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Center of the Covenant
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Page 55
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Center of the Covenant
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1 |
Bahá'u'lláh indicated in many ways the `Abdu'l-Bahá was
to direct the Cause after His own ascension. Many years before
His death He declared this in a veiled manner in His Kitáb-i-Aqdas.
He referred to `Abdu'l-Bahá on many occasions as
"The Center of My Covenant," "The Most Great Branch," "The
Branch from the Ancient Root." He habitually spoke of Him
as "The Master" and required all His family to treat Him with
marked deference; and in His Will and Testament He left explicit
instructions that all should turn to Him and obey Him.
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2 |
After the death of the "Blessed Beauty" (as Bahá'u'lláh was
generally called by His family and believers) `Abdu'l-Bahá
assumed the position which His father had clearly indicated
for Him as head of the Cause and authoritative Interpreter of
the teachings, but this was resented by certain of His relatives
and others, who became as bitterly opposed to `Abdu'l-Bahá
as Subh-i-Azal had been to Bahá'u'lláh. They tried to stir up
dissensions among the believers, and, failing in that, proceeded
to make various false charges against `Abdu'l-Bahá to the
Turkish Government.
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3 |
In accordance with instructions received from His father,
`Abdu'l-Bahá was erecting a building on the side of Mount
Carmel, above Haifa, which was intended to be the permanent
resting-place of the remains of the Báb, and also to contain a
number of rooms for meetings and services. They represented
to the authorities that this building was intended as a fort, and
that `Abdu'l-Bahá and His followers meant to entrench themselves
there, defy the Government, and endeavor to gain possession
of the neighboring region of Syria.
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