Night hath succeeded day, and day hath succeeded night, and the hours and…
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When in Bahá'í history
Night hath succeeded day, and day hath succeeded night, and the hours and moments of your lives have come and gone, and yet none of you hath, for one instant, consented to detach himself from that which perisheth. Bestir yourselves, that the brief moments that are still yours may not be dissipated and lost. Even as the swiftness of lightning your days shall pass, and your bodies shall be laid to rest beneath a canopy of dust. What can ye then achieve? How can ye atone for your past failure?
Source: Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 321
Collected from bahaistories.com (Subject: atonement).
Discuss this story
For adults
- What stands out about Bahá'u'lláh's response in this account?
- What might Bahá'u'lláh's example ask of us in our own circumstances?
- Where do you see devotion appearing — visibly or quietly — in this passage?
For teens
- What is one quality you'd want to carry forward from this account?
- Which line in this story surprised you the most?
Reflection
- Take one line from this story and let it stay with you today.
- What single image from this story will stay with you?
- How does devotion show up in your life right now — and where is it being asked of you?
Comprehension quiz
Which source is "Night hath succeeded day, and day hath succeeded night, and the hours and…" drawn from?
What period of Bahá'í history does this story belong to?
Which historical figure is featured most prominently in this story?
Cite this story
Various. *bahaistories.com archive*. https://bahaistories.com/subject/atonement
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