To a believer ‘Abdu’l-Bahá essence of the teachings of His Holiness Bahá’u’lláh is Universal Love “The comprehends all of the virtues of the world of humanity, and is the cause both of eternal life and of the progress of the individuals of the human race” (Ep. III, 544). And again he wrote: purpose of the appearance of the Blessed Perfection was the unity and “The agreement of the people of the world. Therefore, my utmost desire is firstly the accord and union and love of the believers, and after that of all the people of the world” (II, 125). And in another place: first bounty from the True One is love, unity and harmony, and without “The these all the deeds pass in vain and give no result” (II, 183). The beginning of this Revelation and its end, is Love. God’s love ordained it before the foundation of the world. God’s love in his good time has sent it forth in this human realm. God’s love has guided, governed and sustained its course. Its three heavenly Light-bearers (its Morning Star, its Sun, its Moon) shed forth in lavish and intense profusion, without stint or limit or cessation, the rays of divine love, scattering the darkness that enveloped the world. They themselves in their own being were love, for God is love and they were of his essence. Their characters and lives were all instinct with love, and so likewise was every command, every teaching they gave. By them love is revealed as the originative and supporting principle of all existence. In The Hidden Words, the Voice of God declares: in My immemorial being and in the ancient “Veiled eternity of My essence I knew My love for thee; therefore I created thee, have engraved on thee My image and revealed to thee My beauty.” Through all the grades of all that has breath or being, love is the building power, and all is enveloped by the ever-present love of God. Love reflected in the lower kingdoms is the force that gathers primordial and undifferentiated substance into structures and forms, that summons into existence the ancient elements and all their offspring, the fern, the flower, the bird, the beast, and man himself with his
To a believer ‘Abdu’l-Bahá “The essence of the teachings of His Holiness Bahá’u’lláh is Universal Love comprehends all of the virtues of the world of humanity, and is the cause both of eternal life and of the progress of the individuals of the human race” (Ep. III, 544). And again he wrote: “The purpose of the appearance of the Blessed Perfection was the unity and agreement of the people of the world. Therefore, my utmost desire is firstly the accord and union and love of the believers, and after that of all the people of the world” (II, 125). And in another place: “The first bounty from the True One is love, unity and harmony, and without these all the deeds pass in vain and give no result” (II, 183). The beginning of this Revelation and its end, is Love. God’s love ordained it before the foundation of the world. God’s love in his good time has sent it forth in this human realm. God’s love has guided, governed and sustained its course. Its three heavenly Light-bearers (its Morning Star, its Sun, its Moon) shed forth in lavish and intense profusion, without stint or limit or cessation, the rays of divine love, scattering the darkness that enveloped the world. They themselves in their own being were love, for God is love and they were of his essence. Their characters and lives were all instinct with love, and so likewise was every command, every teaching they gave. By them love is revealed as the originative and supporting principle of all existence. In The Hidden Words, the Voice of God declares: “Veiled in My immemorial being and in the ancient eternity of My essence I knew My love for thee; therefore I created thee, have engraved on thee My image and revealed to thee My beauty.” Through all the grades of all that has breath or being, love is the building power, and all is enveloped by the ever-present love of God. Love reflected in the lower kingdoms is the force that gathers primordial and undifferentiated substance into structures and forms, that summons into existence the ancient elements and all their offspring, the fern, the flower, the bird, the beast, and man himself with his
townshend_promise_all_ages.docx