13. Part One — 12
1Reflect upon the tests of God and upon the wonders of His trials; how He chose from among His servants and appointed to the greatest guidance a man known to be a murderer and who himself confessed his injustice, as recorded in the verse; a man evidently brought up for thirty years or less in the house of Pharaoh and supported by his food and nourishment! This notwithstanding that Mighty King (God) had the power to prevent Moses from committing murder, so that he should not be known by this name among the servants, causing dismay in hearts and avoidance by people.
2Likewise consider the case of Mary how that excellent countenance longed for death in her perplexity, because of the importance of the matter. For it is shown in the blessed verse that after the birth of Jesus, Mary lamented with these words upon her lips: "Would that I had died before this and had become a thing forgotten and lost in oblivion" (K. S. 19). I swear by God that hearts are melted and souls quiver when hearing these words. This agitation and grief was caused by the reproach of enemies and the censure of the people of unbelief and insolence. Now reflect; what answer could Mary give to the people? How could it be explained to them that a child whose father was unknown, was of the Holy Ghost? So this chaste one of eternity took her child and returned to her house. When the eye of the multitude fell upon her, they said: "O sister of Aaron, your father was not a bad man and your mother was not unchaste" (K. S. 19).
3Consider this mighty test and most great trial. Notwithstanding all this, God conferred Prophethood upon that Essence of Spirit (Jesus) who was known among people as fatherless, and appointed Him His proof to all in the heavens and earth.
4Behold how the King of Creation causes the affairs of the Manifestations to appear contrary to the wish and desire of the servants. When thou art acquainted with these essences of mysteries thou wilt be informed of the purpose of that Beloved One and discover the words and deeds of that powerful King to be alike; so that whatever is manifest in His deeds is evident in His words, and whatever is seen in His words shows forth in His deeds. Consequently these deeds and words are outwardly a punishment for the evil-doers, while inwardly a mercy for the just. To one who perceives with the eye of the heart, the words revealed from the Heaven of Will are as one with the actions proceeding from the Kingdom of Power; and are understood to be the same. This hath already been mentioned.
5Now, O my brother, if such things should happen or such events take place in this age, consider what the people would do! I swear by the Educator of Existence and the Revealer of Words that they will at once declare (those concerned) infidels and condemn to death. Should a hundred thousand cries be raised, it would not enter a single ear that a fatherless one had been appointed to Prophethood or a murderer had given utterance to "verily I am God," from the Tree of Fire. Where would they listen to one who announced that a Jesus had appeared through the breath of the Holy Spirit or that a Moses had been appointed by the Irresistible Command?
6If the eye of Justice be opened, it will be seen from all these explanations that similar happenings and their consequences are evident in this day. Although such conditions have not appeared during this Manifestation, yet people clinging to the imaginations of rejected souls have made charges and inflicted calamities the like of which hath never appeared in the world of creation.
7God is Great! When explanation reached this point, spiritual fragrance wafted from the Dawn of Sublimity and the breeze of morning blew from the City of the Sheba of Eternity. Its breath conferred fresh glad tidings upon the soul and an immeasurable expansion upon the spirit! It spread a new carpet and brought precious and innumerable gifts from that Traceless Beloved for whose lovely stature the robe of mention is short and for whose shining figure the mantle of explanation is inadequate. It unfolds the allegory of meanings without word and reveals the mysteries of explanation without tongue. It teaches lamentation and mourning to the nightingales of the foliage of separation and absence; instructs them in the rule and ceremony of love and loving, and in the mystery of heart-surrender. It imparts the mode of ravishment and charm to the wonderful flowers of the Rizwan of Nearness and Union, confers the mysteries of truths upon the anemones of the garden of love and deposits its minute allegories and their subtleties in the breasts of the lovers. It hath shown such favor at this hour that the Holy Spirit envies greatly. It hath given to a drop the waves of a sea and endowed a mote with the splendor of a sun. Bounties have reached such a measure that the beetle seeks to attain the musk-sac and the bat hath chosen residence in the face of sunshine. It hath raised the dead from the graves of the body through the breath of life; seated the ignorant in the high station of knowledge and established the unjust upon the summit of justice.