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Tablets of the Divine Plan
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Pages 89-98
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13: TABLET TO THE BAHÁ'ÍS OF CANADA AND GREENLAND
Revealed on February 21, 1917,
in Bahá'u'lláh's room at the house of
Abbúd in Akká, and addressed to the
Bahá'ís of Canada--Newfoundland, Prince
Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick,
Quebec, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario,
Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon,
Mackenzie, Keewatin, Ungava,
Franklin Islands--
and Greenland.
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1 |
He is God!
O ye kind friends and the maidservants
of the Merciful:
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2 |
IN THE great Qur'án, God says: "Thou shalt see no difference in the creatures of God."
[1]
In other words, He
says: From the ideal standpoint, there is no variation
between the creatures of God, because they are all created
by Him. From the above premise, a conclusion is
drawn, that there is no difference between countries.
The future of the Dominion of Canada, however, is very
great, and the events connected with it infinitely glorious.
It shall become the object of the glance of providence,
and shall show forth the bounties of the All-Glorious.
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3 |
`Abdu'l-Bahá during his journey and sojourn through that Dominion obtained the utmost joy. Before
My departure, many souls warned Me not to travel to
Montreal, saying, the majority of the inhabitants are
Catholics, and are in the utmost fanaticism, that they
are submerged in the sea of imitations, that they have
not the capability to hearken to the call of the Kingdom
of God, that the veil of bigotry has so covered the eyes
that they have deprived themselves from beholding the
signs of the Most Great Guidance, and that the dogmas
have taken possession of the hearts entirely, leaving no
trace of reality. They asserted that should the Sun of Reality
shine with perfect splendor throughout that Dominion,
the dark, impenetrable clouds of superstitions
have so enveloped the horizon that it would be utterly
impossible for anyone to behold its rays.
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4 |
But these stories did not have any effect on the resolution of `Abdu'l-Bahá. He, trusting in God, turned
his face toward Montreal. When he entered that city he
observed all the doors open, he found the hearts in the
utmost receptivity and the ideal power of the Kingdom
of God removing every obstacle and obstruction. In the
churches and meetings of that Dominion he called men
to the Kingdom of God with the utmost joy, and scattered
such seeds which will be irrigated with the hand of
divine power. Undoubtedly those seeds will grow, becoming
green and verdant, and many rich harvests will
be gathered. In the promotion of the divine principles
he found no antagonist and no adversary. The believers
he met in that city were in the utmost spirituality, and
attracted with the fragrances of God. He found that
through the effort of the maidservant of God Mrs. Maxwell
a number of the sons and daughters of the Kingdom
in that Dominion were gathered together and associated
with each other, increasing this joyous exhilaration
day by day. The time of sojourn was limited to a
number of days, but the results in the future are inexhaustible.
When a farmer comes into the possession of
a virgin soil, in a short time he will bring under cultivation
a large field. Therefore I hope that in the future
Montreal may become so stirred, that the melody of
the Kingdom may travel to all parts of the world from
that Dominion and the breaths of the Holy Spirit may
spread from that center to the East and the West of
America.
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5 |
O ye believers of God! Be not concerned with the smallness of your numbers, neither be oppressed by
the multitude of an unbelieving world. Five grains of
wheat will be endued with heavenly blessing, whereas a
thousand tons of tares will yield no results or effect.
One fruitful tree will be conducive to the life of society,
whereas a thousand forests of wild trees offer no fruits.
The plain is covered with pebbles, but precious stones
are rare. One pearl is better than a thousand wildernesses
of sand, especially this pearl of great price, which is endowed
with divine blessing. Erelong thousands of other
pearls will be born from it. When that pearl associates
and becomes the intimate of the pebbles, they also all
change into pearls.
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6 |
Again I repeat that the future of Canada, whether from a material or a spiritual standpoint, is very great.
Day by day civilization and freedom shall increase. The
clouds of the Kingdom will water the seeds of guidance
which have been sown there. Consequently, rest ye not,
seek ye no composure, attach not yourselves to the luxuries
of this ephemeral world, free yourselves from every
attachment, and strive with heart and soul to become
fully established in the Kingdom of God. Gain ye the
heavenly treasures. Day by day become ye more illumined.
Draw ye nearer and nearer unto the threshold of
oneness. Become ye the manifestors of spiritual favors
and the dawning-places of infinite lights! If it is possible,
send ye teachers to other portions of Canada; likewise,
dispatch ye teachers to Greenland and the home of the
Eskimos.
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7 |
As regards the teachers, they must completely divest themselves from the old garments and be invested
with a new garment. According to the statement of
Christ, they must attain to the station of rebirth--that
is, whereas in the first instance they were born from the
womb of the mother, this time they must be born from
the womb of the world of nature. Just as they are now
totally unaware of the experiences of the fetal world,
they must also forget entirely the defects of the world of
nature. They must be baptized with the water of life, the
fire of the love of God and the breaths of the Holy Spirit;
be satisfied with little food, but take a large portion from
the heavenly table. They must disengage themselves
from temptation and covetousness, and be filled with
the spirit. Through the effect of their pure breath, they
must change the stone into the brilliant ruby and the
shell into pearl. Like unto the cloud of vernal shower,
they must transform the black soil into the rose garden
and orchard. They must make the blind seeing, the deaf
hearing, the extinguished one enkindled and set aglow,
and the dead quickened.
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8 |
Upon you be greeting and praise!
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9 |
PRAISE be to Thee, O my God! These are Thy servants who are attracted by the fragrances of Thy mercifulness,
are enkindled by the fire burning in the tree of
Thy singleness, and whose eyes are brightened by beholding
the splendors of the light shining in the Sinai of
Thy oneness.
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10 |
O Lord! Loose their tongues to make mention of Thee amongst Thy people, suffer them to speak forth
Thy praise through Thy grace and loving-kindness, assist
them with the cohorts of Thine angels, strengthen
their loins in Thy service, and make them the signs of
Thy guidance amongst Thy creatures.
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11 |
Verily, Thou art the All-Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Ever-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.
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12 |
The spreaders of the fragrances of God should recite this prayer every morning:
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O GOD, my God! Thou beholdest this weak one begging for celestial strength, this poor one craving Thy
heavenly treasures, this thirsty one longing for the fountain
of eternal life, this afflicted one yearning for Thy
promised healing through Thy boundless mercy which
Thou hast destined for Thy chosen servants in Thy
kingdom on high.
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14 |
O Lord! I have no helper save Thee, no shelter besides Thee, and no sustainer except Thee. Assist me with
Thine angels to diffuse Thy holy fragrances and to
spread abroad Thy teachings amongst the choicest of
Thy people.
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15 |
O my Lord! Suffer me to be detached from aught else save Thee, to hold fast to the hem of Thy bounty,
to be wholly devoted to Thy Faith, to remain fast and
firm in Thy love and to observe what Thou hast prescribed
in Thy Book.
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16 |
Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty, the Omnipotent.
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Notes
1. [Qur'án 67:3]
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