answer us, but instead, they
write all they can think of against the Divine Messenger, Baha'u'llah.

Do not let your hearts be troubled by these defamatory writings! Obey the
words of Baha'u'llah and answer them not. Rejoice, rather, that even these
falsehoods will result in the spread of the truth. When these slanders
appear inquiries are made, and those who inquire are led into a knowledge
of the Faith.

If a man were to declare, 'There is a lamp in the next room which gives no
light', one hearer might be satisfied with his report, but a wiser man
goes into the room to judge for himself, and behold, when he finds the
light shining brilliantly in the lamp, he knows the truth!

Again, a man proclaims: 'There lies a garden in which there are trees with
broken branches bearing no fruit, and the leaves thereof are faded and
yellow! In that garden, also, there are flowering plants with no blooms,
and rose bushes withered and dying--go not into that garden!' A just man,
hearing this account of the garden, would not be content without seeing
for himself whether it be true or not. He, therefore, enters the garden,
and behold, he finds it well tilled; the branches of the trees are sturdy
and strong, being also loaded with the sweetest of ripe fruits amongst the
luxuriance of beautiful green leaves. The flowering plants are bright with
many-hued blossoms; the rose bushes are covered with fragrant and lovely
roses and all is verdant and well tended. When the glory of the garden is
spread out before the eyes of the just man, he praises God that, through
unworthy calumny, he has been led into a place of such wondrous beauty!

This is the result of the slanderer's work: to be the cause of guiding men
to a discovery of the truth.

We know that all the falsehoods spread about Christ and His apostles and
all the books written against Him, only led the people to inquire into His
doctrine; then, having seen the beauty and inhaled the fragrance, they
walked evermore amidst the roses and the fruits of that celestial garden.

Therefore, I say unto you, spread the Divine Truth with all your might
that men's intelligence may become enlightened; this is the best answer to
those who slander. I do not wish to speak of those people nor to say
anything ill of them--only to tell you that slander is of no importance!

Clouds may veil the sun, but, be they never so dense, his rays will
penetrate! Nothing can prevent the radiance of the sun desc