.
.
Within
a short while, the first eighteen disciples had, each in a different way,
independently sought out and recognized the Teacher Whose advent they were
expecting. When their number was completed, they were sent out to spread
the glad tidings throughout the land. Their Master told them that
He was the Bab ( the Gate ) through Whom people
would know about the
advent
of another Messenger of God,
far greater than Himself, Who would come
to
gather
the diverse peoples and nations of the world together and establish the
unity
of mankind as promised in
all the Holy scriptures . His own
mission,
He said, was to prepare the way for the coming
of
this great Messenger .
.
To
His disciples, as they set out to proclaim the tidings of the new Dispensation,
the Bab said:
.
"
You are the bearers of the name of God in
this Day .... The very members of your body
must
bear witness to the loftiness of your purpose, the integrity of your life,
the
reality
of your faith , and the exalted character of your devotion
.... I am
preparing
you for the advent of a mighty Day.... Scatter throughout
the
length and breadth of this land, and, with steadfast feet and
sanctified
hearts, prepare the way for His coming .
" DB
92
.
The
Message of the Bab created great commotion. Although He always referred
to the One
Who was to follow Him, the Bab's own saintly life and beautiful teachings
inspired wonderful devotion in the hearts of thousands of people
who met or heard of Him . His message spread to
every part of the country and attracted people from
different classes of
society
. Even the king could not ignore the flow of reports which reached
the
court,
and he decided to send the most learned and trusted of the
religious
dignitaries of the capital to investigate the
claim
of the Bab. The great scholar
recognized
the station of the
Bab
and sent back a message to
the
king saying that he had decided to
spend
the rest of his life serving the new Master
he
had found .
.
...
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