Posted by Stuart Gilman (67.68.68.157) on October 18, 2002 at 06:42:00:

The subject of Baha'u'llah's miracles is discussed thoroughly by Abdul Baha in the following - highly illuminating text. The reference to miracles appears in the final paragraph of this excerpt and the reader can scroll directly there. But the entire excerpt is of great value so I have included the passages the precede the final paragraph. S GILMAN

Utterances of our Blessed Master, 'Abdu'l-Bahá,
in His exact Words, revealed to three pilgrims;
Thomas Breakwell of England, Herbert Hopper (an American) from Paris,
and Isabella D. Brittingham of America, September, 1901

Including A Conversation with Abu'l-Qasim, the Gardener of the Ridvan

"Utterances of our Blessed Master, 'Abdu'l-Bahá, in His exact Words, revealed to three pilgrims; Thomas Breakwell of England, Herbert Hopper (an American) from Paris, and Isabella D. Brittingham of America, September, 1901.

"The Master's Message to the believers in America.

He said: Two or three years ago He wrote to some of the believers in America and also to Dr. Kheiralla, stating these events (His imprisonment and persecutions), which have now taken place. He also wrote the same things to other countries, and they are now exactly fulfilled. He said, now that these events have come to pass, we must feel happy, not sorrowful. The believers must not be troubled nor distressed about the confinement of the Master - He wishes them always to be cheerful. He is accustomed to imprisonment. We must not feel distressed, as this is sent from God, and it should be pleasant to us to have troubles from God. If we hear also of other things taking place, we must not feel grieved, but trust in God. Still greater things than these will happen, all of which have been prophesied. All of the believers must be in such a mood that when calamity exists in the greatest degree, they must rejoice exceedingly. The confinement of the Master must be the gladdest tidings to all, and it must be the cause of their steadfastness and confirmation. We should be very happy even under confinement. Neither hunger nor thirst, nor confinement in prison, nor bloodshed, nor martyrdom, should prevent us from being true to the Blessed Perfection. We should accept all of these things all of our lives; we should hope for them, and then we will be happy when they come. He said all the believers are under the Shadow of the Manifestation. We are not physical beings, He said, but spiritual bodies. We must thank God for our spiritual existence. The body is earthly, but the spirit is heavenly. The first is of this world, and the second belongs to the Kingdom. The first is of the attributes of darkness, and the other of illumination. The first is limited to space; the second is Placeless and Limitless.

The Master also said that the gladdest tidings to Him are that the believers are living in love and obedience, and are spreading the Great Message; and that our love, our unity, our obedience must not be by confession, but of reality. He also said that 1901 is the first year of tribulation.

The Master said that the differences between this Revelation and that of Jesus Christ are that, in this Cycle, all the inhabitants of the world will be gathered into one nation; universal peace will prevail; bloodshed and war will cease; there will be a general language; union and harmony will reach the highest state; there will be no bigotry. All will be gathered under the tent of peace. Before the universal peace is established there will be wars and a general overturning of society. These wars are to warn the people, so that they may learn, if they do not follow the teachings, they will be punished, for the power of the Spirit will be taken from them and they will become as lamps without light.

The beginning will be in our time, and the truth will be generally known by the year 1917.

The differences between this Manifestation and that of Jesus Christ are:

1st. The teachings of Christ amounted to a very few pages, but the teachings of the Manifestation, Bahá'u'lláh, amounted to twenty books.

2nd. The teachings of the Manifestation are greater than the teachings of Jesus Christ. For example, from the teachings of the Manifestation you can do everything; they include everything.

3rd. Apparently Jesus Christ was opposed by the Jews only, but the Manifestation was opposed by the whole universe. Jesus Christ, on account of injury from the Jews, and their opposition, used to go from one place to another, but that the Manifestation stood before all was evident, as He was seen by all and did not hide Himself, even in a village. At all times He said, "I am ready." He wrote to the King of Persia: "Let all the divines and doctors of law assemble together and discuss the matter with Me, and I am ready to prove it."

4th. In the time of Jesus Christ the greatest one of the disciples was Peter, yet he denied his Master three times But the followers of Bahá'u'lláh, under the most severe torture, were repeating the Name of Bahá'u'lláh and never denied it, not only one, a hundred or a thousand, but twenty thousand followers hastened thus to martyrdom.

5th. The Cause of Jesus Christ existed for three hundred years before it became known, but the Cause of the Manifestation, in the Day of the Manifestation, was known all over the world.

6th. Jesus Christ came to establish proofs of the Old Testament, and this was for the Jews, consequently His opposers were few. But the Manifestation came for all the world, and for all religions, and to explain all the Holy Books of those religions. Another proof was that during the imprisonment of the Manifestation the Governor and Officials were His humble servants. Even His enemies were submissive to Him. Because the Cause of the Manifestation is universal, it will envelop the world.

7th. The miracles which appeared through the Manifestation the Master did not like to mention, because they will not be proof to others. They were only a demonstration for those who witnessed them. If the Master mentions all of these, the people will say that the idol worshippers attributed many wonderful things to their idols. The hearer will say this is right and this is wrong. While the miracles which actually appeared in the time of the Manifestation are greater than all, the Master did not wish to mention them, for the Manifestation said that the miracles would be like a veil over the people, for, in every time, the proofs (of this Word) will be so evident and clear that the people can understand them."

AS THE READER can tell, there is no doubt that my original reference to the "problem with miracles" is clarified here. The presentation of this passage is also an answer to those asked me for "miracle" references.

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