“Although thou hast exerted the utmost endeavors in compiling this book and hast written the life of His Kingdom Christ and His blessed sayings—and this service and labor deserve favor—yet these are events of former times and all that is past is of a different effect. If thou art a hero of the field and a melodious bird in the garden of the Merciful One, speak of the Beauty of Abha, for it is ready and present. consider that the last year’s springtime is past and all that thou mayest say or hear (about it) is but a story (or narrative); but appreciate thou this New Year’s Spring—which is this present time—hath pitched its tent with the utmost magnificence in the field and plain and hath made the mountain and desert verdant and fresh, hath made the trees to appear pure and fresh, blooming with flowers and blossoms through the vernal bounty and caused them to bring forth pure fruits. Nor all that thou mayest speak of the past springtime, be it even spoken with all excellence and eloquence and in accord with reality, all that will, nevertheless, be a past story.
“Do thou not abandon that which is ready in the present time
until thou mayest gain the result and gather fruits from the garden of thy
hopes and wishes. Otherwise, thy book is a book of history—it will be concluded
and forgotten. Harken unto me (i.e., take my advice): One single ready drop is
better than a sea which is past. More especially, this New Cause is like unto a
sea, while all those which are past were like unto rivers.”
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, vol. 2)
