The Splendour of God, by Eric Hammond, [1909], at sacred-texts.com
From the Book of the Covenant
"In wealth fear is concealed and peril is hidden. Behold, and then reflect upon that which The Merciful One hath revealed in the Koran;—"Woe unto every maligner and backbiter who heapeth up riches and counteth them over." There is no continuance in the riches of this world; that which is subject to mortality and undergoeth a change, hath never been and is not worth regarding.
O People of the World! I enjoin ye to that which is the means of the elevation of your station. Hold to the virtue of God, and grasp the hem of that which is just.
Verily, I say the tongue is for mentioning that which is good; pollute it not with evil speech. God hath forgiven ye that which is past; hereafter ye must all speak that which is befitting; avoid execration, reviling, and that which is aggravating to man. The station of man is high.
The station of man is great, if he holds to reality and truth; and if he be firm and steadfast in the Commands. The true man appeareth before the Merciful One like unto the heavens; his sight and hearing are the sun and moon; his bright and shining qualities are the stars; his station is the highest one; his traces are the educators of existence.
Every believer who hath found the Perfume of the Garment in this day, and turneth with a pure heart towards the Supreme Horizon, he is mentioned as one of the followers of Baha on the Red Page (the Red Page means the station of martyrdom, and is the highest).
O People of the World! The Creed of God is for love and union; make it not to be a cause of discord and disunion. In the sight of the men of discernment, and those who are holding to the Manifestation, that which is the means of preservation and the cause of the ease and tranquillity of the Servants, is revealed from the Supreme Pen; but the ignorant of the earth, who are fostered in ambition and lust, are heedless of the matured Wisdom of the True Wise One,
and are speaking and working in imaginations and fancies.
O Saints of God and His Loyal Ones! Kings are the appearances of power and the daysprings of the Might and Wealth of the True One. Pray on their behalf, for the government of the earth is ordained to those souls; but the hearts He hath appointed for Himself.
He hath forbidden dispute and strife, with an absolute prohibition. This is the Command of God, in this greatest Manifestation, and He hath preserved it from any order of annulment and hath adorned it with the ornament of confirmation. Verily, He is the All-Knowing and the All-Wise.
It is incumbent upon all to aid those souls who are the daysprings of authority and the dawning-points of command, and who are adorned with the ornament of equity and justice. Blessings be upon the princes and the learned ones. These are My trusted ones amongst My Servants; these are the rising-points of My Commandments amongst My creatures. Upon them be My Glory, My Mercy, and My Grace, which have surrounded all existence.
O Servants! Make not the causes of order to be the causes of confusion, and make not the reason of union to be the occasion of dispute. This exalted Word resembles water for extinguishing the fire of hatred and animosity, which is deposited in all minds and hearts.
The different creeds will attain the Light of real Union through the simple Word. Verily, He sayeth the Truth and guideth in the Path; and He is the Powerful, the Mighty, and the Wonderful.
