CONDITIONS OF EXISTENCE:

 

SERVITUDE, PROPHETHOOD, DEITY.

 

 

REVISED EDITION OF OUTLINE PREVIOUSLY

ENTITLED “THREE WORLDS”

 

Compiled By

 

H. EMOGENE HOAGG.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bahá’í Publishing Committee

P. O. Box 348

Grand Central Annex

New York, N.Y.

 

1938

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

A. World of God,.......................................................... p. 1

1.    This plane is unapproachable ... unlimited........ p. 1

2.    God: unknowable essence supreme center ...... p. 1

 

B.    World of Command ............................................ p. 2 - 5

1.    Kingdom of God .................................................. p. 2

2.    Primal emanation................................................. p. 2

3.    Only begotten of the Father............................... p. 2

4.    Manifestations: Oneness with God primal... mirrors p. 2 - 5

5.    Universal Divine Mind......................................... p- 5

6.    Holy Spirit ...Christ Spirit.................................... P- 4

7.    Christ Spirit........................................................... p. 4

8.    The Will ................................................................. p. 4 - 5

9.    The Word .............................................................. p- 5

 

C.    World of Divinity.................................................. p. 5

 

D.    World of Creation,............................................... p.6

1.    Beginning of creation.......................................... p. 6

2.    Worlds of creation................................................ p. 6

3.    Purpose of creation ............................................. p. 6

4.    Nature ................................................................... p. 7

5.    World of humanity: Man? His reality and station      p. 7 - 8

6.    Human potentiality ............................................. p. 9

7.    Reflective faculty ................................................ p. 9 - 10

8.    Manifestations: Essential oneness ... distinction         p. 10

9.    Universal Manifestations dependent................. p. 10 - 11

10. Revelation in the world of creation .................. p. 11

11. Sovereignty. ......................................................... p. 11 - 12

12. Purpose and Mission ........................................... p. 12

13. Religion the gift of revelation ............................ p. 13

14. Faith ...................................................................... p. 15

15. Service................................................................... p. 14

16. Sacrifice ................................................................ p. 14

17. Material and divine civilization.......................... p. 14 - 15

18. Education: Material ... Human ... Spiritual Obligations      p. 15,16,17

19. Teachers...Teaching............................................. p. 17 - 18

20. Reward .................................................................. p. 18 - 19

21. Retribution............................................................ p. 19 - 20

22.) Prayer and Rebirth.............................................. p. 20 - 21

23.)                “............................................................... “

24. Immortality ...  eternal life .................................. p. 21

 

Pages given for the World Order Letters refer to the paging in the pamphlets as first published.  The list on the last page gives the comparative pages for those pamphlets and for the book entitled “The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh.”
TABLE OF CONTENTS (cont'd.)

 

E. Bahá’u’lláh

1.  Prophecy.................................................................. p. 22

2.  Oneness with God................................................... p. 22 - 23

3.  Station of distinction.............................................. p. 23

4. Greatest Name... Covenant................................... p. 23 - 24

5. Proof and power of mission of Bahá’u’lláh........ p. 24 - 25

6.  Infallibility................................................................ p. 25

7.  He whom God will make Manifest....................... p. 25

8. Succession, .............................................................. p. 26

9. Cycles ...................................................................... p. 26

10. Day of God............................................................ p. 27

 

F.  Báb

1.  Prophecy.................................................................. p. 28

2. Essential Oneness................................................... p. 28

5. Primal Point............................................................ p. 28

4. Forerunner............................................................... p. 28

5. Sovereignty.............................................................. p. 29

 

G. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

1. Prophecy ................................................................. p. 30

2. Station ..................................................................... p. 30

3. Mystery of God....................................................... p. 30

4. Center of the Covenant ... Interpreter... ............. p. 30

5. Greatest Branch ... ................................................ p. 31

6. Mission Will sad Testament................................... p. 31

7. Will and Testament................................................. p. 31

 

 H.   The Administrative Order................................... p. 32

1. Source...Authority................................................... p. 32

2. Greatest Branch Center of  the Covenant ...

        Will and Testament.............................................. p. 32

3. Guardianship ... Primal Branch ... Valayat ..

        Authority       p. 32

4. Establishment...Twin Pillars...Functions ..Goal.. p. 53

5. Institutions: Hands of God Council of Nine........ p. 35

6. Universal House or Justice.................................... p. 35 - 34

7.  Secondary House Of Justice................................ p. 34

8. Local Assemblies.................................................... p. 54

9. National and local Funds....................................... p. 34 - 55

10. Conventions.......................................................... p. 35

11   Feasts and Anniversaries.................................... p. 36

12.  Mashriqu’l-Adhkar............................................... p. 36

13.  Administrative Principles…New World Order ......... p.36 - 37

 

 

INTRODUCTION to OUTLINE of THREE WORLDS

 

In the “Three Worlds” or three planes of being so given in the Bahá’í Teachings, we find clearly defined the relationship of all creation to God the Essences the Unknowable, the Source, and its direct dependence upon the “Manifestations of God's Essence.”

When studied diligently we are able to understand the vital difference between the teachings of the mystics, of some of the philosophers, of many of the present-day cults, and the concepts as given by the revealed words of the Manifestations pertaining to this relationship.

 

From this understanding of the “Three WORLDS” we shall be freed from any and all ideas regarding immediate nearness to the Essence of God and be able to grasp the meaning of that UNITY that is the fundamental life-force penetrating, through its avenues of power, all creation.

 

From it we shall also escape the prevalent general tendency to personify the Absolute in the Manifestation to such a degree that the Unknown Essence, the Source, is forgotten.

 

On the other hand we are to realize that the distinct plane of the Prophets - that Primal Emanation from the Absolute - is our only approach or medium to that Absolute, the great “Central Light “.

 

We-become aware of the true significances;  1. of the Oneness of God in His Essence,;  2. of the oneness of the Manifestations with that Source', which  is the appearance of the splendor of God imaged in His Manifestations; 3. of the essential oneness of the Manifestations in relation to each other; 4. of the oneness of humanity in its reality, which is an emanation from the Kingdom of God and in which is reflected the bounties of the Kingdom.

 

Thus so realize that these three planes of being are distinct in their reality, but indissolubly linked by the One Source that binds together and penetrates all existence.

“The Sufis say: “'The reality of the things is the manifestation of the Real Unity'.” “But the Prophets say: 'The reality of the things emanates from the Real Unity'.”

 

Bahá’u’lláh says: “The First Emanation from God is the bounty of the Kingdom, which emanates  and is reflected in the reality of the creatures, like the light which emanates from the sun and is resplendent in infinite forms in the reality of all things, and specifies and individualizes itself affording to the capacity, the worthiness and the intrinsic value of things.” Again He says:

“The integrity Of every rank and station must needs be preserved. By this is meant that every created thing should be viewed in the light Of the station it hath been ordained to occupy.”

 

NOTE that the KINGDOM OF GOD is the Primal Emanation, is also called the Primal Word, the Primal Will, the World of Command,  the First Sea, etc. In using the Bahá’í terminology we have the creative word, and a variety of expressions that will not lend to diversity of meaning as when we try to simplify the terms with individual understanding. Bahá’u’lláh says: “Each word is a 'mother word'.”

 

 

DEFINITIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

 

Absolute............................ Unqualified, unlimited, self-existent, perfect.

Dispensation .................... Divine ordering, a period of time

Emanate .......................... Dict: originate, proceed (from source)

Emanation........................ “Proceeding thru emanation is like the

                                                 coming of the action from the actor...the

                                                 writing the writer.

Primal Emanation .......... The first thing which proceeded from God:

                                                 the Word, the Will, First Sea, Station

                                                 of the Prophets, “Only begotten of the Father”.

Essence ............................ Substance, central nature.

Essential phenomena...... Preceded by a Cause

Immanence....................... Indwelling.

Manifestation .................. as a Bahá’í term means: “The reality of a thing other

                                                 forms, like the coming forth of a flower

                                                 from the seed of the tree...for the seed itself

                                                 appears in form of the branches, leaves and

                                                 flowers.”

 

Pre-existence .................. not preceded by a Cause-

Primal Mirrors................. Manifestations of or Reflectors of the Essence

                                            Absolute (God)

Phenomena of time ........ have beginnings and endings.

Reality............................... inner nature

Transcendent .................. Beyond the range of reason...applicable to the

                                                 Absolute.

 

Day-Star........................... is the same as the Sun, the Manifestation

Day Spring ....................... beginner of the Day,

 

Qa'im ............................... “He who shall arise”. This term donotes the

                                                 promisedone of Islam

Mihdi ................................ Title of the Manifestation expected by Islam

Imam ................................ Title of twelve Shi'ah successors of MuMammad.

                                                 Also applies generally to Muslim religious

                                                 leaders .

Shi'ah and Sunni.............. Two main branches of the Muhammedan religion.

 

Kitab-i-Aqdas ................. Book of 1aws

Kitab-i-'Ahd..................... Will and Testament of Bahá’ulláh

 

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Possible Uses for Outline

1.-Individual study                  

2.-Group Lessons

3.-Topics for articles and talks

4. Quotations for devotional meetings and Feasts.

 

R E F E R E N C E S

 

Arabic Hidden Words .................................................. A. H. W.

America and the Most Great Peace ......................... A. M. G. P.

America’s Spiritual Mission........................................ A. S. M.

Answered Questions .................................................... A. Q.

Bahá’í Administration.................................................. B. A.

Bahá’í House of Worship ........................................... B. H.W.

Bahá’í News ................................................................. B. N.

Bahá'í Procedure.......................................................... B. Pr.

Bahá’í Proofs................................................................ B. P.

Bahá’í Revelation......................................................... B. R.

Bahá’í Scriptures.......................................................... B. S.

Dawn Breakers............................................................. D. Br.

Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh........................................ D. B.

Epistle to the Son Of the Wolf.................................... E. S. W.

Foundations Of World Unity ...................................... F. W.U.

Glad Tidings................................................................... G. T.

Golden Age Of Bahá’u’lláh ....................................... G. A.

Gleanings from Writings Of Bahá’u’lláh ................. G1.

Íqán ............................................................................... Iq.

Ishráqát......................................................................... Ish.

Issiah.............................................................................. Isa.

 

Kitáb-i-’Ahd.................................................................. K.I.A.

Lawr-i-Aqdas................................................................ L. A.

Mysticism and the Bahá'í Revelation........................ M. B. R.

Mysterious Forces Of Civilization ............................. M. F. C.

Persian Hidden Words................................................. P. H.W.

Prayers and Meditations ............................................. P. M

Promulgation Of Universal Peace............................. P. U. P.

Súratu'l-Haykal............................................................. S-i-H.

Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá ............................................. T. A. B.

Tablet  to the Branch .................................................. T. B.

Travelers  Narrative .................................................... Tr. N.

Tablet  of Tajallíyát...................................................... Taj.

Tablet  of Tarázát ........................................................ Tar.

Tablet  of World............................................................ T. W.

Unfoldment  of World Civilizations ........................... U. W. C.

Wisdom of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá............................................. W. A. B.

Words of Paradise ....................................................... W. P.

Words Of Wisdom........................................................ W.W.

World Faith................................................................... W F.

World -Order.-of Bahá’u’lláh; .Further Considerations W.O.B.F.C.