Chapter 43
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Conflicting writings as relates to the Tablet of Carmel.

In passages 1 - 3 below, Shoghi Effendi and the House state that, "the people of Baha who have been mentioned in the Book of Names", are the members of the Universal House of Justice. As explained previously, "the company of the most exalted angels" mentioned in the second paragraph of passage 5 (from the Tablet of Carmel) are the Dependent/Lesser Prophets of Baha'u'llah, who will continue His Revelation. They are also "the people of Baha who have been mentioned in the Book of Names [the Names of God, the Manifestations of God; in this case, the Dependent/Lesser Prophets of Baha'u'llah]", mentioned in the same paragraph; and not the Universal House of Justice, whose authority is below the Guardian, a regular human. Passages 6 and 7 explain the theme of Names further. The Dependent/Lesser Prophets of Baha'u'llah are also "the people of Baha who speak not except by His leave" mentioned in passage 8 from the Aqdas. Also, in passage 3, the statement by House, 'The members of the Universal House of Justice, designated by Bahá'u'lláh "the Men of Justice", "the people of Baha who have been mentioned in the Book of Names", ...', appears to be wrong, unless an authentic reference exists where Baha'u'llah specifically states or designates that, "the people of Baha who have been mentioned in the Book of Names", are indeed the members of the Universal House of Justice. Otherwise, it can only be truthfully said that those words in the Tablet of Carmel are interpreted by Shoghi Effendi to mean, the members of the Universal House of Justice; which should never be conflated with the actual words of Baha'u'llah, the Most Great Infallibility, the Supreme Pen (also indicated by Shoghi Effendi in passage 4).

1)
For it must be clearly understood, nor can it be sufficiently emphasized, that the conjunction of the resting-place of the Greatest Holy Leaf with those of her brother and mother incalculably reinforces the spiritual potencies of that consecrated Spot which, under the wings of the Báb's overshadowing Sepulchre, and in the vicinity of the future Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, which will be reared on its flank, is destined to evolve into the focal center of those world-shaking, world-embracing, world-directing administrative institutions, ordained by Bahá'u'lláh and anticipated by Abdu'l-Bahá, and which are to function in consonance with the principles that govern the twin institutions of the Guardianship and the Universal House of Justice. Then, and then only, will this momentous prophecy which illuminates the concluding passages of the Tablet of Carmel be fulfilled: "Ere long will God sail His Ark upon thee (Carmel), and will manifest the people of Baha who have been mentioned in the Book of Names."
-- Shoghi Effendi, Messages to America, p. 32

2)
A well-known passage in which this term is used appears in the Tablet of Carmel: "Ere long will God sail His Ark upon thee, and will manifest the people of Baha who have been mentioned in the Book of Names." Shoghi Effendi explains that the Ark in this passage refers to the Bahá'í Administrative Centre on Mount Carmel and that the dwellers of the Ark are the members of the Universal House of Justice.
-- The Universal House of Justice, Messages 1963 to 1986, p. 731

3)
The members of the Universal House of Justice, designated by Bahá'u'lláh "the Men of Justice", "the people of Baha who have been mentioned in the Book of Names", "The Trustees of God amongst His servants and the daysprings of authority in His countries", shall in the discharge of their responsibilities ever bear in mind that following standards set forth by Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Cause of God: ...
-- The Universal House of Justice, The Constitution of The Universal House of Justice, p. 5

4)
P.S. -- I wish to call your attention to certain things in "Principles of Bahá'í Administration" which has just reached the Guardian; although the material is good, he feels that the complete lack of quotation marks is very misleading. His own words, the words of his various secretaries, even the Words of Bahá'u'lláh Himself, are all lumped together as one text. This is not only not reverent in the case of Bahá'u'lláh's Words, but misleading. Although the secretaries of the Guardian convey his thoughts and instructions and these messages are authoritative, their words are in no sense the same as his, their style certainly not the same, and their authority less, for they use their own terms and not his exact words in conveying his messages. He feels that in any future edition this fault should be remedied, any quotations from Bahá'u'lláh or the Master plainly attributed to them, and the words of the Guardian clearly differentiated from those of his secretaries.
[From the Guardian:]
-- Shoghi Effendi, The Unfolding Destiny of the British Baha'i Community, p. 260

5)
'Call out to Zion, O Carmel, and announce the joyful tidings: He that was hidden from mortal eyes is come! His all-conquering sovereignty is manifest; His all-encompassing splendour is revealed. Beware lest thou hesitate or halt. Hasten forth and circumambulate the City of God that hath descended from heaven, the celestial Kaaba round which have circled in adoration the favoured of God, the pure in heart, and the company of the most exalted angels. Oh, how I long to announce unto every spot on the surface of the earth, and to carry to each one of its cities, the glad-tidings of this Revelation -- a Revelation to which the heart of Sinai hath been attracted, and in whose name the Burning Bush is calling: "Unto God, the Lord of Lords, belong the kingdoms of earth and heaven." Verily this is the Day in which both land and sea rejoice at this announcement, the Day for which have been laid up those things which God, through a bounty beyond the ken of mortal mind or heart, hath destined for revelation. Ere long will God sail His Ark upon thee, and will manifest the people of Baha who have been mentioned in the Book of Names.'

Sanctified be the Lord of all mankind, at the mention of Whose name all the atoms of the earth have been made to vibrate, and the Tongue of Grandeur hath been moved to disclose that which had been wrapt in His knowledge and lay concealed within the treasury of His might. He, verily, through the potency of His name, the Mighty, the All-Powerful, the Most High, is the ruler of all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth.
-- Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 4.

6)
Say: Lordship is My Name, whereof I have created manifestations in the world of being, while We Ourself remain sanctified above them, would ye but ponder this truth. And Godhead is My Name, whereof We have created exponents whose power shall encompass the people of the earth and make them true worshippers of God, could ye but recognize it. Thus should ye regard all Our Names, if ye be endued with insight.
-- Baha'u'llah, Surih of the Temple, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 23

7)
1.73
Say: We have made each one of Our Names a wellspring from which We have caused the streams of divine wisdom and understanding to gush forth and flow in the garden of Our Cause -- streams whose number none can reckon save Thy Lord, the Most Holy, the Omnipotent, the Omniscient, the All-Wise. Say: We have generated all Letters from the Point and  have caused them to return unto It, and We have sent It down again in the form of a human temple. All glory be unto the Author of this incomparable and wondrous handiwork! Erelong shall We unfold and expound It again, in Our name, the All-Glorious. This is indeed a token of Our grace, and I, truly, am the Most Bountiful, the Ancient of Days.
-- Baha'u'llah, Surih of the Temple, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 38

8)
Endowments dedicated to charity revert to God, the Revealer of Signs. None hath the right to dispose of them without leave from Him Who is the Dawning-place of Revelation. After Him, this authority shall pass to the Aghsan, and after them to the House of Justice -- should it be established in the world by then -- that they may use these endowments for the benefit of the Places which have been exalted in this Cause, and for whatsoever hath been enjoined upon them by Him Who is the God of might and power. Otherwise, the endowments shall revert to the people of Baha who speak not except by His leave and judge not save in accordance with what God hath decreed in this Tablet -- lo, they are the champions of victory betwixt heaven and earth -- that they may use them in the manner that hath been laid down in the Book by God, the Mighty, the Bountiful.
-- Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 34



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