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The sanctified souls should ponder and meditate in their hearts regarding the methods of teaching, From the texts of the wondrous, heavenly Scriptures they should memorize phrases and passages bearing on various instances, so that in the course of their speech they may recite divine verses whenever the occasion demandeth it, inasmuch as these verses are the most potent elixir, the greatest and mightiest talisman. So potent is their influence that the hearer will have no cause for vacillation. I swear by My life! This Revelation is endowed with such a power that it will act as a lodestone for all nations and kindreds of the earth. Should one pause to meditate attentively he would recognize that no place is there, nor can there be for anyone to flee to.Bahá'u'lláh (Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh: pp. 198-200)
Arise thou to serve the Cause of thy lord; then give the people the joyful
tidings concerning this resplendent Light whose revelation hath been announced
by God through His Prophets and Messengers. Admonish everyone moreover to
observe prudence as ordained by Him, and in the Name of God advise them, saying:
It behooveth every one in this Day of God to dedicate himself to the teaching of the Cause with utmost prudence and steadfastness. Should he discover a pure
soil, let him sow the seed of the Word of God, otherwise it would be preferable
to observe silence. -Bahá'u'lláh (Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh: p. 242.)
Piety and detachment are even as the two great luminaries of the heaven of
teaching. Blessed the one who hath attained unto this supreme station, this
habitation of transcendent holiness and sublimity.-Bahá'u'lláh
(Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh: p. 253)
O SON OF DUST!
The wise are they that speak not unless they obtain a hearing, even as the
cup-bearer, who proffereth not his cup till he findeth a seeker, and the lover
who crieth not out from the depths of his heart until he gazeth upon the beauty
of his beloved. Wherefore sow the seeds of wisdom and knowledge in the pure soil of the human heart, and keep them hidden, till the hyacinths of divine wisdom spring from the heart and not from mire and clay.
-Bahá'u'lláh(Hidden Words-Pers. #36: pp. 34-35)
O people of Bahá...Show forth that which ye posses. If it be accepted, the aim
is attained. If not, to rebuke or interfere with him who rejects is vain. Leave
him to himself, and advance towards God, the Protector, the Self-subsistent. Be
not the cause of sorrow, how much less of sedition and strife! It is hoped that
ye may be nurtured in the shade of the tree of Divine Bounty and act as God has
willed for you. Ye are all leaves of one tree and drops of one sea.-Bahá'u'lláh
(Extract from the Tablet of Ishraqat-,B.N.E.: p. 80)
Verily, God hath made it incumbent upon every soul to deliver His Cause
according to his ability. Thus hath the command been recorded by the finger of
might and power upon the Tablet of majesty and greatness. Whosoever quickens one soul in this Cause is like unto quickening all the servants and the Lord shall bring him forth in the day of resurrection into the Ridvan of oneness, adorned with the mantle of Himself, the Protector, the Mighty, the Generous! Thus will ye assist your Lord, and naught else save this shall ever be mentioned in this Day before God, your Lord, and the Lord of your forefathers.
As to thee, O servant...seek the grace of thy Lord at all times. Then spread the Tablet among those who believe in God and in His verses .... If ye find one
athirst, give him to drink from the chalice...and if ye find one endowed with an attentive ear, read unto him the verses of God, the Mighty, the Merciful, theCompassionate] Unloose the tongue with excellent utterance, then admonish the people if ye find them advancing unto the sanctuary of God; otherwise abandon them unto themselves and forsake them in the abyss of hell. Beware lest ye scatter the pearls of inner significance before every barren, dumb one.
Verily,
the blind are deprived of witnessing the lights and are unable to distinguish
between the stone and the holy, precious pearl.
Verily, wert thou to read the most mighty, wonderful verses to the stone for a
thousand years, will it understand, or will they take effect therein? No! By the Lord, the Merciful, the Clement! If thou readest all the verses of God unto the deaf, will he hear a single letter? No! Verily, by the Beauty, the Mighty, the Ancient.
Thus have We delivered unto thee some of the jewels of wisdom and utterance, in
order that thou mayest gaze unto the direction of thy Lord and be severed from
all the creatures. Hay the Spirit and Glory rest upon thee, and upon those who
dwell upon the plain of holiness and who remain in the Cause of their Lord in
manifest steadfastness!-Bahá'u'lláh
(Extracted from the Tablet of the Branch-B.W.F.: pp. 206-207)
EXTRACTS FROM THE TEACHINGS OF 'ABDU'L-BAHA ON TEACHERS AND TEACHING
It is known and clear that today the unseen divine assistance encompasseth those who deliver the Message. And if the work of delivering the message be neglected, the assistance shall be entirely cut off, for it is impossible that the friends of God could receive assistance unless they be engaged in delivering the Message.
Under all conditions the Message must be delivered, but with wisdom. If it be not possible openly, it must be done quietly. The friends should be engaged in educating the souls and should become instruments in aiding the world of humanity to acquire spiritual joy and fragrance. For example: if every one of the friends were to establish relations of friendship and right dealings with one of the negligent souls, associate and live with him with perfect kindliness, and meanwhile through good conduct and moral behavior lead him to divine instruction, to heavenly advice and teachings, surely he would gradually arouse that negligent person and would change his ignorance into knowledge.
Souls are liable to estrangement. Such methods should be adopted that the
estrangement should first be removed, then the Word will have effect.
If one of the believers be kind to one of the negligent ones and with perfect
love should gradually make him understand the reality of the Cause of God in
such a way that the latter should know in what manner the Religion of God hath
been founded and what its object is, doubtless he will become changed; exceptingabnormal souls who are reduced to the state of ashes and whose hearts are like stones, yea, even harder.
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