ter. He will not taste of the honey that is mixed with poison.

Praise thou God, that thou hast been tried and hast experienced such a
test. Be patient and grateful. Turn thy face to the divine Kingdom and
strive that thou mayest acquire merciful characteristics, mayest become
illumined and acquire the attributes of the Kingdom and of the Lord.
Endeavour to become indifferent to the pleasures of this world and to its
comfort, to remain firm and steadfast in the Covenant and to promulgate
the Cause of God.

This is the cause of the exaltation of man, the cause of his glory and of
his salvation.

198: O THOU WHO ART ENAMOURED OF THE BREATHS OF GOD! ...

O thou who art enamoured of the breaths of God! I have read thy letter,
which cried out with thy love for God and thine irresistible attraction to
His Beauty, and its wondrous theme did cheer my heart.

The intent of what I wrote to thee in my previous letter was this, that
when exalting the Word of God, there are trials to be met with, and
calamities; and that in loving Him, at every moment there are hardships,
torments, afflictions.

It behoveth the individual first to value these ordeals, willingly accept
them, and eagerly welcome them; only then should he proceed with teaching
the Faith and exalting the Word of God.

In such a state, no matter what may befall him in his love for
God--harassment, reproach, vilification, curses, beatings, imprisonment,
death--he will never be cast down, and his passion for the Divine Beauty
will but gain in strength. This was what I meant.

Otherwise, woe and misery to the soul that seeketh after comforts, riches,
and earthly delights while neglecting to call God to mind! Because
calamities encountered in God's pathway are, to 'Abdu'l-Baha, but favour
and grace, and in one of His Tablets the all-glorious Beauty hath
declared: 'I never passed a tree but Mine heart addressed it saying: "O
would that thou wert cut down in My name, and My body crucified upon
thee!"' These were the words of the Most Great Name. This is His path.
This is the way to His Realm of Might.

199: O YE SINCERE ONES, YE LONGING ONES, YE WHO ARE ...

O ye sincere ones, ye longing ones, ye who are drawn as if magnetized, ye
who have risen up to serve the Cause of God, to exalt His Word and scatter
His sweet savours far and wide! I have read your excellent letter,
beautiful as to style, eloquent as to words, profound as to meaning, and I
pr