, and reveal unto you His clear tokens and signs. Verily is this abounding grace. Verily is this the victory that none can deny.”
“O ye servants of the Sacred Threshold! The triumphant hosts of the Celestial Concourse, arrayed and marshaled in the Realms above, stand ready and expectant to assist and assure victory to that valiant horseman who with confidence spurs on his charger into the arena of service. Well is it with that fearless warrior, who armed with the power of true Knowledge, hastens unto the field, disperses the armies of ignorance, and scatters the hosts of error, who holds aloft the Standard of Divine Guidance, and sounds the Clarion of Victory. By the righteousness of the Lord! He hath achieved a glorious triumph and obtained the true victory.”