Thornton Chase |
O my God! O my God! Verily, this is a servant of Thine, who
did believe on Thee and in Thy signs; verily he harkened to Thy summons, turned
to Thy Kingdom, humbled himself at Thy holy threshold, was possessed of a
contrite heart, arose to serve Thy cause, to spread Thy fragrances, to promote
Thy word, and to expound Thy wisdom.
Verily he guided the people to Thine ancient pathway, and
led them to Thy way of rectitude. Verily he held the chalice of guidance in his
right hand and gave unto those athirst to drink of the cup of Thy favor. He
presented himself at Thy lofty threshold, where he laid his brow on the
fragrant soil of Thy garden and circumambulated Thy all-glorious and sublime
abode, the traces of which are wide-spread and the fragrances of whose loyalty
are sensed everywhere. Later he returned to these vast and extensive countries
and proclaimed Thy name amongst the people, until his respiration ceased and
his outward sensation was suspended, returning to Thee with a heart throbbing
with Thy love and with an eye opened in Thy direction.
O Lord! O Lord! Submerge him in the ocean of Thy glory. O
Lord! O Lord! Usher him into Thy delectable garden. O Lord! O Lord! Usher him
into Thy lofty paradise and cause him to be present in Thy meeting of
transfiguration. O Lord! Submerge him in the ocean of Thy lights.
Verily, Thou art the Clement! Verily, Thou art the Merciful,
the Precious, the Omnipotent!
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Star of the West, vol. 3, no. 13, November 4,
1912)