This page is provided to give dedicated space for each year's keynote presenter to share insights with the friends. Please see below Erica Toussaint-Brock's message to Solomon R.G. Hilton Baha'i School attendees.
Dear Friends,
As promised, here are the references I
used during the last session of the summer school. It was a pleasure being with all of you and
knitting our hearts ever closer to the Blessed Beauty!
Warm greetings,
-erica
taking one’s self into account
1)
“His Holiness,
the blessed Báb, mentions in his book that every one must consider at the end
of each day what have been his actions.
If he finds something which would please God, he must thank Him and pray
to be strengthened to do this good act throughout his life; but if his actions
have not been approvable or honest, he must earnestly ask God for strength to
do better.” ···Attributed
to 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Fire and Gold, p. 219, in
Star of the West Vol. 9, no. 8 p.96
let not your heart be offended
2)
“Act in such a way that your heart may be free from
hatred. Let not your heart be offended
with anyone. If someone commits an error
and wrong toward you, you must instantly forgive him. Do not complain of others. Refrain from reprimanding them, and if you
wish to give admonition or advice, let it be offered in such a way that it will
not burden the bearer. Turn all your
thoughts toward bringing joy to hearts.
Beware! Beware! lest ye offend any heart.” ··· ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Promulgation
of Universal Peace, p. 453.
the most hateful
characteristic of man
3)
“...the
most hateful characteristic of man is fault-finding.” ··· ‘Abdu’l-Bahá,
Lights of Guidance, p. 91
4)
“On no subject are the Bahá’í teachings more
emphatic than on the necessity to abstain from faultfinding and backbiting
while being ever eager to discover and root out our own faults and overcome our
own failings.
Do not quarrel
with Anybody
5)
“Remember how Adam and the others once
dwelt together in Eden. No sooner, however, did a quarrel break out
between Adam and Satan than they were, one and all, banished from the Garden,
and this was meant as a warning to the human race, a means of telling humankind
that dissension--even with the Devil--is the way to bitter loss. This is why, in our illumined age, God
teacheth that conflicts and disputes are not allowable, not even with Satan
himself.” ···'Abdu'l-Bahá Selections
from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, p.
275.
6)
“Do not quarrel with anybody, and shun
every form of dispute. Utter the Word of
God. If he accepteth it the desired
purpose is attained, and if he turneth away leave him to himself and trust to
God. Such is the attribute of those who are firm in the Covenant.” ··'Abdu'l-Bahá
Selections from the Writings of
'Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 210.
If he will
humbly submit to sacrifice his position
5) “Blessed are
they who are the means of making unity among the friends, and pity on those who
in the right or wrong are the cause of discord. For instance:
when one is in the right in a case in dispute, and his minority prevents
him from establishing this rightful matter, instead of agitating the subject,
if he will humbly submit to sacrifice his position for the sake of unity and
peace, God will accept that sacrifice and ere long the rightful matter will be
established without any further dispute, by the Divine assistance; whereas
without such sacrifice and submissiveness great harm might ensue. The friends must be prepared to efface
themselves at all times. Seeking the
approval of men is many times the cause of imperiling the approval of God.” ···'Abdu'l-Bahá,
in Star of the West, Vol. 6, no. 6, p. 45.
Consultation
6) “The prime requisites for them that take
counsel together are:
- purity of motive,
- radiance of spirit,
- detachment from all else save God,
- attraction to His Divine Fragrances,
- humility and lowliness amongst His loved ones,
- patience and long-suffering in difficulties
- and servitude to His exalted Threshold.
“Should they be graciously aided to acquire these
attributes, victory from the unseen kingdom of Bahá shall be vouchsafed to
them....The members thereof must take counsel together in such wise that no
occasion for ill-feeling or discord may arise. This can be attained when every
member expresseth with absolute freedom his own opinion and setteth forth his
argument. Should any one oppose, he must on no account feel hurt for not until
matters are fully discussed can the right way be revealed.” ···'Abdu'l-Bahá, quoted
in the Guardian's letter dated 5 March 1922 to the Friends in America, Bahá'í Administration, p. 21, also:
Consultation: a Compilation, p. 5.(emphasis added)
7)
“The second principle is that of detachment in consultation. The members of an Assembly must learn to
express their views frankly, calmly, without passion or rancor. They must also learn to listen to the
opinions of their fellow members without taking offense or belittling the views
of another. Bahá’í consultation is not
an easy process. It requires love, kindliness, moral courage and humility. Thus no member should ever allow himself to
be prevented from expressing frankly his view because it may offend a fellow
member; and, realizing this, no member should take offense at another member's
statements.” The Universal House of
Justice, August 26, 1965; Lights of
Guidance, p. 179-80
