“O thou loving torch, flaming by the fire of the Love of...”

O thou loving torch, flaming by the fire of the Love of God!

Verily, I read thy letter sent by thee and was rejoiced in heart by the wonderful meaning and eloquent content, which proved thy extreme sincerity in the Cause of God, thy steadfastness in the path of the Kingdom of God and thy firmness in the religion of God, forasmuch as this is of the utmost importance before God.

How many souls advanced unto God, entered the shadow of the Word of God and became celebrated in the world, as Judas Iscariot. Then, when the tests became severe and trials great, their feet turned from the path; turned from confession to denial; changed from love and affection to severe enmity. Then the power of tests, whereby the foundations shake, were manifested.

Judas Iscariot was one of the greatest disciples, was called unto Jesus; he thought that Jesus increased his kindness to Peter, the disciple, when saying to him: “Thou art Peter; upon thee I shall build my church.” This speech affecting Peter with special impression whereby envy was created in the heart of Judas and, therefore, he turned after advancing, denied after confessing, hated after loving, until he became the cause of the crucifixion of the Glorious Lord and Manifest Light. This is the end of envy which causes people to turn from the right path. Such has taken place and will occur in this Great Cause; but there is no harm in it, as it is the cause of manifesting the firmness of the rest and the arising of the firm souls who are as solid as the lofty mountains in the love of the Manifest Light.

As to thee, convey unto the maid-servants of the Merciful that they must be firm in the love of El-Baha at the time of the severe trials and tests; forasmuch as the storms and winds occur during the winter seasons; then comes the spring with the wonderful scenery and it adorns the hills and plains with flowers and beautiful birds sing the melodies of joy on the branches of the trees and warble beautiful tunes on the roofs of bowers, in wonderful melodies. Soon shalt thou see that the lights have shone forth, the banners of the Kingdom have been raised, the fragrances of God diffused, the hosts of the Kingdom descending, the angels of heaven confirmed and the Holy Spirit breathed into those horizons (regions). Then shalt thou see the waverers frightened and at loss. This is a complete matter on the part of the Lord of Signs.

Blessed art thou for keeping firm in the Cause of God. I pray God to give thee a divine spirit, spiritual blood and to make thee a growing and thriving leaf on the Tree of Life, so that thou mayest serve the maid-servants of God in fragrance and spirituality.

Thy generous Lord will confirm thee in serving in His great vineyard and will make thee an instrument for spreading the spirit of concord and union among the maid-servants of the Merciful, will open thine insight by the light of knowledge and forgive thee thy sins and change them to good deeds.

Verily thy Lord is the Forgiving, the Merciful and Possessor of Great Bounty!

Source: 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Abbas (1909). Public domain text from Project Gutenberg eBook #19312.

'Abdu'l-Bahá. (1909). *Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Abbas*. https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/19312/pg19312-images.html