partake of the
everlasting gifts Thou dost possess.

How sweet is the thought of Thee in times of adversity and trial, and how
delightful to glorify Thee when compassed about with the fierce winds of
Thy decree! Thou knowest full well, O my God, that I endure patiently
whatsoever toucheth me in Thy path. Nay, I perceive that all the members
and limbs of my body long for tribulation, that I may manifest Thy Cause,
O Thou Who art the Lord of all names! The waters of Thy love have
preserved me in the kingdom of Thy creation, and the fire of my
remembrance of Thee hath set me ablaze before all that are in heaven and
on earth. Great is my blessedness, and great the blessedness of this fire
whose flame crieth out: "No God is there save Thee, Who art the Object of
my heart's adoration, and the Source and Center of my soul!"

Thy glory beareth me witness! Were all that are in the heavens and all
that are on earth to unite and seek to hinder me from remembering Thee and
from celebrating Thy praise, they would assuredly have no power over me,
and would fail in their purpose. And were the infidels to slay me, my
blood would, at Thy command, lift up its voice and proclaim: "There is no
God but Thee, O Thou Who art all my heart's Desire!" And were my flesh to
be boiled in the cauldron of hate, the smell which it would send forth
would rise towards Thee and cry out: "Where art Thou, O Lord of the
worlds, Thou One Desire of them that have known Thee!" And were I to be
cast into fire, my ashes would--I swear by Thy glory--declare: "The Youth
hath, verily, attained that for which he had besought his Lord, the
All-Glorious, the Omniscient."

How, then, can such a man be fearful of the combination of the kings to
injure him in Thy Cause? No, no, I swear by Thyself, O Thou Who art the
King of kings! Such is my love for Thee that I can fear no one, though the
powers of all the worlds be arrayed against me. Alone and unaided I have,
by the power of Thy might, arisen to proclaim Thy Cause, unafraid of the
host of my oppressors.

To all that dwell on earth I cry aloud and say: "Fear ye God, O ye
servants of God, and suffer not yourselves to be kept back from this pure
Wine that hath flowed from the right hand of the throne of the mercy of
your Lord, the Most Merciful. I swear by God! Better for you is what He
possesseth than the things ye yourselves possess and the things ye have
sought and are now seeking in this vain and empty life. Fors