use of my imprisonment and lament not
for my difficulties; nay, rather ask God to increase my hardship in His
path, for therein lies a wisdom which none are able to comprehend save the
near angels.

O thou friend! Verily, those among the friends who were martyred in the
path of God--verily this is a favor from God which He bestoweth upon
whomsoever He chooses; verily God is the most bountiful!--they attained
what the holy ones in the Supreme Kingdom yearned for, and quaffed the
wine of grace from the bountiful hand of thy Lord the Merciful--may my
spirit be a sacrifice to them!

Therefore, be not sorrowful, for in it is a great bounty for them and by
it (martyrdom) the fire of the love of God is increased in glowing, the
Word of God in spreading, the standard of God in elevation, the fragrances
of God in diffusion, and by this blood the tree of peace is watered, the
orchard of unity and harmony pruned, and by it the fragrances of holiness
emanate from the Tree of Life and are being diffused in the world. Verily
this is from the mercy of God, which is bestowed upon whomsover He wishes.

O friend! I implore to God to make thee a banner of the banners of the
Kingdom, firm and steadfast, unshaken by the most severe winds of tests
and trials in this terrestrial world; to confirm thee in the servitude of
the Sublime Threshold; to guide through thee many souls and to make thee a
sign of meekness and humbleness before the beloved of God, the Mighty, the
Protecting!

"O thou who art arisen for the service of the Cause of..."

O thou who art arisen for the service of the Cause of God!

I received thy recent letter and rejoiced in spirit at its interesting
contents which indicated thy arising for the service of the Kingdom of
god, servitude unto His beloved ones and meekness and lowliness to His
chosen ones.

I ask God to augment, day by day, thy zeal, attraction and glowing with
the fire of God's love; to destine for thee a glorious station (or
mansion) in His great Kingdom and to open before thy face doors of success
and dilation, such that hearts shall be amazed and minds astounded.

"O thou who art controlled by the attraction of the Holy..."

O thou who art controlled by the attraction of the Holy fragrances of the
gardens of God's Kingdom!

Thy brilliant letter, which thou hast sent by the beloved ........, was
read by me. The bounty is of God for that He hath inspired thee with the
word of fidelit