suscitated through the shining rays of the Sun of Reality and the
bounties of the love of God. Thereby the world of existence, the kingdom
of hearts and spirits, is ever quickened into life. Were it not for the
love of God, hearts would be inanimate, spirits would wither, and the
reality of man would be bereft of the everlasting bestowals.

Consider to what extent the love of God makes itself manifest. Among the
signs of His love which appear in the world are the dawning points of His
Manifestations. What an infinite degree of love is reflected by the divine
Manifestations toward mankind! For the sake of guiding the people They
have willingly forfeited Their lives to resuscitate human hearts. They
have accepted the cross. To enable human souls to attain the supreme
degree of advancement, They have suffered during Their limited years
extreme ordeals and difficulties. If Jesus Christ had not possessed love
for the world of humanity, surely He would not have welcomed the cross. He
was crucified for the love of mankind. Consider the infinite degree of
that love. Without love for humanity John the Baptist would not have
offered his life. It has been likewise with all the Prophets and Holy
Souls. If the Bab had not manifested love for mankind, surely He would not
have offered His breast for a thousand bullets. If Baha'u'llah had not
been aflame with love for humanity, He would not have willingly accepted
forty years' imprisonment.

Observe how rarely human souls sacrifice their pleasure or comfort for
others, how improbable that a man would offer his eye or suffer himself to
be dismembered for the benefit of another. Yet all the divine
Manifestations suffered, offered Their lives and blood, sacrificed Their
existence, comfort and all They possessed for the sake of mankind.
Therefore, consider how much They love. Were it not for Their love for
humanity, spiritual love would be mere nomenclature. Were it not for Their
illumination, human souls would not be radiant. How effective is Their
love! This is a sign of the love of God, a ray of the Sun of Reality.

Therefore, we must give praise unto God, for it is the light of His bounty
which has shone upon us through His love which is everlasting. His divine
Manifestations have offered Their lives through love for us. Consider,
then, what the love of God means. Were it not for the love of God, all the
spirits would be inanimate. The meaning of this is not physical death;
nay, rathe