A Traveler's Narrative
page 41
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When he reached Hamadán his character became known,
and, as he was of the clerical class, the doctors vehemently
pursued him, handed him over to the government, and ordered
chastisement to be inflicted. By chance there fell out
from the fold of his collar a document written by Bahá'u'lláh,
the subject of which was reproof of attempts at retaliation,
censure and reprobation of the search after vengeance, and
prohibition from following after lusts. Amongst other matters
they found these expressions contained in it: "Verily God is
quit of the seditious," and likewise: "If ye be slain it is better for
you than that ye should slay. And when ye are tormented have
recourse to the controllers of affairs and the refuge of the
people; and if ye be neglected then entrust your affairs to the
Jealous Lord. This is the mark of the sincere, and the characteristic
of the assured." When the governor became cognizant
of this writing he addressed that person saying, "By the decree
of that Chief whom you yourself obey correction is necessary
and punishment and chastisement obligatory." "If," replied
that person, "you will carry out all His precepts I shall have the
utmost pleasure in [submitting to] punishment and death."
The governor smiled and let the man go.
So Bahá'u'lláh made the utmost efforts to educate [His
people] and incite [them] to morality, the acquisition of the
sciences and arts of all countries, kindly dealing with all the
nations of the earth, desire for the welfare of all peoples,
sociability, concord, obedience, submissiveness, instruction
of [their] children, production of what is needful for the
human race, and inauguration of true happiness for mankind;
and He continually kept sending tracts of admonition to all
parts, whereby a wonderful effect was produced. Some of
these epistles have, after extreme search and inquiry, been
examined, and some portions of them shall now be set down
in writing.
All these epistles consisted of [exhortations to] purity of
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