All praise be to Baha'u'llah! The meaning of those bounties became
apparent and the splendour of those bestowals was made manifest: that
conclusive Text, the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha, was given us, and
what had been hidden at the beginning was made known at the end. His
infinite grace became clearly manifest, and with His own mighty pen He
made a perfect Covenant, naming Shoghi Effendi the Chosen Branch and
Guardian of the Faith. Thus, by God's bounty, what had been a concealed
mystery and a well-guarded secret, was at last made plain.

This greatest of bestowals came as a lightning-flash of glory to the
righteous, but to those evil ones who broke the Covenant, it was the
thunderbolt of God's avenging wrath.

55: Although the ascension of the beloved ...

(181) Although the ascension of the beloved Centre of the Covenant was the
ultimate calamity, the severest of ordeals, and the fire of that
bereavement consumed our hearts and souls, and there were no eyes but wept
their tears of blood to mourn Him, no breast but uttered fiery
sighs--still, God be praised, the Will and Testament of that Wellspring of
bounty and grace, and the designation by Him of the Centre of the Faith
and the Covenant, quieted our burning grief and stilled our sighing, and
came as balm to our sorely-wounded hearts.

The power of the Faith prevailed, the awesome majesty of the Word of God
flashed out, and day by day reveals in increasing measure its overpowering
might.

And now, to offer gratitude befitting such a bounty, we must prepare
ourselves, gird ourselves for service, and rise up and live in accordance
with the instructions of the Blessed Beauty and the counsels of
'Abdu'l-Baha, for these are the life of the world and the salvation of its
peoples. Thus, from every direction, will the portals of happiness and
spirituality open before us all.

The Chosen Branch, the Guardian of the Cause of God, Shoghi Effendi,
because of the intense grief and suffering and pain inflicted by this
terrible event, has desired to spend a period alone, in a quiet spot,
where he can devote his time to prayer and supplication, and communion
with God. He, therefore, left us sometime ago, but our hopes are high that
in a very short time he will come home to the Holy Land. For the moment,
then, this wronged and sad one has answered, however briefly, the letter
from your distinguished Assembly.

56: You have offered up thanks to the Lord