this fragrance of spirituality in the action itself, this same
will cause their awakening. Likewise, managing art with propriety will
become the means of sociability and affinity; and sociability and affinity
themselves tend to guide others to the Truth.

SCIENCE AS WORSHIP

Thy letter was received. Praise be to God it imparted the good news of thy
health and safety and indicated that thou art ready to enter into an
agricultural school. This is highly suitable. Strive as much as possible
to become proficient in the science of agriculture for in accordance with
the Divine Teachings, the acquisition of sciences and the perfection of
arts is considered as acts of worship. If a man engages with all his power
in the acquisition of a science or in the perfection of an art, it is as
if he has been worshipping God in the churches and temples. Thus as thou
enterest a school of agriculture and strivest in the acquisition of that
science thou art day and night engaged in acts of worship--acts that are
accepted at the threshold of the Almighty. What bounty greater than this
that science should be considered as an act of worship and art as service
to the Kingdom of God.

MUSIC

This wonderful age has rent asunder the veils of superstition and has
condemned the prejudice of the people of the East.

Among some of the nations of the Orient, music and harmony was not
approved of, but the Manifested Light, Baha'u'llah, in this glorious
period has revealed in Holy Tablets that singing and music are the
spiritual food of the hearts and souls. In this dispensation, music is one
of the arts that is highly approved and is considered to be the cause of
the exaltation of sad and desponding hearts.

Therefore ... set to music the verses and the divine words so that they
may be sung with soul-stirring melody in the Assemblies and gatherings,
and that the hearts of the listeners may become tumultuous and rise
towards the Kingdom of Abha in supplication and prayer.

SEVERANCE FROM THIS WORLD

Thou hast written of the severe calamity that has befallen thee--the death
of thy respected husband. That honorable personage has been so much
subjected to the stress and pain of this world that his highest wish
became deliverance from it. Such is this mortal abode--a storehouse of
afflictions and suffering. It is negligence that binds man to it for no
comfort can be secured by any soul in this world, from monarch down to the
l