ry channel of oneness, existing only
that all may become the waves of one sea, and bright stars of the same
endless sky, and pearls within the shell of singleness, and gleaming
jewels quarried from the mines of unity; that they may become servants one
to another, adore one another, bless one another, praise one another; that
each one may loose his tongue and extol the rest without exception, each
one voice his gratitude to all the rest; that all should lift up their
eyes to the horizon of glory, and remember that they are linked to the
Holy Threshold; that they should see nothing but good in one another, hear
nothing but praise of one another, and speak no word of one another save
only to praise.

There are indeed certain ones who tread this way of righteousness, and God
be thanked, these are strengthened and supported by heavenly power in
every land. But others have not arisen as they ought to this gloried and
exalted station, and this doth lay upon the heart of 'Abdu'l-Baha a heavy
burden of grief, of inconceivable grief. For no tempest more perilous than
this could ever assail the Cause of God, nor could anything else so
diminish the influence of His Word.

It behoveth all the beloved of God to become as one, to gather together
under the protection of a single flag, to stand for a uniform body of
opinion, to follow one and the same pathway, to hold fast to a single
resolve. Let them forget their divergent theories and put aside their
conflicting views since, God be praised, our purpose is one, our goal is
one. We are the servants of one Threshold, we all draw our nourishment
from the same one Source, we all are gathered in the shade of the same
high Tabernacle, we all are sheltered under the one celestial Tree.

O beloved of the Lord! If any soul speak ill of an absent one, the only
result will clearly be this: he will dampen the zeal of the friends and
tend to make them indifferent. For backbiting is divisive, it is the
leading cause among the friends of a disposition to withdraw. If any
individual should speak ill of one who is absent, it is incumbent on his
hearers, in a spiritual and friendly manner, to stop him, and say in
effect: would this detraction serve any useful purpose? Would it please
the Blessed Beauty, contribute to the lasting honour of the friends,
promote the holy Faith, support the Covenant, or be of any possible
benefit to any soul? No, never! On the contrary, it would make the dust to
settle s