s fallen upon the dust. Ere long mortal blasts shall
carry them away to the place ordained for them. Ignorant did they arrive,
ignorant did they linger and ignorant did they retire to their abodes.

The world is continually proclaiming these words: Beware, I am evanescent,
and so are all my outward appearances and colours. Take ye heed of the
changes and chances contrived within me and be ye roused from your
slumber. Nevertheless there is no discerning eye to see, nor is there a
hearing ear to hearken.

In this Day the inner ear exclaimeth and saith: Indeed well is it with me,
today is my day, inasmuch as the Voice of God is calling aloud. And the
essence of vision crieth out: Blessed am I, this is my day, for the
Ancient Beauty is shining resplendent from the most exalted Horizon.

It behoveth the people of Baha to invoke and entreat the Lord of Names
that perchance the people of the world may not be deprived of the
effusions of grace in His days.

In the past the divines were perplexed over this question, a question
which He Who is the Sovereign Truth hath, during the early years of His
life, Himself heard them ask repeatedly: 'What is that Word which the
Qa'im will pronounce whereby the leaders of religion are put to flight?'
Say, that Word is now made manifest and ye have fled ere ye heard it
uttered, although ye perceive it not. And that blessed, that hidden, that
concealed and treasured Word is this: '"HE" hath now appeared in the
raiment of "I". He Who was hidden from mortal eyes exclaimeth: Lo! I am
the All-Manifest.' This is the Word which hath caused the limbs of
disbelievers to quake. Glorified be God! All the heavenly Scriptures of
the past attest to the greatness of this Day, the greatness of this
Manifestation, the greatness of His signs, the greatness of His Word, the
greatness of His constancy, the greatness of His pre-eminent station. Yet
despite all this the people have remained heedless and are shut out as by
a veil. Indeed all the Prophets have yearned to attain this Day. David
saith: 'Who will bring me into the Strong City?'(90) By Strong City is
meant Akka. Its fortifications are very strong and this Wronged One is
imprisoned within its walls. Likewise it is revealed in the Qur'an: 'Bring
forth thy people from the darkness into the light and announce to them the
days of God.'(91)

The glory with which this Day is invested hath been explicitly mentioned
and clearly set forth in most heavenly Boo