f Truth, however, all, as hath been observed, have
exclaimed, saying: "May God hasten His chastisement!" He Who was the
Essence of being and Lord of the seen and unseen they suspended, and
committed what made the Tablet to weep, and the Pen to groan, and the
cries of the sincere to break forth, and the tears of the favored ones to
flow.

Meditate, O _Sh_ay_kh_, and be fair in what thou sayest. The followers of
_Sh_ay_kh_-i-Ahsa'i (_Sh_ay_kh_ Ahmad) have, by the aid of God,
apprehended that which was veiled from the comprehension of others, and of
which they remained deprived. Briefly, in every age and century
differences have arisen in the days of the manifestation of the Daysprings
of Revelation, and the Dawning-Places of inspiration, and the Repositories
of Divine knowledge, differences which have been caused and provoked by
lying and impious souls. To expatiate on this is not permissible. Thou art
thyself better acquainted and more familiar with the idle fancies of the
superstitious and the vain imaginings of the doubters.

In this day, this Wronged One requesteth thee and the other divines who
have drunk of the cup of the knowledge of God, and are illumined by the
shining words of the Daystar of Justice, to appoint some person, without
informing any one, and despatch him to these regions, and enable him to
remain a while in the island of Cyprus, and associate with Mirza Yahya,
perchance he may become aware of the fundamentals of this Faith and of the
source of the Divine laws and commandments.

Wert thou to ponder a while, thou wouldst bear witness unto the wisdom,
and the power, and the sovereignty of God, exalted be His glory. The few
who were unaware of this Cause, and had not met Us, have spoken in such a
manner that all things, and those souls who are well assured, pleased, and
pleasing unto God, have testified unto the imposture of these heedless
ones. Wert thou now to exert thyself, the truth of this Cause would be
made apparent unto mankind, and the people would be delivered from this
grievous and oppressive darkness. Who else but Baha can speak forth before
the face of men, and who else but He can have the power to pronounce that
which He was bidden by God, the Lord of Hosts?

This heedless one hath now clung to the practice of Rawdih-_kh_ani
(traditional lamentation for the Imam Husayn). He--I swear by God--is in
evident error. For it is the belief of this people that during the
Revelation of the Qa'im,