He [Baha’u’llah] was most generous, giving abundantly to the
poor. None who came to Him were turned away. The doors of His house were open
to all. He always had many guests. This unbounded generosity was conducive to
greater astonishment from the fact that He sought neither position nor
prominence. In commenting upon this His friends said He would become
impoverished, for His expenses were many and His wealth becoming more and more
limited. "Why is he not thinking of his own affairs?" they inquired
of each other; but some who were wise declared, "This personage is
connected with another world; he has something sublime within him that is not
evident now; the day is coming when it will be manifested." In truth, the
Blessed Perfection was a refuge for every weak one, a shelter for every fearing
one, kind to every indigent one, lenient and loving to all creatures.
- 'Abdu'l-Baha' (From a talk, 18 April
1912, New York; ‘The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by
'Abdu'l-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912’)
