“O thou bird of the Rose-garden of the Kingdom!...”
'Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Abbas, (1909) · Read original
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When in Bahá'í history
O thou bird of the Rose-garden of the Kingdom!
In appearance there hath some time elapsed since news hath been received from thee, but in spirit the arrival of the news is uninterrupted. I hope, from the bounties of the Exalted, the Quickener of the souls, that thou mayest not rest for one moment but pulsate constantly like unto the pulsation of an artery in the body of the world, to infuse the spirit of life in the souls and suffer the people to soar up the the zenith of the Kingdom.
Undoubtedly, write thou letters and do not stop correspondence even in appearance.
Source: 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Abbas (1909). Public domain text from Project Gutenberg eBook #19312.
Discuss this story
For adults
- Read the closing lines once more. What single phrase stays with you?
- What does the setting of this account contribute to its meaning?
- If you were to share this story aloud at a devotional gathering, which sentence would you read first?
For teens
- Which line in this story surprised you the most?
- How could the spirit of hope show up in your week?
Reflection
- What in this account feels timely? What feels timeless?
- If you could bring one quality from this story into your next conversation, what would it be?
- Is there someone in your life who would be helped by hearing this story?
Comprehension quiz
Which source is "“O thou bird of the Rose-garden of the Kingdom!...”" drawn from?
What period of Bahá'í history does this story belong to?
Which historical figure is featured most prominently in this story?
Which virtue does this story most clearly illustrate?
Cite this story
'Abdu'l-Bahá. (1909). *Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Abbas*. https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/19312/pg19312-images.html
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