ned by the reviving breaths of holiness, would surely be saddened to
hear the screech of the raven and the croaking of the crow, and from them
they would certainly endeavour to flee. For the disgusting odour of
violation is like poisonous air, whose baneful effects upon the body and
soul are injurious and harmful, nay rather it will eventually lead to
terrible loss and perdition. Thus the way you have dealt with this matter
is approved and acceptable.

Since Shoghi Effendi has gone on a journey for a while, this lowly one was
prompted to answer your letter. Convey wondrous Abha greetings to all the
lovers of the Blessed Beauty and the faithful friends of 'Abdu'l-Baha. And
upon you be His glory.

33: O God, my God! ...

(145) O God, my God!

Thou seest me immersed in the depths of grief, drowned in my sorrow, my
heart on fire with the agony of parting, my inmost self aflame with
longing. Thou seest my tears streaming down, hearest my sighs rising up
like smoke, my never-ceasing groans, my cries, my shouts that will not be
stilled, the useless wailing of my heart.

For the sun of joy has set, has sunk below the horizon of this world, and
in the hearts of the righteous the lights of courage and consolation have
gone out. So grave this catastrophe, so dire this disaster, that the inner
being crumbles away to dust, and the heart blazes up, and nothing remains
save only despair and anguish.

Thou seest, O my God, in the midmost of this terrible event, this ultimate
calamity, when the devoted never put aside their mourning dress, and the
moaning and the tears never cease--how that malevolent band have, with all
their powers, mounted an attack against Thy loved ones who are loyal to
the Covenant, even as the assault of wolves upon the flock. They are
striving, with all their strength, to bring down the mighty structure of
Thy Covenant in ruins, and level Thy strong citadel to the ground, and
turn away from Thy straight and clearly-marked path those Thou hast guided
aright. O my Lord, I voice my complaint before Thee, and lay bare my
griefs and sorrows, and supplicate at the door of Thy oneness, and whisper
unto Thee, and weep and cry out.

O my kind Lord! Thou didst make a clear compact and a Covenant explicit
and firm, not in veiled and allusive language, that all should turn unto
the Centre of Thy Covenant and the Protector of Thy Cause--so that no
doubts whatever would remain for the hostile and the suspicious