dishonesty played no part, and was held in contempt, in the domain of his activities.  It was he who was responsible for the arrival of these wronged ones in the Most Great Prison (Akka).  As he was faithful, however, in the discharge of his duty, he deserveth Our commendation.  This Wronged One hath, at all times, aimed and striven to exalt and advance the interests of both the government and the people, not to elevate His own station.  A number of men have, now, gathered others about them, and have arisen to dishonor this Wronged One.  He, nevertheless, beseecheth God—­hallowed and glorified be He—­to aid them to return unto Him, and assist them to compensate for that which escaped them, and repent before the door of His bounty.  He, verily, is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

O Shay_kh_!  My Pen, verily, lamenteth over Mine own Self, and My Tablet weepeth sore over what hath befallen Me at the hands of one (Mirza Yahya) over whom We watched for successive years, and who, day and night, served in My presence, until he was made to err by one of My servants, named Siyyid Muhammad.  Unto this bear witness My believing servants who accompanied Me in My exile from Ba_gh_dad to this, the Most Great Prison.  And there befell Me at the hands of both of them that which made every man of understanding to cry out, and he who is endued with insight to groan aloud, and the tears of the fair-minded to flow.

We pray to God to graciously assist them that have been led astray to be just and fair-minded, and to make them aware of that whereof they have been heedless.  He, in truth, is the All-Bounteous, the Most Generous.  Debar not Thy servants, O my Lord, from the door of Thy grace, and drive them not away from the court of Thy presence.  Assist them to dispel the mists of idle fancy, and to tear away the veils of vain imaginings and hopes.  Thou art, verily, the All-Possessing, the Most High.  No God is there but Thee, the Almighty, the Gracious.

I swear by the Daystar of God’s Testimony that hath shone from the horizon of certitude!  This Wronged One, in the daytime and in the night-season, occupied Himself with that which would edify the souls of men, until the light of knowledge prevailed over the darkness of ignorance.

O Shay_kh_!  Time and again have I declared, and now yet again I affirm, that for two score years We have, through the grace of God and by His irresistible and potent will, extended such aid to His Majesty the Shah—­ may God assist him—­as the exponents of justice and of equity would regard as incontestable and absolute.  None can deny it, unless he be a transgressor and sinner, or one who would hate Us or doubt Our truth.  How very strange that until now the Ministers of State and the representatives of the people have alike remained unaware of such conspicuous and undeniable service, and, if apprized of it, have, for reasons of their own, chosen to ignore it!  Previous to these forty years controversies and conflicts