The Dominant Element Was Spirituality

George Townshend, one-time Canon of St Patrick’s Cathedral, in Dublin, Ireland and Archdeacon of Clonfert, who became an ardent Bahá’í, wrote:

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> Christ taught that the supreme human achievement is not any particular deed nor even any particular condition of mind: but a relation to God. To be completely filled heart—mind—soul—with love for God, such is the great ideal, the Great Commandment. In ‘Abbás Effendi’s character the dominant element was spirituality. Whatever was good in His life He attributed not to any separate source of virtue in Himself but to the power and beneficence of God.

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His single aim was servitude to God. He rejoiced in being denuded of all earthly possessions and in being rich only in His love for God. He surrendered His freedom that He might become the bond servant of God; and was able at the close of His days to declare that He had spent all His strength upon the Cause of God. To Him God was the centre of all existence here on earth as heretofore and hereafter.

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All things were in their degree mirrors of the bounty of God and outpourings of His power.

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