ld of existence is
there such a difference, contrast, contradiction and opposition as in the
species of man. Thus the reflection of the Divine Light was in man, as in
Christ, and see how loved and honored He is! At the same time we see man
worshiping a stone, a clod of earth or a tree. How vile he is, in that his
object of worship should be the lowest existence--that is, a stone or clay,
without spirit; a mountain, a forest or a tree. What shame is greater for
man than to worship the lowest existences? In the same way, knowledge is a
quality of man, and so is ignorance; truthfulness is a quality of man; so
is falsehood; trustworthiness and treachery, justice and injustice, are
qualities of man, and so forth. Briefly, all the perfections and virtues,
and all the vices, are qualities of man.

Consider equally the differences between individual men. The Christ was in
the form of man, and Caiaphas was in the form of man; Moses and Pharaoh,
Abel and Cain, Baha'u'llah and Yahya,(158) were men.

Man is said to be the greatest representative of God, and he is the Book
of Creation because all the mysteries of beings exist in him. If he comes
under the shadow of the True Educator and is rightly trained, he becomes
the essence of essences, the light of lights, the spirit of spirits; he
becomes the center of the divine appearances, the source of spiritual
qualities, the rising-place of heavenly lights, and the receptacle of
divine inspirations. If he is deprived of this education, he becomes the
manifestation of satanic qualities, the sum of animal vices, and the
source of all dark conditions.

The reason of the mission of the Prophets is to educate men, so that this
piece of coal may become a diamond, and this fruitless tree may be
engrafted and yield the sweetest, most delicious fruits. When man reaches
the noblest state in the world of humanity, then he can make further
progress in the conditions of perfection, but not in state; for such
states are limited, but the divine perfections are endless.

Both before and after putting off this material form, there is progress in
perfection but not in state. So beings are consummated in perfect man.
There is no other being higher than a perfect man. But man when he has
reached this state can still make progress in perfections but not in state
because there is no state higher than that of a perfect man to which he
can transfer himself. He only progresses in the state of humanity, for th