as he was of the
clerical class, the doctors vehemently pursued him, handed him over to the
government, and ordered chastisement to be inflicted. By chance there fell
out from the fold of his collar a document written by Baha'u'llah, the
subject of which was reproof of attempts at retaliation, censure and
reprobation of the search after vengeance, and prohibition from following
after lusts. Amongst other matters they found these expressions contained
in it: "Verily God is quit of the seditious," and likewise: "If ye be
slain it is better for you than that ye should slay. And when ye are
tormented have recourse to the controllers of affairs and the refuge of
the people; and if ye be neglected then entrust your affairs to the
Jealous Lord. This is the mark of the sincere, and the characteristic of
the assured." When the governor became cognizant of this writing he
addressed that person saying, "By the decree of that Chief whom you
yourself obey correction is necessary and punishment and chastisement
obligatory." "If," replied that person, "you will carry out all His
precepts I shall have the utmost pleasure in [submitting to] punishment
and death." The governor smiled and let the man go.

So Baha'u'llah made the utmost efforts to educate [His people] and incite
[them] to morality, the acquisition of the sciences and arts of all
countries, kindly dealing with all the nations of the earth, desire for
the welfare of all peoples, sociability, concord, obedience,
submissiveness, instruction of [their] children, production of what is
needful for the human race, and inauguration of true happiness for
mankind; and He continually kept sending tracts of admonition to all
parts, whereby a wonderful effect was produced. Some of these epistles
have, after extreme search and inquiry, been examined, and some portions
of them shall now be set down in writing.

All these epistles consisted of [exhortations to] purity of morals,
encouragement to good conduct, reprobation of certain individuals, and
complaints of the seditious. Amongst others this sentence was recorded:

"My captivity is not My abasement: by My life, it is indeed a glory unto
Me! But the abasement is the action of My friends who connect themselves
with Us and follow the devil in their actions. Amongst them is he who
taketh lust and turneth aside from what is commanded; and amongst them is
he who followeth the truth in right guidance. As for those who commit sin
and cling