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[Page 137]
STAR OF THE WEST
"We desire but the good of the world and the happiness of the nations; that all nations shall become one in faith and all men as brothers; that the bonds of affection and unity between the sons of men shall be strengthened; that diversity of religion shall cease and differences of race be annulled. So it shall be; these fruitless strifes; these ruinous wars shall pass away, and the 'Most Great Peace' shall come."—BAHA'O'LLAH.
Vol. VIII Masheyat 1, 73 (September 27, 1917) No. 11
The Divine Art of Living
A COMPILATION BY MRS. MARY M. RABB
(Chapter I appeared in issue No. 16, Chapter II in No. 18, Vol. VII; Chapter III appeared in issue No. 2, Chapter IV in No. 4, Chapter V in No. 6, Chapter VI in No 8, and first portion of Chapter VII in No. 10, Vol. VIII.)
CHAPTER VII—Continued
Love
WHEN a man turns his face to God he finds sunshine everywhere. All men are his brothers. Let not conventionality cause you to seem cold and unsympathetic when you meet strange people from other countries. Do not look at them as though you suspected them of being evil-doers, thieves and boors, or that you think it necessary to be very careful, not to expose yourself to the risk of making acquaintance with such, possibly, undesirable people.
I ask you not to think only of yourselves. Be kind to the strangers, whether they come from Turkey, Japan, Persia, Russia, China or any other country in the world.
Help to make them feel at home; find out where they are staying, ask if you may render them any service; try to make their lives a little happier.
In this way, even if, sometimes, what you first suspected should be true, still go out of your way to be kind to them—this kindness will help them to become better.
After all, why should any foreign people be treated as strangers? . . .
Do not be content with showing friendship in words alone, let your heart burn with loving-kindness for all who may cross your path.
O you of the western nations! Be kind to those who come from the eastern world to sojourn among you. Forget your conventionality when you speak with them; they are not accustomed to it. To eastern people this demeanor seems cold, unfriendly. Rather let your manner be sympathetic. Let it be seen that you are filled with universal love. When you meet a Persian or any other stranger, speak to him as to a friend; if he seems to be lonely try to help him, give him of your willing service; if he be sad console him, if poor succor him, if oppressed rescue him, if in misery comfort him. In so doing you will manifest that not in words only, but in deed and in truth, you think of all men as your brothers.
(Talks by Abdul-Baha given in Paris; pp. 1-3.)
. . . All the infinite beings exist by this law of mutual action and helpfulness. Should this law of joint interchange of forces be removed from the arena of life, existence would be entirely destroyed.
When we ponder deeply on the connection and interdependence of beings we clearly realize that the life of every being draws benefit and sustenance from all the other innumerable existences. This mutual helpfulness is realized either directly or through mediation and if, for the twinkling of an eye, this confirmation and assistance does not descend upon the living being, that one
will become non-existent, for all the existing things are linked together and draw help from each other. Therefore, the greatest foundation of the world of existence is this co-operation and mutuality.
Liken the world of existence to the temple of man. All the limbs and organs of the human body assist one another; therefore life continues. When, in this wonderful organism, there is a disconnection, life is changed into death and the parts of the body disintegrate. Likewise, among the parts of existence there is a wonderful connection and interchange of forces, which is the cause of the life of the world and the continuation of these countless phenomena.
When one considers the living beings and the growing plants, he realizes that the animals and man sustain life by inhaling the emanations from the vegetable world, and this fiery element is called oxygen. The vegetable kingdom also draws life from the living creatures in the substance called carbon. In brief, the beings of sensation acquire life from the growing beings and in turn the growing things receive life from the sensitive creatures. Therefore this interchange of forces and inter-communication is continual and uninterrupted.
From this illustration one can see the base of life is this mutual aid and helpfulness and the cause of destruction and non-existence would be the interruption of this mutual assistance. The more the world aspires to civilization the more this most important matter of co-operation and assistance becomes manifest. Therefore in the world of humanity one sees this matter of helpfulness attain to a high degree of efficiency; so much so that the continuance of humanity entirely depends upon this inter-relation. . . . .
(Abdul-Baha: From a Tablet to the Oriental friends. Translated August 24, 1909.)
If you desire to love God, love thy fellow-men. In them you can see the image and likeness of God. If you are eager to serve God, serve mankind. Renounce the self in the Self of God. When the aerial mariner steers his airship skyward, little by little the inharmony and incongruity of the world of matter are lost, and before his astonished vision he sees widespread the wonderful panorama of God's creation. Likewise when the student of the path of Reality has attained to the loftiest summit of divine love, he will not look upon the ugliness and misery of mankind; he will not observe any differences; he will not see any racial and patriotic differences; but he will look upon humanity with the glorified vision of a seer and a prophet. Let us all strive that we may attain to this highest pinnacle of ideal and spiritual life.
(Abdul-Baha.)
Question: “How shall I overcome seeing the faults of others—recognizing the wrong in others?”
Answer: “I will tell you. Whenever you recognize the fault of another, think of yourself: What are my imperfections?—and try to remove them. Do this whenever you are tried through the words or deeds of others. Thus you will grow, become more perfect. You will overcome self, you will not even have time to think of the faults of others. Man is blind, yet he sees far. That is puzzling. We are in Paris and we see the faults of the believers in America and in Stuttgart, but, we are so blind that we cannot see the nose (touching his nose) on our own face. While we are blind we have a far-sighted vision to America, to Germany. You must carry the glad-tidings of the Kingdom wherever you go, and make the people happy, awake them into greater activity—make them active. . . .”
(Abdul-Baha: Notes of private interview, Paris, 1913.)
Holding out in his hand, a piece of very thin paper before his eyes, Abdul-Baha, said: “See what a slight thing will shut our physical sight; so will a slight indiscretion, a cross word, an adverse criticism shut off the delicate spiritual sight.”
(Abdul-Baha: From notes of Mrs. Mary Hanford Ford, Paris, 1911.)
Question: “How can we love our enemies; it is so hard?”
Answer: “There are two kinds of love: one is direct love which proceeds from a person to another person; the other is indirect love—that is to love an object for another's sake. Now we must love our enemies for God's sake and because He has created them; we must love them and not for their own personality. For instance, if your beloved sends you a rose, you appreciate it, kiss it and it is valuable to you. This love is not regarding the personality of the thing itself, but for the sake of the one who has sent it to you. We must love the house for its owner's sake.”
(Abdul-Baha.)
. . . Treat ye the sinners, the tyrants and the blood-thirsty enemies as the faithful friends and the confidants of the heart. In truth ye must become the embodiment of benevolence and the expression of grace. Do not look upon the "worth" and "merit" of the people. In former ages and cycles, the command of love and non-resistance had been revealed. But there was a pretext among the people,—"merit" and "de-merit." They would say this person is contumacious and a hypocrite and that person is blood-thirsty and cruel. And if any one practiced forgiveness that forgiveness was coupled with blame and reproach. But in this dispensation, all these pretexts are dispelled and real love and kindness with all the soul and heart to all the nations of the earth is the absolute law. . . .
(Abdul-Baha: Tablet; translated February 5, 1907, by Mirza Ahmad Sohrab.)
His Holiness Christ came for the promulgation of the law of love; all the prophets were sent, all the Books were revealed, so that the law of love might be promoted. But a few self-seeking people subverted the original aims of the religion of God, changed its pure current and made it an instrument of hatred and rancor and quarrel and sedition. Why should we hate the members of other religions? Why should we not love one another? Why should we be tattlers and busy-bodies and gossip-mongers? Why are we not looking at our own short-comings? Why do we not let people alone? Why do we not search after our own faults? "And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, let me pull the mote out of thine eye and behold, a beam is in thine own eye. Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam that is in thine own eye, and then thou shalt see clearly to cast out the mote that is in thy brother's eye."
Let us have love and more love, a love that melts all opposition, a love that conquers all foes, a love that sweeps away all barriers, a love that aboundeth in charity, large-heartedness, tolerance and noble-striving, a love that triumphs over all obstacles,—a boundless, resistless, sweeping love. Ah me! Each one must be a sign of love, a sea of love, a center of love, a sun of love, star of love, a haven of love, a pearl of love, a palace of love, a mountain of love, a world of love, a universe of love. Hast thou love? Then thy power is irresistible. Hast thou sympathy?
STAR OF THE WEST
PUBLISHED NINETEEN TIMES A YEAR
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Entered as second-class matter April 9, 1911, at the post office at Chicago, Illinois, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
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TABLET FROM ABDUL-BAHA.
HE IS GOD!
O thou Star of the West!
Be thou happy! Be thou happy! Shouldst thou continue to remain firm and eternal, ere long, thou shalt become the Star of the East and shalt spread in every country and clime. Thou art the first paper of the Bahais which is organized in the country of America. Although for the present thy subscribers are limited, thy form is small and thy voice weak, yet shouldst thou stand unshakable, become the object of the attention of the friends and the center of the generosity of the leaders of the faith who are firm in the Covenant, in the future thy subscribers will become hosts after hosts like unto the waves of the sea; thy volume will increase, thy arena will become vast and spacious and thy voice and fame will be raised and become world-wide—and at last thou shalt become the first paper of the world of humanity. Yet all these depend upon firmness, firmness, firmness!
(Signed) ABDUL-BAHA ABBAS.
Vol. VIII
No. 11
Then all the stars will sing thy praise!
(Abdul-Baha: Diary of Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, June 10, 1914.)
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing. . . .
Now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
(I. Corinthians, 13; 1-13.)
When the Arabs observed Mohammed's charity toward the orphans and unprotected, his extreme simplicity and democratic attitude toward all mankind, they used to say: "He is in love with his Maker." One of the sayings of the Prophet (Mohammed) is: "Do you love your Creator? Love your fellow beings first." In another place he says: "That man who is most considerate of his kind is the favorite of God." In another place he says: "How do you think God will know you when you are in His presence? By your love of your children, of your kin, of your neighbors, of your fellow-creatures." . . .
(Abdul-Baha: Diary of Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, October 2, 1913.)
We were commanded by Baha'o'llah to assist all the communities without the exclusion of any one. We do not consider their deeds and actions. We never lose sight of the fact that mankind are the children of God and their wants must be relieved without distinction of race or religion.
(Abdul-Baha: Diary of Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, January 27, 1914.)
In every dispensation the command of friendship and the law of love have been revealed, but it has been circumscribed within the circle of the believing friends and not with contrary enemies. Praise be to God, that in this wonderful cycle the laws of God are not confined within any limitations, neither must they be exercised toward a special community to the exclusion of another. He hath commanded all the friends to show love, friendship, amity and kindness to all the people of the world.
(Abdul-Baha: Diary of Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, July 26, 1913.)
No brotherhood appears in the world as lasting save that of the spiritual type. Only that brotherhood is permanent and eternal, for it is a spiritual brotherhood
A Prayer for the Confirmation of the American Government
Revealed about the year 1900
O God—O thou who art the confirmer of every just power and equitable empire in eternal glory, everlasting power, continuance, steadfastness, firmness and greatness!—strengthen, by the abundance of thy mercy, every government which acts rightly towards its subjects and every dominion that protects the poor and weak by its flag.
I ask thee, by the abundance of thy holiness and that of thy bounty, to assist this just government which hath stretched out the ropes of its tent to far and wide countries; the justice of which hath manifested its proofs throughout the well inhabited, cultivated and flourishing regions belonging to such government.
O God, strengthen its soldiers and flag, give authority and influence to its word and utterance, protect its territories and dominions, guard its reputation, make its renown widely spread, divulge its traces and exalt its flag by thy conquering power and wonderful might in the kingdom of creation.
Thou are the confirmer of whomsoever thou willest.
Verily, thou art the powerful and the almighty!
(Signed) ABDUL-BAHA ABBAS
through the breath of the Holy Spirit. It is absolutely indissoluble; permanently will it remain intact, and in all the worlds of God will it be everlasting. It is a brotherhood not based upon thoughts, but one that has emanated from the love of God. It is not founded for the attainment of physical or material interests. This spiritual brotherhood has no other purpose than nearness to the Threshold of God. It is not
for defensive purposes but for the illumination of the human heart. . . .
(Abdul-Baha: Address given in Montreal, Canada, September 4, 1912.)
Material friendship is not permanent; for every kind of love which is not
purely for the sake of God is ended in hatred. Amity which is not for the sake of the Lord changeth into enmity. But the divine friends are the faithful ones; they are the consolation of the heart and the peace of my spirit. They are spirit embodied, love personified, sincerity incarnated, loyal friends and staunch lovers. Therefore they are the cause of the happiness of the heart and soul.
(Abdul-Baha: Diary of Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, July 26, 1913.)
Did you know what I was smiling for? There was a person inside who called me. When I entered he said:
"Two years ago I came to you and stated that you were the chief of all the infidels. Now I want to tell you that you are not an arch-infidel."
Then Abdul-Baha laughed and said: "In either case he has not understood, he is just revealing the state of his own consciousness. We must be kind to such people."
(Diary of Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, December 21, 1913.)
Now the believers of God must live in accord with these divine teachings. They must become kind fathers to the children of humanity, affectionate brothers to the youths of mankind and soul-sacrificing children toward those laden with age. The aim is this: you must be in the utmost state of joy and fragrance, love and kindness toward all, even toward the enemies. Meet the persecutions and adversity with the utmost faithfulness. Whenever animosity appears deal with it with forbearance. Make your breasts the targets for the arrows and spears of opposition. Brave the ridicule, the blame and the rebuke with perfect love so that all the nations may observe the power of the Most Great Name, and all the people may acknowledge the potency of the Blessed Perfection, showing how he hath destroyed the foundation of strangeness, hath guided the inhabitants of the world to unity and love, hath illumined the realm of man and hath transformed this terrestial globe into the delectable paradise. These people are like children, negligent and mindless. One must train these children with the utmost love and carry them in the arms of grace with infinite tenderness, in order that they may taste the spiritual love of the Merciful One, that they may shine like the candles and cause the disappearance of the darkness of the world. Thus they may behold clearly and manifestly with what glorious crown and brilliant diadem the Most Great Name, the Blessed Perfection,—May my life be a sacrifice to him!—hath adorned the heads of his believers; what graces he hath poured upon the hearts of his friends; what love he hath brought into the world of humanity and what friendship he hath caused to appear among the children of men.
(Abdul-Baha: From a Tablet in Diary of Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, July 26, 1913.)
O thou maid-servant of God, the penetration of the word of man depends upon the heat of the fire of the love of God. The more the splendors of the love of God become manifest in the heart the greater will be the penetration of the word.
(Abdul-Baha.)
Thy letter was received. . . . From its words I heard a sweet melody and that melody was the psalm of the love of God. Although in the world of existence the outpourings of the Almighty are infinite, yet the greatest divine outpouring is the love of God. This is the dominant, transcendental power which rises above all the natural susceptibilities of the world of humanity. Man, like the animal, is captive of the world of nature and the laws of nature exercise full control over his nature. He cannot even be compared to the beasts of
prey. For example, one of the forces of nature is ferocity. A ferocious, blood-thirsty man goes beyond the ferocious animals. If an animal tears another animal it is only for its daily food, but man destroys a hundred thousand lives in one day. Hence it becomes evident that the power of nature is the unbridled and ungovernable ruler over man. What is written concerning the "ego is always inclined to do evil" is no other than the fermentation of the passionate desires in the breast of man and the complete, unchecked sway of the carnal and natural forces over him. Therefore, man cannot win victory over these physical forces save through the "power of the love of God." The fire of the love of God is like unto the lightning which strikes upon the head of nature, emasculating it of its virility and leaving it fallen on the ground—a lifeless body. Consequently the greatest power in the world of existence is the love of God.
(Abdul-Baha: Diary of Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, August 17, 1914.)
. . . It is related that an aged and decrepit man became the guest of his holiness Abraham. He exercised toward his guest the utmost hospitality and courtesy. When dinner was served, his holiness Abraham uttered the name of God, and then started eating. On the other hand, the guest uttered the name of an idol and began to eat. His holiness was grieved, arose in wrath and rebuked his guest most severely. But even as he did so, God's revelation descended upon him. "O Abraham! For a hundred years this man has been an idol-worshipper and I have been patient with him; I have nurtured him; I have protected him. I have taken good care of him; I have trained him; I have showered on him many bounties and I have been kind and loving to him; but thou wert not able to endure his society for one night! And I, an hundred years!" His holiness Abraham was deeply touched by this address and begged his aged guest to pardon him.
(A story told by Abdul-Baha who said that it appeared in the Masnavi. From Diary of Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, July 4, 1913.)
It is very strange that when a face is not illumined with the light of the love of God it is dark. When you look into it the traces of the divine glad tidings are not manifest, but when the lights of God shine upon it, it becomes bright and enlightened, as it is said, "In their faces you shall see the verdancy of paradise, and in their countenances is the sign of Worship."
(Abdul-Baha: Diary of Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, September 3, 1913.)
The Bahais in Baghdad are not rich, but they are firm and strong believers. They keep the nineteen day feast. One morning they sent to one of the believers the word that the feast would be held that night in his house. He searched his pockets and there was no money. What should he do? He had only a watch which he had purchased for ten dollars. He took it out of his waist pocket and sent it to the bazaar to be sold at auction. Incidentally one of the Bahais passing by recognized the watch. He stopped and saw that it was going to be sold for two dollars. He raised the price half a dollar and bought it. He put it into his pocket and went home quietly. When the night came, he went to the meeting and after the refreshments were served, he went to the host and taking the watch out of his pocket offered it to him as a present. The host was very much surprised, but delighted.
(Words of Mirza Jalal, the son-in-law of Abdul-Baha: Diary of Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, August 30, 1913.)
The duty of the believers of God is to be servants to one another and attend
to one another's wants. I am the servant of the friends of God.
(Abdul-Baha: Diary of Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, August 5, 1913.)
Abdul-Baha said the story of Mary and the ointment has a deep spiritual significance. The bottle which contained perfumed oil (ointment) represents the heart of Mary. The ointment is the love of God which filled her heart, and all this love she poured forth at the feet of Jesus. Then Judas said, "Why did she lavish all this love upon Jesus, who did not need it so much as the poor? Why did she not pour some of this great love and care upon them?" Then Jesus said that she did well to give him all her love.
That is what we ought to do. We must give all our heart's love to God, then for His sake and through our love for Him, we shall love all others. By "the poor" in this sense, is meant those who needed love. Baha'o'llah said. "The poor among you are My trust." Therefore we must always cherish the poor for his sake.
(Abdul-Baha: Notes of Miss Rosenberg, Acca, 1901.)
As long as ye can, strive to set aglow the hearts with love; be attracted to one another and be members of one body. Every soul of the beloved ones must honor the others, and withhold not his possessions and life from them, and by all means he must endeavor to make the others joyous and happy. But the others (the recipients of such love) must also be disinterested and life-sacrificing. Thus may this sunrise flood the horizons, this melody gladden and make happy all the people, this divine remedy become the panacea for every disease, this spirit of reality become the cause of life for every soul.
(Abdul-Baha.)
Another commandment give I unto you! That ye love one another as I love you. Great mercy and blessings are promised to the people of your land, but on one condition; that their hearts be filled with the fire of love, that they live in perfect kindness and harmony, like one soul in different bodies,—like one soul in different bodies. If they fail in this condition, the great blessings will be deferred. Never forget this: Look at one another with the eye of perfection. Look at me, follow me, be as I am. Take no thought for yourselves or your lives,—whether ye eat, or whether ye sleep, whether ye are comfortable, whether ye are well or ill, whether ye have friends or foes. For all of these things ye must not care at all. Look at me and be as I am. Ye must die to yourselves and to the world; so shall ye be born again and enter the kingdom of heaven. Behold a candle, how it gives its light. It weeps its life away, drop by drop, in order to give forth its flame of light.
(Abdul-Baha: From An Early Pilgrimage.)
Know thou that there is in the world of existence a center for each great matter and bounties shower from that center.
For instance, in the circle of the sun, the sun is the center of the light. Likewise there is a real center for pure love and now that Center is manifest in this world from which the lights of love reflect to all parts of the universe.
If thou partake but one ray from that Center thou wilt become self-sufficient from the world, finding a new condition and witnessing an exaltation which overshadows all the existence.
Pray God that thou mayst catch with all thy exertion the lights of the love from that Center.
(Tablet of Abdul-Baha to Miss Harriet Wise; received September, 1905.)
