Raise the very stones...
Kent Johnson
race couldn't accomplish world peace God would raise the very stones....
Anyone know anything about this quote? --Kent
Carl Brehmer
> race couldn't accomplish world peace God would raise the very stones....
>
> Anyone know anything about this quote? --Kent
I have heard of a somewhat similar phrase in the form of a
pilgrim's note from Amos Gibson, one of the first members of the
Universal House of Justice, but it conveyed a different meaning. It
went something like this. "If the current believers don't arise to
proclaim the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh God will raise up the stones to
do it."
To me it was a bit of hyperbole that expressed the
irrepressibility of the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh much like
Bahá'u'lláh's statement, "Should they attempt to conceal His
light on the continent, He will assuredly rear His head in the midmost
heart of the ocean." (Bahá'u'lláh cited in World Order of
Bahá'u'lláh, p. 108)
The phrase that you have posted seems to be a very literal
interpretation of a couple of allegories found in the Bahá'í
Writings. One is that the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh will bring
into being a "new race of men" and the other is that the Revelation
of Bahá'u'lláh is so powerful that it can animate stones.
The "new race of men" is not a literal replacement of the
human race, but rather signifies its transformation through the power
of the Holy Spirit. Also, the "stones" that are animated are not
literal stones but rather the hearts of unbelievers-"The unbeliever
may be likened unto a stone. No matter how long it is exposed to the
sunshine, it cannot reflect the sun." (Selections from the Writings
of the Báb, page: 104)
To believe that God would literally replace the human race with a
new race of men that He would raise up from literal, material stones is
akin to believing in the material resurrection of Christ, or believing
that the 12th Imam is literally at the bottom of a well somewhere, or
believing in a material rapture, or believing that the bread and wine
of the Eucharist change into the literal body and blood of Christ, or
believing in . . .
Carl Brehmer
Gilberto Simpson
> A quote on another list, reportedly from Shoghi Effendi, said that if our
> race couldn't accomplish world peace God would raise the very stones....
>
It sounds like John the Baptist:
Matt 3:
[7] But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sad'ducees coming for
baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee
from the wrath to come?
[8] Bear fruit that befits repentance,
[9] and do not presume to say to yourselves, `We have Abraham as our
father'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up
children to Abraham.
-G
Kent Johnson
that there was a typo in Shoghi Effendi's letter, not stones, but raise the
very stoned. I have edited your comments and forwarded to the guy who
originally asked the question. Thanks for your help.
I will look for a source of Amos Gibson's collected pilgrim's notes if the
question persists.
--Kent
"Carl Brehmer" <carl...@cableone.net> wrote in message
news:1159288685.8...@m7g2000cwm.googlegroups.com...
Susan Maneck
The Mosque of Aqsa vibrateth through the breezes of its Lord, the
All-Glorious, whilst Batha (Mecca) trembleth at the voice of God, the
Exalted, the Most High. Every single stone of them celebrateth the
praise of the Lord, through this Great Name."
(Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 59)
. I beseech Thee, by all them whose blood was shed in Thy path, who,
in their yearning over Thee, rid themselves from all attachment to any
of Thy creatures, and who were so carried away by the sweet savors of
Thine inspiration that every single member of their bodies intoned Thy
praise and vibrated to Thy remembrance, not to withhold from us the
things Thou hast irrevocably ordained in this Revelation -- a
Revelation the potency of which hath caused every tree to cry out what
the Burning Bush had aforetime proclaimed unto Moses, Who conversed
with Thee, a Revelation that hath enabled every least pebble to
resound again with Thy praise, as the stones glorified Thee in the
days of Muhammad, Thy Friend.
(Baha'u'llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 144)
O concourse of priests! Leave the bells, and come forth, then, from
your churches. It behoveth you, in this day, to proclaim aloud the
Most Great Name among the nations. Prefer ye to be silent, whilst
every stone and every tree shouteth aloud: 'The Lord is come in His
great glory!'?
(Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 13)
The first to turn away from Us have been the world's spiritual leaders
in this age -- they that call upon Us in the daytime and in the night
season and mention My Name while resting on their lofty thrones.
However, when I revealed Myself unto men they rose against Me in such
wise that even the stones groaned and lamented bitterly.
(Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 254)
The Breeze of God hath been wafted over the world at the advent of the
Desired One in His great glory, whereupon every stone and clod of
earth hath cried out: "The Promised One is come! The Kingdom is God's,
the Mighty, the Gracious, the Forgiving."
(Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 55)
I gather from this that the stones have *already* been raised up.
warmest, Susan
diamondsouled
I have heard the stones quote before and also one that is closer to
the one mentioned by Carl.
I believe it was in a book, a collection of letters of Shoghi
Effendi's, if memory serves me right it had a white cover.
In the letter Shoghi is quoting Baha'u'llah: "if the people of Baha'
fail God will raise up a new race of men who will prevail." Paraphrased
of course.
I've looked around for the exact quote for years and have never come
across it again.
I have heard other people mention coming across it though.
Carl's version is very similar to what I've remembered.
Larry