The appearances of the Manifestations of God are the divine
springtime. When Christ appeared in this world, it was like the vernal bounty;
the outpouring descended; the effulgences of the Merciful encircled all things;
the human world found new life. Even the physical world partook of it. The
divine perfections were upraised; souls were trained in the school of heaven so
that all grades of human existence received life and light. Then by degrees
these fragrances of heaven were discontinued; the season of winter came upon
the world; the beauties of spring vanished; the excellences and perfections
passed away; the lights and quickening were no longer evident; the phenomenal
world and its materialities conquered everything; the spiritualities of life
were lost; the world of existence became life unto a lifeless body; there was
no trace of the spring left.
Bahá’u’lláh has come into this world. He has renewed that
springtime. The same fragrances are wafting; the same heat of the Sun is giving
life; the same cloud is pouring its rain, and with our own eyes we see that the
world of existence is advancing and progressing. The human world has found new
life.
(‘Abdu’l-Baha, from a talk, 13 April, 1912, New York; ‘The Promulgation
of Universal Peace’)
