is the
springtime of Baha'u'llah. The verdure and foliage of spiritual growth are
appearing in great abundance in the gardens of human hearts. Know ye the
value of these passing days and vanishing nights. Strive to attain a
station of absolute love one toward another. By the absence of love,
enmity increases. By the exercise of love, love strengthens and enmities
dwindle away.

Consider me--in the years of my advanced age, burdened with physical
infirmities--crossing the wide ocean to look upon your faces. It is my hope
that through the life of the spirit you may all become as one soul, as one
tree adorning the rose garden of the Kingdom. It is my hope that the
endless treasures of the bestowals of God may be yours here and hereafter.
It is my prayer that the Supreme Concourse may be illumined by your
brilliant lights shining forever in the heavens of eternal glory.

13 April 1912
Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Morten
141 East Twenty-first Street, New York

Notes by Esther Foster

Praise be to God! This is a radiant gathering. The faces are brilliant
with the light of God. The hearts are attracted to the Kingdom of Baha. I
beg of God that day by day your faces may become brighter; day by day you
may draw nearer to God; day by day you may take a greater portion from the
outpourings of the Holy Spirit so that you may become encircled by the
bounties of heaven.

The spiritual world is like unto the phenomenal world. They are the exact
counterpart of each other. Whatever objects appear in this world of
existence are the outer pictures of the world of heaven. When we look upon
the phenomenal world, we perceive that it is divided into four seasons;
one is the season of spring, another the season of summer, another autumn
and then these three seasons are followed by winter. When the season of
spring appears in the arena of existence, the whole world is rejuvenated
and finds new life. The soul-refreshing breeze is wafted from every
direction; the soul-quickening bounty is everywhere; the cloud of mercy
showers down its rain, and the sun shines upon everything. Day by day we
perceive that the signs of vegetation are all about us. Wonderful flowers,
hyacinths and roses perfume the nostrils. The trees are full of leaves and
blossoms, and the blossoms are followed by fruit. The spring and summer
are followed by autumn and winter. The flowers wither and are no more; the
leaves turn gray and life has gone. Then