Man and his Creator/Text

[Page 2]

MAN ‘AND ms CREATOR

G. Faizi

Bahá’í Publishing Trust Post Box 19 New Delhi

[Page 3]Copyright by the atuthor V © G. Faizi 1975

Printed by Arceé Press, New Delhi

[Page 4]MAN AND HIS CREATOR

A great deal has been said and_ written about the relationship between ‘man and that Supreme Reality which has been called by such names as Brahman or God. indeed, this subject has been put forward in so many different ways by thinkers and «philosophers at different times in history, that most people today are confused about the whole matter.

Some people speak of themselves as God and use expressions such as “self-realiza-' tion” without stopping to think what they really mean. i i

The fact that there are conflicting and contradictory interpretations of Sacred Scriptures regarding such matters adds to our confusion, and most people simply accept a traditional ‘interpretation of‘ one school of thought or another for no other reason than that they have been taught to believe in it from their childhood. They can-not be bothered to think about such things for themselves.

[Page 5]Forthose who ‘wish to understand these essentialtruths, however, the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh I are like a fresh breath of wind which blows away the accumulated dust of the ages and reveals to our eyes the essence

of what; has been given in all thedsacred ' (Scriptures of the world.‘ Bahá’u’lláh, Who is, the Avatar andMouthpiece of God in thisage,

speaks in a clear language we can understand and throws light on the allusions of the ancient Ri_sh-is which have baffled great thinkers.

The Creator .

Bahá’u’lláh teaches that there is only’ one God.‘ He is infinite and unknowable——the Eternal Brahman of the Upanishads :

“Words and mind go to Him, but reach Him not and return." -—Taittiriya Up.

Godis uncreated and without beginning, which is in. itself something that the mind of man cannot fully ‘grasp. God is the Source of our being and we are His creatures; How can the creature ever understand its creator? The difference between the two is as great

as the difference between an artist and the l

1 His name literally meansithe Glory of God. 9

[Page 6]ipicture he paints, or the musician and; the

music he composes.

We cannot understand what God is ‘but, in lookingat His creation, we can get a glimpse into His greatness. lWhen we see the majesty of the rising sun or watch a rushing torrent pour down the lslopeot asihigh

. mountain, sustaining life and helrpingtgrowth,

we realize theepower‘ ‘of-their-Crseator. When we holda delicate flower in our-.hand and

marvel at its colour andceperfume, when we

hear the song of birds or wonder at the

‘ strength of an elephant, we realize the~great of the One Who has created us :

ness of their Creator. Most of all, when_we_ look into ourselves and think about our ability to love and to sacrifice our comfort for

the sake. of those we love,when we gponder ‘ over our abilityto reason and to -unravelthe 1

mysteries of the universe around us, weare able to catch sight of the beauty and wisdom

“By the Yoga of meditation and cosntem.-: plation the wise saw the power of God, hidden.

in His own creation. ‘It is He Who rules t'ov'erall the sources of this universe, fromgticrne to g the soul of man.” - n t-.-.-S.ve.ta,sva‘tara~ Up;

[Page 7]This is how God is evident in all His creation. And when man realizes this point of unity between himself and the rest of the universe, he feels at one with every other created thing. i

It is possible for us to understand the attributes of God—such as His powereand majesty, His love and wisdom~—through-the

things He has created, but we must not make

the mistake of confusing the creation with its Creator. The existence of this vast universe with the eternal laws from which it cannot deviate is proof of the existence of God just as a painting proves the existence of an artist.

But whereas the artist is a human being like

ourselves, and we can imagine what he is like even without having seen him, there is no way for us tounderstand what God is like because we have nothing to compare Him with: i

“The mind.‘ cannot grasp Him above, or below. or in the space between. With -whom shall we compare Him Whoseglory is the whole universe?” -—Svetasvatara Up.

Some people have attempted to give God a material form, saying that the universe is the

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[Page 8]g body» of God and we are all I‘-Llis--different T

lparts. But Bahá’u’lláh explains thatfisuich

ideas are born of people's imagination. ; iGod is above anything which the human

‘mind can conceive; ‘When we ic’r'e'a_teim«age‘sr

and idols which we rworship in--‘the n'am‘e~of

diifierenit gods, webringthe One ‘Infinite ‘God’ .

down to the level of creation and losesight otHistrue majesty.!~VWe become attached’ to what our own imagination has created; we give our creation the attributes of a super: human being andgradu"al"ly lose touch with: theilllimitablea One}Who is. the source of all beauty, truth anrd_’goo‘-dness. « r A

Bahá’u’lláh says we should rise »above

these lower forms of worship an‘di=fix°our

hearts andminds onthe Eternal, lUncreat’ed' ‘

God. In Svetasvatara Upanishad we’ read : "Those who k'"n‘ow Him Who is~greaterthan all, beyond forms‘...att'ain”imrnortality::‘; those who knows notzsgo to -the worlds iofi sorrow." d The soul of man ‘Q i God -loves- us ‘and. is close tous» at all times. He is prepared to‘teach«us' how ‘to

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[Page 9]communicate with Him ifwe will ask for His assistance. i That which communeic-ates with God is the soul of man. The human soul is‘ another mystery which has taxed the minds ~o-.,f--many thinkers. ‘Some say it is God dwelling in the heart of man, that if~we come to realize this

we _become one with God, we become God. a This is confusing. God is our Creator and the Creator of this universe. How can man,_

a creature himself, .;become the Uncreated, the Creator?‘ We know of peopletwho have claimed to be God, but we do not‘kn;o-w of a single human who, haslbeen able "to create life inany form. _~ ' Bahá’u’lláh teaches. that there isa basic difference between the soul of man and that Supreme Reality which we call God. But man's soul can attain spirituallqualities and reflect the attributesof God-such as His love, His mercy and forgiveness. To give an

example, the sun which sustains physical life onearth does not descend from its lofty heiht. but its light is reflected - in everything we see. T he divine light is. likewise reflected in all creation, but the soul of man, which is

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[Page 10]beyond the world of matter, can reflect this light in -a measure far above the‘ capacity of the mineral, vegetable and animal forms of life. Thisis why man can see a clearer r'eflfe‘c‘ti’on’of.th.él divine light if he turns his vision to himself and meditates upon, the wonder’ of his ‘own soul.

When man turns his heart and mind to the int-ate'r:ia.|' things of this world and craves after earthly possessions, he becomes worse than an‘ animal. W*h‘en‘he turns his theart to God and strives towards spiritual perfection,

he b.e“co’mes detached from worldly desires

and driarws ever nearer to God:

i “If ‘men th.o‘ugIh.t of Godfas muchas they think of the rworlld, who would notattain l”i*beratiiion?” 1 —Maitri Up.

Huiman limitations

There Barre", however, certain limitations in this life .whic'h.iG*oml,s-in Hi‘-s wisdom, has imposed upon rnan. iwhile living in this world of matter it is impossible for anyone to free himself comp?letely°'fro3m these limitations. But after rleavin-gfltheptlysicail body, the soul of man conti»fiues"]ilt*s progress through spiritual

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[Page 11]worlds unknown to us, ‘until it reaches perfecee tion and attains the presence o-fits Creator.

The progress of the sou|_ing>thsis;worldi

depends on the knowledgehof_God~afidon* obedience to His commands.i Evensldwhitle

i living on earth,. man can become so*‘attracte,d

to God that he is able to subdue his ego. cease to consider his own desires and long to become an instrument in-the handsfof his Lord. . r v s. i j _ ; e i But how can we know whatristhe Will of God? People do not agree on how iGod

A wishes. usqto lead our lives. .Some; say we

should each do what we ourselvesconsider to be_-good. Gthers say we should’ obey our gurus and elders. Still» others say we shoulrd find out what people did in ancient-=tim%efs~.and‘ follow their example. There are those who

retire from life to mortifypthe b‘o‘dy,and..co.nl centrate on meditation. .Andethere7are those who say you canabelieve in anlythingjandefollow any path you wish for its will--~ u.ltima§telyleads you to God. —,-. A r s

 _All these ideas -are reallyvarious ways. of.

g i‘nfe|’I0.reting the«SCripturr_es.; whichshows that: people are not agreed onwhat the. gspcriptures,

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[Page 12]T earth.

teach. eTo whom,ithen,‘can we _turn- forftrue guidance? Is it possible thatGod,‘Who is the source of all love‘ and mercy, can leave us to igrope in darkness ? i A 7 I o Divine: guidance . A . a Balha’ou’llah teaches:-that God guides men throu,gh:an Avatar or divine: Manifestation on

Th_eManifestation of God ‘appears once

in hundreds of years. He is born 9into this

world whenever people forget thetrue meaning of Dharma, lose their way in the midst of confusing interpretations, and start blindly follow ing the tradition_into which they are born. At

such times people can be seen performing outward forms of worship whilerhaving forsaken the practice of spiritual virtues in their daily lives; and since rituals can never ‘take the place of truth, men's hearts turn awayfrom

God and become attracted toathe world of

matter which breeds selfishness and greed. TheAvatar comes to show the right way to God «and to create in the hearts of men a fresh longing after spiritual qualities. " He teachespeoplehow to replace hate with love,

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[Page 13]and greed, with true d.etaehme.ht~. Kri,;sh.na said: ,‘.‘...for s the salge of firmly. ,establ~ishing; Dharma. l~ am. btornsfrom age to~age.”_ -.eG._ita Bahá’u’lláh, referring to: Hrisfown Revelation, says : ‘_ “The vitality of men's bel:i:e.f« in God»: is dying out in every '.Iaand.a..'I:-'he corrosion of ungodliness is eating’ into the v-ita~|s of: human society; what else but the Elixir of His potent Revelation can cleanse and revive it: ?" —GIeanings from the Writings’ of Bahá’u’lláh

Stationiof the Avatar a

Who is the Avatar? Is He Goadg, the Infinzite and Unlimited‘, Who takes on a human form '3 ts l-lea man. who has suLcce’ecl'ed;, through. in div.i’dua.l effort‘, to fin-d the way. to deliverance

and isl guiding others? B*’a‘ha’u'llah. teaches that the Avatar is none of these. Though. He s.p.eaks: with the knowlsedge and a.uth'orit~y of God, He is not our Creator. Th’o.u;gh He lives in this world asa human: being‘, «Hisstation is‘ f\a‘f.abOV;e the station of man. '

lfvve think of God as the sun, the Avatar can b.e compared to the rays which. bring; the l.i'g ht of; the: sun to ‘earth. he can look at-the

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[Page 14]rays and say, “Here is the sun?’ because- this is the only way in which we cans receive thelight and lifegiiving powers of the sun‘-».-. lnfthe-i same waythie A~vat‘air is our link with Goof? and is the 'osn‘|‘yi way in which we can receive G¥'o'd5's guidance. ‘ ' The Avatar sometimes speaks as though Heiweres God. Krishnéa» s"aid‘:: s i‘i“1?ihi.is- deluded? world‘ ik=noweth= Me not, the unbor:nE-, the;>imperishab|fe.’i’ A - i _—-G-ita And Bahá’u’lláh says»: a ’ s “OE Son of Man»! Be thou content with! Me and- ‘seek- mo otheiri hfel’prer. For none but Me can e:verisuffic*e the-e;”’ -7-"lie Hiddeni Words At oth‘-er times the‘ Avatarihmakies‘ af di?stinotionr betiween‘ tHim7*seli< and ~t5he=UilkniowahIe God: Ksrlishna made» this» distinction whenf H‘e s'aid"i: T “Nowl shall tell thee ‘of’; the End of wisdom; WIhen*~ a man knows this he g‘o‘e.s== beyiond death. It is»Bra-h‘man,- beginning less, su—pI"eme:' vbe'yo"nd=wh-at is ‘and beyond what is not}... He is inv3i‘sibl‘e:: He cannot beseen." i—Gita‘ - Ainidiagain : T »‘»‘He, the» highest Spirit, 0- P'art|>1a-, may‘ be reac.h.ed; by..-_. unswerving. devotion to Him‘ a|one...',' . s a ——G1'-ti-3*

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[Page 15]Theway--1O God g— » A *—Man cannot reach God without thehelpof

the Avatarijust as the earth cannot receive .

the Iightgof; the sun except thro:ugh» its rays. Thisis the law of God. The; Katha‘ Uspanishad says about the man who wishes to reach the Supreme Being 1; g A » 9 A a

“He cannot be taught by one who has.not A reachedHim,sand He cannot be reached by

muchthinking. The way to Him is through .a Teacher who has seen Him.” a +

But gthis_Teacher, the Avatar, must not be A

confused. with the innumerabzle sages or gurus

‘whom people respect fortheir piety or wisdom.

These gurus themselves are human beings who derive their inspirationefrom theetejachings of the Avatar‘, and theireownminfluiencep in the world is very limited.‘ as ' A A

- The reason why the Avatar appears from g

age to age has already been stated. But the question may still arise as to whether it is not sufficient to ~ follow the teachings of . the Avatar Who appeared in ancient times and Who is already familiarto us. Sinceguidance

‘For further clarification see the booklet entitled‘: The Manifestations of God. i

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[Page 16] l l.

 wiser than He,

‘ icomesi from the one divine Source, twee might

say, is it not enough for us to obeyan Avatar

ewho guidedmen on earth centuries ago, such T _ as Krishna? Must-we nowgturn to Bahá’u’lláh

for guidance? ~ - e y 2 «There are manyanswers to this question.

’ _ Let us look into a few of them with an un prej_udiced_mind and in the spi_rit5ofainvestigating truth: _ - an is - A 7 _ ?~t'flr.'? Krishnawas not accepted asyantAvatar by everyone in His» own: time. There were thousands who {stood against Him and His friends in battle. They: too, no doubt, shad ideas of their own about Dharma and saw no

reasonwhytheyshouldobey Krishna. indeed, '

some _of them were considered to be much Yet it is clear to us today; that they were misled by theiraown arrogance an_d suffered because they refused to obey the

new Avatar Who had come to them in the

form ofiKrishna. v i T 2.;-The Avatar only appears when the necessity arises and the world is in needof.-a spiritual revival, If we were capable of renewing our own spiritual life and rekindling the flame of love which had died in the world,

[Page 17]there-.« would be no necessity for Him. to come.

Then Avatar not only e;xpla:i=ns to us how we have misinterpreted Goci'ls= teachings and strayed away from the right path, b;ut-l:-le generates a new spiritual power in s-which c“h’an:g.esour lives and b‘eco:‘me's* the means of our progress. To bring» the exiamzp-lie of the sun once again, we are in need o.f.it's. rays today even though the same sun. shone upon

us.indays= gone by. The rays of yesterday.

lfig“-h»ffedi our path and gave usrllhe~str.ength to go forward. But then night set in andwe lost

th-elwayi. Can we find it again by the ligfht that

shone yesterday ? . e

The Avatar lights our spiéritual path, though. the way He shows; may not be easy to follow because it does: not conform to.-all’our own caherishedi ideas. But the Avatar is our only 'h’ope= of: salvation now, as in‘ anrcient times". 3. The condition of the world changes with the pastisag-e. of time. a Each age has its own proiblems and suffers from its own: s'=piritual: and: social diseases. The Avatar is a divine physician Who brings the~pr-escription men’ need at different. times in their history.

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[Page 18]Gu—ié_laincé for today: Which o1’ius,' se“ei«ng>thie colossal p-robtems with which“ we are faced» aaflt over thee~worl.cl; and ou ri own» utter 'p’owe‘r«l‘ess:n%es.s to overcome the p»r’<-ijudlifce and-* hiatried» whiicih have” taken hélfdaa’ of’ tm'ern>"s* h3ea"rts: land whiiIch<iprevent us from coim»in'g together in peace and cooperation, can fail see that we are oeiniceimore in need of direct’ hselp*liréom' God i? a One: of the most important signs which arccomirparfires the appearance’-e of the Avatar is His ability to bring to:g‘e‘thr”er in love and unity people of diverse ceastes afndr creeds who have been separated for many generations. The followers of the Avatar are not only united in their love for their Lord, but in their love for each other and for the rest of humanity. This new force of love works miracles among them. It brings about a brotherhood which recognizes no barriers in the name of religion, caste or nationality. lt overcomes every form of prejudice and builds up a new society based on the love of God and justice for all men. The followers of Bahá’u’lláh, who are known as Bahá’ís and who come from every religion, caste, colour and nation in the world,

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[Page 19]are now layingdown thelfoundatiton :0_f.,suc’h a society onan: international scale. They‘ are guided by the teachings‘-which Bahá’u’lláh has

,given onevery -spiritualr wand; gsofoialoro problem i with which weare confronted in our age. ' Thisbooklethas only briefly touched upon _

one of the numerous subjectsswhich. are to he found in _theiteachings‘i of Bahá’u’lláh. There _are volumes of literatulreiwhich give His

lt.ie,aching=s on all the {various prob|_ems which concern us today and-whichswe should try to s

understand if we seek true happiness for our.selves and for our fellowmen.

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[Page 20]A FEW SELECTIONS E E - from. b THE worms or B_lAHA’U'LLAH

God E x 4 He isindeed a true believer-in the unity of

‘God who, in this Day, willregard Him as One immeasurably _ exalted “above all the c-omparl-E sonsand-likeneissesl with which men have compared {Hjim.« He hath erred grievously who hath, mistaken‘ « these A comparisons =-iand likenessesfor _God_ Himself. Consider the

, relation between thecraftsman-and‘ his handi.-E J work, between the_,painter_and his: painting.

Can it ever be maintained that the work their

hands have produceda is the same asathem-. ‘selves? By Him Who is the Lord of the

Throne above and of earth below! :They can be.regard_ed in no other light exceptas -evi'-.

dences that proclaim the excellence and V per-e_

fection; of their author. ' E _ ._ All that the .s*ages;and mystics have said’

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[Page 21]or written have never exceeded, nor can they ever hope to exceed, the limitations to which man's finite mind hath been strrictly subjected. To whateverheights the mind of the most exalted of men may soar, however great the depths which the detached and understanding heart can penetrate, such mind and heart can never transcend that which is the creatureot their own conceptions and the product of their ‘own thoughts. "The meditations-of the pro‘-fosundest thinker, the devoteions of the‘ holiest -of saints, the highesit ex»p‘res's=ir‘onis of praise from either human‘ pen or :to‘ng*"u-'e, arezbuzt areflec-tion of that which hath been created within themselves, th~roug’h the revelation of the Lord, their God. Whoever pondereth this truth in his h~eart will ire'a'dilly admit that there are certain limits-which no "human being can possibly trainsgress.‘ i i

Regard thou the one true God as One A

Who is apart from,fand ilmmeasurablly exalted above,’ all created th*i%n~'gs. The who lie :u r=*i:ive‘rs~‘e reflecteth His glory, while He is Himself ilh‘d«“e*-’ pendent of, and transcendeth His creatures. This is the true meaningot Divine unity. 18

[Page 22]God's creation _- H . y c He is really a believer in the Unity of God

lwho recognizeth in reach and leyery created

thing the sign of the revelationof Him Who is the Eternal Truth, and not hewhxo ;main.ta-ineth thatthe creature is indis-ting-uishable from -the Creator. Havtignlg created the world and all that livelzhs

and movet-h. .th-erein,* l-le, t-h-rough the dirrect operation of-~His ucnconstraineud and as»o»ver:etig~n Wil|,chose to conferupo-namanath-ye-.u;n.ifque id:istianction and capacity to zKnow Him and to ‘love Him#—-a capacity that must needs the regardetd as« the geneorating ‘impulse and -the primary

purpose underlying the whole of crreataiton .;. .i.,y Upon ' the ivnsmost r-.eal’~ity‘ ‘of each and every created thing :']H=._e hath shed the ‘light of one of

His names, and madefi~t a recipiien=t »rof-thee glory of one of His attributes. Upon the reality of man, however, He hath focussed the

i radiance oftall ‘of His namesi andTat»tri*bu‘tes*, and -made» it a mirror Osf H-inst own S;elf.. ~. Aelo-nges

of all acreatred thinggs man~-hathlbefen -singled

out for so great a‘ ~tavour;=-so ;aenduisin:gi:a; ~b:ounty. H . - ‘ l '

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[Page 23]p _The purpose of God in creating man hath

been, and willreveir be, to enable himto know his Creator and to—att_ain~His Presence. A T A

Thetssoul of man 7

Thou hast asked Me coincerning the nature

of the soul. Know,‘ verily, that the soul is a sign of God, a heavenly gem whose reality the

most learned» of -‘men hatheiifailed ‘toigirasp, and c

whose, mystery no mind, however acute, can

a ever hope tounravel. ft is the 'first amongtall ‘ created things- to declare the excellence of its

Creator, the first to recognize His glory, to

cleave to His ,1-truth‘, and to bow down ‘in!

adoration beforeiHim.i If it besfaithful to God,

it will reflect‘ His light, and will, eventually,.

return unto Him- If it ifail,<howfever, in its allegiance to its Creator, it;will become a

victim to self and passion, and will, .in the end,

sink in their depths.

i. Know thou that the soul of mantis exalted. above, and is idependent of all infirmities of body or mind. That -a sick person showethf signs of weakness isidue to the, hindrancesthat interpose themselves between his soul 20

[Page 24]and his body, for the soul itself remaineth unaffected by any bodily ailments. Consider the light of the lamp. Though an external object may interfere with its radiance, the light itself continueth to shine with undiminished power. In like manner, every malady afflicting the body of man is an impediment that preventeth the soul from manifesting its inherent might and power. When it leaveth the body, however, it will evince such ascendancy, and reveal such influence as no force on earth can equal. Every pure, every refined and sanctified soul will be endowed with

tremendous power, and shall rejoice with

exceeding gladness.

And now concerning thy question regarding the soul of man. and its survivalafter death. Know thou of a truth that the soul, after its separation from the body, will continue to progress until it attaineth the presence of God, in a state and condition which neither

the revolution of ages and centuries, nor the

changes and chances of this world, can alter. It will endure as long as the Kingdom of God, His sovereignty, His dominion and - power

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[Page 25]will endure. It will manifest the signs of God

- andHis attributes, and will reveal His loving

kindness. and bounty . . . .Bles_sed;is the soul which, at the hour of its separation from the body, is sanctified from the vain imaginings of thefpeoples of the world. . ...lfany man be

told that which hath been ordained forsuch a “ soul in the worlds of God, thegLord. of the

throne on high and of_earth~ below, his whole

being will instantly blaze out in his great long-T. ing to attain that most;ex;alted_,r that sanctified

and resplendent station‘. a r ;

Union with God in this world.’ T , By self-surrender and perpetual union with

God~-ismeant that men should merge. their will w_holly in the Will of God, and regard their desires as utternothingness beside His Pur_ pose. ‘Whatsoever the Creator commandeth .

His creatures to observe, the same must they diligently, and ‘ with the utmost joy and eager‘ness, arise and fulfil. They should in no wise allow their fancy to obscure their jiudgjement, neither. should they regard their own ima-1 ginings as the voice of the Eternal. " l

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[Page 26]Godlispeaks through His Avatar; * H The door of the knowledge. of the Ancient

Being hath ever been, and will continue for u

ever to be, closed in the faceot men. No

man's ‘understanding shall ever gain access“ Aiunto His holy court.,: Asa token of His mercy,

however,’ and as a prootof His loving-kind4 ness, He hath manifested unto men the Day Stars of His divine guidance, the aSymbo;ls of His divine unity, and hath. ordained theaknow-a ledge of these sanctified Beings to be,identical with the knotwledige of His own‘ Self.

Whoso recognizeth them hath -recognized a God. Whoso hearkeneth to their call hath

hearkened to the Voice of God, and whoso

testifiethato the truth of their Revelation hath testifiedto the truth of God Himself. _Wh.oso turneth away from them hath tsumed away

from God, and whose disbelieveth” in them

-hfath disbelieved in God. i H - t

The Person of the Manifestation hath ever

been the rep”resentativ”e and mouthpiece of

God. He, in truth, is the Day Spring of God's most excellent Titles, and the Dawning-Place of His exalted Attributes.- ,

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[Page 27]i Were any of the all-embracing ‘Manifesta tions of God» to declare: ‘‘I am God," He,

verily, speaketh the truth, and nodoubt attacheth thereto. For it hath been repeatedly demonstrated that through their Revelation, their attributes and names, the Revelation of God, Hisnames and His attributes‘, are made

‘ manifest in the world....And were they to say, ‘ “We are the Servants of God," this also ‘is a

manifest and indisputable fact. For they have been -made manifest in the uttermoststate of servitude, a servitude the like of which no man can possibly attain.

Twofold mission of the Avatar

God's purpose in sending His Prophets unto men is twofold. The first is to liberate the children of men from the darkness of ignorance, and guide them to the light of true understanding. The second is to ensure the peace and tranquillity of mankind, and provide all the means by which they can be established.

Needs of each age

The All-Knowing Physician hath His finger 4

on the pulse of mankind. He perceiveth the

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[Page 28]disease, and prescribeth, in His unerring wisdom,-the remedy. Every age hath its own problem...The remedy the world needeth in its present-day afflictions can never be the same as that which a subsequent age may

require. Be anxiously concerned with the‘

needs of the age ye live in, and centre your deliberations in its exigencies and requirements.

This Day _

We can well perceive how the whole human race is encompassed with great, with incalculable afflictions. We see it languishing on its bed of sickness, sore-tried- and disillusioned. They that are intoxicated by selfconceit have interposed themselves between it and the Divine and infallible Physician. Witness how they have entangled all men, themselves included, in the mesh of their devices. They, can neither discover the cause of the disease, nor have they any knowledge of the remedy.

He Who is your Lord, the All-Merciful, cherisheth in His heart the desire of behold 25

[Page 29]a ing the entire’ human race as one. soul and

one body. Haste ‘yeto win your share of

’ God’s'good grace and mercy in this Dayethat

eclipseth all other created Days. How great the felicity that awaiteth the man that forsaketh all he hath inaa desire to obtain the

t things of God !i ‘ A26