“O thou herald of the Kingdom of God!...”
'Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Abbas, (1909) · Read original
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When in Bahá'í history
O thou herald of the Kingdom of God!
Hearken with the ears of (thy) spirit to the Concourse of El-ABHA, and thou wilt hear, verily, the angels of the Supreme Concourse blessing and praising thee, while saying: “Be thou rejoiced, O thou who hast arisen to serve the Cause of God and to promote the Word of God, and be gladdened at the light of the gift of God!”
By God, the True One, verily, the gifts of God are in such profusion as to rush like a torrent, overflow as a sea, and shower as rain. Gird up thy loins, strengthen thy back, make firm thy feet, and exert thyself in quickening souls, dilating breasts, illumining insights, giving hearing to ears, and attracting hearts. Unseal the jars of the choice wine of the love of God, and give the craving ones to drink from this cup which is overflowing with the knowledge of God.
O my friend, the affection of my heart unto thee cannot be expressed through any interpretation, and I can hardly write it or acknowledge it: Turn with thy breast unto the heart of Abdul-Baha, and then this concealed fact will be disclosed, and the hidden mystery [be] unveiled unto thee.
Verily, I beseech God to make thee a tree with ripened fruits within reach, overshadowing those regions.
It is incumbent upon thee to be meek, to be humble, to be submissive and suppliant before the Threshold of the Merciful. It is incumbent upon thee to serve the beloved of God in that spiritual clime.
Send my greeting and praise to thy revered wife, to thy esteemed daughter and to thy other children. I beg of God to enable all of them to render service to His Cause in His great vineyard.
Source: 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Abbas (1909). Public domain text from Project Gutenberg eBook #19312.
Discuss this story
For adults
- If you were to share this story aloud at a devotional gathering, which sentence would you read first?
- What in your own life does this story bring to mind?
- Where do you see love 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
- Where in your own life are you being asked to practice love?
- Take one line from this story and let it stay with you today.
- What in this account feels timely? What feels timeless?
Comprehension quiz
Which source is "“O thou herald of the Kingdom of God!...”" 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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