Selections from the writings of ‘Abdu'l-BaháʻAbdu'l-Bahá
Religion
Selections from the writings of ‘Abdu'l-Bahá
ʻAbdu'l-Bahá
Bahai Faith
Thou didst begin thy letter with a blessed phrase, saying: ‘I am a
Christian.’ O would that all were truly Christian! It is easy to be a
Christian on the tongue, but hard to be a true one. Today some five
hundred million souls are Christian, but the real Christian is very rare:
he is that soul from whose comely face there shineth the splendour of
Christ, and who showeth forth the perfections of the Kingdom; this is a
matter of great moment, for to be a Christian is to embody every
excellence there is. I hope that thou, too, shalt become a true Christian.
Praise thou God that at last, through the divine teachings, thou hast
obtained both sight and insight to the highest degree, and hast become
firmly rooted in certitude and faith. It is my hope that others as well
will achieve illumined eyes and hearing ears, and attain to everlasting
life: that these many rivers, each flowing along in diverse and separated
beds, will find their way back to the circumambient sea, and merge
together and rise up in a single wave of surging oneness; that the unity
of truth, through the power of God, will make these illusory differences
to vanish away. This is the one essential: for if unity be gained, all
other problems will disappear of themselves.
O honoured lady! In accordance with the divine teachings in this glorious
dispensation we should not belittle anyone and call him ignorant, saying:
‘You know not, but I know’. Rather, we should look upon others with
respect, and when attempting to explain and demonstrate, we should speak
as if we are investigating the truth, saying: ‘Here these things are
before us. Let us investigate to determine where and in what form the
truth can be found.’ The teacher should not consider himself as learned
and others ignorant. Such a thought breedeth pride, and pride is not
conducive to influence. The teacher should not see in himself any
superiority; he should speak with the utmost kindliness, lowliness and
humility, for such speech exerteth influence and educateth the souls.
O honoured lady! For a single purpose were the Prophets, each and all,
sent down to earth; for this was Christ made manifest, for this did
Bahá’u’lláh raise up the call of the Lord: that the world of man should
become the world of God, this nether realm the Kingdom, this darkness
light, this satanic wickedness all the virtues of heaven—and unity,
fellowship and love be won for the whole human race, that the organic
unity should reappear and the bases of discord be destroyed and life
everlasting and grace everlasting become the harvest of mankind.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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