16 November 1912 Talk at 309 West Seventy-eighth Street, New York
Notes by Edna McKinney
Wherever the mention of Bahá’u’lláh rises up, that is the paradise
of Abhá. Wherever purified, severed and illumined souls are found,
that is the paradise of Bahá. Ṭihrán is the paradise of Bahá’u’lláh,
for souls are found there you cannot call human; they are angels. In
reality, the Bahá’í friends in that city are of the heavenly host. Whenever
I think of them, I become happy.
The Blessed Perfection suffered innumerable ordeals and
calamities, but during His lifetime He trained in all regions many
souls who were peerless. The purpose of the appearance of the
Manifestations of God is the training of the people. That is the only
result of Their mission, the real outcome. The outcome of the
whole life of Jesus was the training of eleven disciples and two
women. Why did He suffer troubles, ordeals and calamities? For
the training of these few followers. That was the result of His life.
The product of the life of Christ was not the churches but the illumined
souls of those who believed in Him. Afterward, they
spread His teachings.
It is my hope that you all may become the product of the life of
Bahá’u’lláh and the outcomes of His heavenly training. When the
people ask you, “What has Bahá’u’lláh accomplished?” say to
them, “He has created these; He has trained us.”