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Discourse Of 'abdu'l-baha At St John's Westminster

Sources: 'abdu'l-baha In London

September 17th, 1911.





O Noble Friends! O Seekers for the Kingdom of God! Man all over the world

is seeking for God. All that exists is God; but the Reality of Divinity is

holy above all understanding.



The pictures of Divinity that come to our mind are the product of our

fancy; they exist in the realm of our imagination. They are not adequate

to the Truth; truth in its essence c
nnot be put into words.



Divinity cannot by comprehended because it is comprehending.



Man, who has also a real existence, is comprehended by God; therefore, the

Divinity which man can understand is partial; it is not complete. Divinity

is actual Truth and real existence, and not any representation of it.

Divinity itself contains All, and is not contained.



Although the mineral, vegetable, animal and man all have actual being, yet

the mineral has no knowledge of the vegetable. It cannot apprehend it. It

cannot imagine nor understand it.



It is the same with the vegetable. Any progress it may make, however

highly it may become developed, it will never apprehend the animal, nor

understand it. It is, so to speak, without news of it. It has no ears, no

sight, no understanding.



It is the same with the animal. However much it may progress in its own

kingdom, however refined its feelings may become, it will have no real

notion of the world of man or of his special intellectual faculties.



The animal cannot understand the roundness of the earth, nor its motion in

space, nor the central position of the sun, nor can it imagine such a

thing as the all-pervading ether.



Although the mineral, vegetable, animal and man himself are actual beings,

the difference between their kingdoms prevents members of the lower degree

from comprehending the essence and nature of those of the superior degree.

This being so, how can the temporal and phenomenal comprehend the Lord of

Hosts?



It is clear that this is impossible!



But the Essence of Divinity, the Sun of Truth, shines forth upon all

horizons and is spreading its rays upon all things. Each creature is the

recipient of some portion of that power, and man, who contains the

perfection of the mineral, the vegetable and animal, as well as his own

distinctive qualities, has become the noblest of created beings. It stands

written that he is made in the Image of God. Mysteries that were hidden he

discovers; and secrets that were concealed he brings into the light. By

Science and by Art he brings hidden powers into the region of the visible

world. Man perceives the hidden law in created things and co-operates with

it.



Lastly the perfect man, the Prophet, is one who is transfigured, one who

has the purity and clearness of a perfect mirror--one who reflects the Sun

of Truth. Of such a one--of such a Prophet and Messenger--we can say that

the Light of Divinity with the heavenly Perfections dwells in him.



If we claim that the sun is seen in the mirror, we do not mean that the

sun itself has descended from the holy heights of his heaven and entered

into the mirror! This is impossible. The Divine Nature is seen in the

Manifestations and its Light and Splendor are visible in extreme glory.



Therefore, men have always been taught and led by the Prophets of God. The

Prophets of God are the Mediators of God. All the Prophets and Messengers

have come from One Holy Spirit and bear the Message of God, fitted to the

age in which they appear. The One Light is in them and they are One with

each other. But the Eternal does not become phenomenal; neither can the

phenomenal become Eternal.



Saint Paul, the great Apostle, said: We all, with open face beholding as

in a mirror the glory of God, are changed into the same image from glory

to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.



O GOD the Forgiver! O Heavenly Educator! This assembly is adorned with the

mention of thy holy Name. Thy children turn their face towards thy

Kingdom, hearts are made happy and souls are comforted.



Merciful God! cause us to repent of our shortcomings! Accept us in thy

heavenly Kingdom and give unto us an abode where there shall be no error.

Give us peace; give us knowledge, and open unto us the gates of thy

heaven.



Thou art the Giver of all! Thou art the Forgiver! Thou art the Merciful!

Amen.



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