d. You must
endeavor day and night to become worthy of a generous portion of these
gifts and realize full capacity of attainment. Praise be to God! Your
hearts are illumined, your faces are turned toward the Kingdom of God. It
is my hope that all of these degrees may be reached and these friends
attain a station which shall be an example and stimulus for all friends in
the world. May the love of God spread from here onward and outward; may
the knowledge of God be sent broadcast from this place; may spiritual
forces become effective here; may the lights of the Kingdom shine; may
intelligent souls be found here so that with all power they may be
occupied in the service of God, furthering the oneness of the human world
and the cause of the Most Great Peace. May these souls be lighted candles
and fruitful trees; may they be pearls of the shells of providence; may
they be stars of heaven. This is my supplication to God. This is my
request from the Beauty of Abha: that He may submerge all of you in the
ocean of His grace.

(Afterward, speaking of numbers)

Such suppositions regarding lucky or unlucky numbers are purely imaginary.
The superstition concerning thirteen had its origin in the fact that Jesus
Christ was surrounded by twelve disciples and that Judas Iscariot was the
thirteenth member of their gathering. This is the source of the
superstition, but it is purely imaginary. Although Judas was outwardly a
disciple, in reality he was not. Twelve is the original number of
significance and completion. Jacob had twelve sons from whom descended
twelve tribes. The disciples of Jesus were twelve; the Imams of Muhammad
were twelve. The zodiacal signs are twelve; the months of the year are
twelve, etc.

The mysteries of the Holy Books have become explained in the manifestation
of Baha'u'llah. Before He appeared, these mysteries were not understood.
Baha'u'llah opened and unsealed these mysteries. It was my wish to come
here today to have this meeting.

16 June 1912
Talk at Central Congregational Church
Hancock Street, Brooklyn, New York

Notes by Esther Foster

This is a goodly temple and congregation, for--praise be to God!--this is a
house of worship wherein conscientious opinion has free sway. Every
religion and every religious aspiration may be freely voiced and expressed
here. Just as in the world of politics there is need for free thought,
likewise in the world of religion there should be the right of
unres