ery member may
be known as embodying the qualities of honesty, love, faith, kindness,
generosity, and courage. To be detached from all that is not God,
attracted by the Heavenly Breath--a divine soul; so that the world may know
that a Baha'i is a perfect being.

Strive to attain this at these meetings. Then, indeed and in truth will
ye, the friends of God, come together with great joy! Render help one to
the other, become as one man, having reached perfect unity.

I pray to God that daily ye may advance in spirituality, that God's love
may be more and more manifested in you, that the thoughts of your hearts
may be purified, and that your faces may be ever turned towards Him. May
you one and all approach to the threshold of unity, and enter into the
Kingdom. May each of you be like unto a flaming torch, lighted and burning
bright with the fire of the Love of God.

BAHA'U'LLAH

November 7th

'Abdu'l-Baha said:

I will speak to you today of Baha'u'llah. In the third year after the Bab
had declared his Mission, Baha'u'llah, being accused by fanatical Mullas
of believing in the new doctrine, was arrested and thrown into prison. The
next day, however, several ministers of the Government and other
influential men caused him to be set free. Later on he was again arrested,
and the priests condemned him to death! The Governor hesitated to have
this sentence carried out for fear of a revolution. The priests met
together in the Mosque, before which was the place of execution. All the
people of the town gathered in crowds outside the Mosque. The carpenters
brought their saws and hammers, the butchers came with their knives, the
bricklayers and builders shouldered their spades, all these men, incited
by the frenzied Mullas, were eager to share in the honour of killing Him.
Inside the Mosque were assembled the doctors of religion. Baha'u'llah
stood before them, and answered all their questions with great wisdom. The
chief sage in particular, was completely silenced by Baha'u'llah, who
refuted all his arguments.

A discussion arose between two of these priests as to the meaning of some
words in the writings of the Bab; accusing Him of inaccuracy, they
challenged Baha'u'llah to defend Him if He were able. These priests were
entirely humiliated, for Baha'u'llah proved before the whole assembly that
the Bab was absolutely right, and that the accusation was made in
ignorance.

The defeated ones now put Him to the torture