e spiritually in the Kingdom
and Covenant of God so that the friends here may become the cause of the
illumination of America, that this city may become the city of love and
that the fragrances of God may be spread from this place to all parts of
the world. I have come for this. I pray that you may be manifestations of
the love of Baha'u'llah, that each one of you may become like a clear lamp
of crystal from which the rays of the bounties of the Blessed Perfection
may shine forth to all nations and peoples. This is my highest aspiration.

It was a long, long trip. The more we traveled, the greater seemed the
expanse of the sea. The weather was brilliant and fine throughout; there
was no storm and no end to the sea.

I am very happy to meet you all here today. Praise be to God that your
faces are shining with the love of Baha'u'llah. To behold them is the
cause of great spiritual happiness. We have arranged to meet you every day
at the homes of the friends.

In the East people were asking me, "Why do you undertake this long voyage?
Your body cannot endure such hardships of travel." When it is necessary,
my body can endure everything. It has withstood forty years of
imprisonment and can still undergo the utmost trials.

I will see you again. Now I will greet each one of you personally. It is
my hope that you will all be happy and that we may meet again and again.

12 April 1912
Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Howard MacNutt
935 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, New York

Notes by Howard MacNutt

This is a most happy visit. I have crossed the sea from the land of the
Orient for the joy of meeting the friends of God. Although I am weary
after my long journey, the light of the spirit shining in your faces
brings me rest and reward. In this meeting the divine susceptibilities are
radiant. This is a spiritual house, the home of the spirit. There is no
discord here; all is love and unity. When souls are gathered together in
this way, the divine bestowals descend. The purpose of the creation of man
is the attainment of the supreme virtues of humanity through descent of
the heavenly bestowals. The purpose of man's creation is, therefore, unity
and harmony, not discord and separateness. If the atoms which compose the
kingdom of the minerals were without affinity for each other, the earth
would never have been formed, the universe could not have been created.
Because they have affinity for each other, the power of life is able