by we may attain unto Him Who is the
Fountain-head of infinite grace, and in Whose presence all the world's
abundance fadeth into nothingness, that we may cease to cavil at Him every
day and to cleave unto our own idle fancy.

Gracious God! Notwithstanding the warning which, in marvelously symbolic
language and subtle allusions, hath been uttered in days past, and which
was intended to awaken the peoples of the world and to prevent them from
being deprived of their share of the billowing ocean of God's grace, yet
such things as have already been witnessed have come to pass! Reference to
these things hath also been made in the Qur'an, as witnessed by this
verse: "What can such expect but that God should come down to them
overshadowed with clouds?"(59) A number of the divines, who hold firmly to
the letter of the Word of God, have come to regard this verse as one of
the signs of that expected resurrection which is born of their idle fancy.
This, notwithstanding the fact that similar references have been made in
most of the heavenly Books, and have been recorded in all the passages
connected with the signs of the coming Manifestation.

Likewise, He saith: "On the day when the heaven shall give out a palpable
smoke, which shall enshroud mankind: this will be an afflictive
torment."(60) The All-Glorious hath decreed these very things, that are
contrary to the desires of wicked men, to be the touchstone and standard
whereby He proveth His servants, that the just may be known from the
wicked, and the faithful distinguished from the infidel. The symbolic term
"smoke" denotes grave dissensions, the abrogation and demolition of
recognized standards, and the utter destruction of their narrow-minded
exponents. What smoke more dense and overpowering than the one which hath
now enshrouded all the peoples of the world, which hath become a torment
unto them, and from which they hopelessly fail to deliver themselves,
however much they strive? So fierce is this fire of self burning within
them, that at every moment they seem to be afflicted with fresh torments.
The more they are told that this wondrous Cause of God, this Revelation
from the Most High, hath been made manifest to all mankind, and is waxing
greater and stronger every day, the fiercer groweth the blaze of the fire
in their hearts. The more they observe the indomitable strength, the
sublime renunciation, the unwavering constancy of God's holy companions,
who, by the aid of Go