Consider those who
opposed the Son, when He came unto them with sovereignty and power. How many the Pharisees who were waiting to
behold Him, and were lamenting over their separation from Him! And yet, when the fragrance of His coming was
wafted over them, and His beauty was unveiled, they turned aside from Him and
disputed with Him. Thus do We impart
unto thee that which hath been recorded in the Books and Scriptures. None save a very few, who were destitute of
any power amongst men, turned towards His face. And yet today every man endowed with power and invested with sovereignty
prideth himself on His Name! In like
manner, consider how numerous, in these days, are the monks who, in My Name,
have secluded themselves in their churches, and who, when the appointed time
was fulfilled, and We unveiled Our beauty, knew Us not, though they call upon
Me at eventide and at dawn. We behold
them clinging to My name, yet veiled from My Self. This, verily, is a strange thing.
- Baha'u'llah (Suriy-i-Haykal
[Tablet of Temple]; ‘The Summons of the Lord of Hosts’)
