un by its splendor, by its light and
heat, so we know God, the Spiritual Sun, when He shines forth from
the temple of Manifestation, by His attributes of perfection, by
the beauty of His qualities and by the splendor of His light.
(from a talk to Mr. Percy Woodcock, at Akka, 1909).

Again He says:

Unless the Holy Spirit become intermediary, one cannot attain
directly to the bounties of God. Do not overlook the obvious
truth, for it is self-evident that a child cannot be instructed
without a teacher, and knowledge is one of the bounties of God.
The soil is not covered with grass and vegetation without the rain
of the cloud; therefore the cloud is the intermediary between the
divine bounties and the soil.... The light hath a center and if
one desire to seek it otherwise than from the center, one can
never attain to it.... Turn thine attention to the days of Christ;
some people imagine that without the Messianic outpourings it was
possible to attain to truth, but this very imagination became the
cause of the deprivation.

A man who tries to worship God without turning to His Manifestation is
like a man in a dungeon trying through his imagination to revel in the
glories of the sunshine.

Prayer Indispensable and Obligatory

The use of prayer is enjoined upon Baha'is in no uncertain terms.
Baha'u'llah says in the Kitab-i-Aqdas:--

Chant (or recite) the Words of God every morning and evening. The
one who neglects this has not been faithful to the Covenant of God
and His agreement, and he who turns away from it today is of those
who have turned away from God. Fear God, O my people! Let not too
much reading (of the Sacred Word) and actions by day or night make
you proud. To chant but one verse with joy and gladness is better
for you than reading all the Revelations of the Omnipotent God
with carelessness. Chant the Tablets of God in such measure that
ye be not overtaken with fatigue and depression. Burden not the
soul so as to cause exhaustion and languour, but rather refresh it
that thus it may soar on the wings of Revelation to the
Dawning-place of proofs. This brings you nearer to God, were ye of
those who understand.--Kitab-i-Aqdas

'Abdu'l-Baha says to a correspondent:--"O thou spiritual friend! Know thou
that prayer is indispensable and obligatory, and man under no pretext
whateve