Significance of "mystery" referred to in Tablets

Question: What is the significance of "mystery" referred to in the blessed tablets? 

‘Abdu’l-Baha's answer: Mystery signifies the subjects and questions which are far beyond the minds and comprehensions of the people. When a perfect personage unveils and expounds them, fair souls comprehend them. Therefore the reality of the Manifestation of Christ was, in the cycle of Moses, a mystery of Divine Mysteries, which afterward became revealed in the Manifestation of Christ.  

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a table talk in Akka in 1907; notes taken by Corinne True; ‘Notes Taken at Acca’, booklet published by Baha’i Publishing Society, Chicago 1907) 

Offering thanks to Baha’u’llah

On April 23, 1912, 'Abdu'l-Baha spoke at Howard University, and from there He went to the home of Mirza Ali Kuli Khan for luncheon. Here He said:

"Thanks must be offered to Baha'u'llah because it is His confirmations that stir the souls. It is the blessings of the Abha Beauty that change the hearts. It is the reinforcement of the Kingdom of Abha that makes the mosquito an eagle, the ant a Solomon, the degraded, the center of honor." 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha  (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, April 23, 1912, Washington DC, reported by Dr. Zia Bagdadi, ‘Abdu’l-Baha in America’, Star of the West, vol. 19, no. 2, May 1928)

The three processes in the teaching work

There are three processes in teaching: the first is to attract the people; the second is to convert the people; and the third is to become consecrated. There must be attraction, conversion, and consecration. 

(Words of Shoghi Effendi reported by Ramona Brown during her pilgrimage in 1954; ‘Memories of ‘Abdu’l-Baha: Recollections of the Early Days of the Baha’is of California’)

Divorce

The next question - Mrs. Sanderson's - was about divorce, if Bahá'u'lláh approved of it.

"Bahá'u'lláh - the Master smiled – “says that in this world there is nothing more absurd than divorce. If one has accepted another and is a good Bahá'í he never likes to believe in divorce. But if there be a case of difference between husband and wife, where it is entirely impossible to recreate their love, where it is not possible for them to live any longer with one another, then both should go to the [local] House of Justice [currently known as Spiritual Assemblies] and together, in perfect agreement, lay their case before it. And after this they should still wait a year, living apart but not permanently divorced, and their friends should give them good advice meanwhile. If, after one year, there is no possibility of becoming reunited, and no one is able to influence them, then this is the natural divorce.

"But between the real Bahá'ís there is no divorce. No one has ever heard of divorce between real Bahá'ís. The Bahá'í husband and wife will not allow affairs to reach such a condition." 

(Reported by Juliete Thompson, 1912, ‘The Diary of Juliet Thompson’)  

Future World

Every city, every town, and every village will have a [Bahá'í] Temple and a House of Justice in the future. 

(Words of Shoghi Effendi reported by Ramona Brown during her pilgrimage in 1954; ‘Memories of ‘Abdu’l-Baha: Recollections of the Early Days of the Baha’is of California’)

The three Charters in the Faith

(1) the Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh, or the Divine Plan; (2) the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá with the plan for world administration; and (3) the Tablet of Carmel, the Charter for the development for the World Center of the Faith. 

(Words of Shoghi Effendi reported by Ramona Brown during her pilgrimage in 1954; ‘Memories of ‘Abdu’l-Baha: Recollections of the Early Days of the Baha’is of California’)

The Master with children

On April 24, 1912, it was the privilege of the Baha'i children of Washington to have' Abdu'l-Baha at their meeting. He gave them the most helpful message, sweetened their little mouths with candy and blessed them with these words: "Praise be to God! These children are like a bouquet of roses in their utmost beauty, delicacy and sweetness." 

(Reported by Dr. Zia Bagdadi, ‘Abdu’l-Baha in America’, April 24, 1912, Washington DC, Star of the West, vol. 19, no. 2, May 1928)

How not to fear death

On the Celtic a woman came to 'Abdu'l-Baha and told Him that she was afraid of death. "Then," He said, "do something that will keep you from dying; that will instead, day by day make you more alive, and bring you everlasting life. According to the words of His Holiness Christ, those who enter the Kingdom of God will never die. Then enter the Divine Kingdom, and fear death no more." 

(Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha aboard the Celtic as he left America, recorded by Mirza Mahmud Zarqani; ‘Sampler from Mahmud’s Diary’, by Marzieh Gail, ‘The Baha’i World’ vol. 13)

Pearl and ruby necklace

In the evening, 'Abdu'l-Baha addressed the white and colored believers and their friends at the home of Mrs. Dyer, a member of the colored race, and after the meeting He remarked:

"Before entering the meeting I did not feel as if I would like to speak. But as soon as I saw the unity and attraction of the colored and white believers, I became interested and anxious and with perfect sincere love I spoke. I have compared the harmony of the different colors to that of a pearl and ruby necklace." 

(Reported by Dr. Zia Bagdadi, ‘Abdu’l-Baha in America’, April 24, 1912, Washington DC, Star of the West, vol. 19, no. 2, May 1928)

"O Baha'u'llah what hast Thou done?”

Later, while riding in a carriage on His way to the home of Mr. Alexander Graham Bell, the famous telephone inventor, 'Abdu'l-Baha very sweetly and softly chanted in Persian: "O Baha'u'llah what hast Thou done? O Baha'u'llah may my life be a sacrifice to Thee. Through what sufferings and hardships Thou hast passed Thy days. What calamities Thou didst endure. But in the end, what a formidable foundation Thou hast laid. What an evident banner Thou hast raised." 

(Reported by Dr. Zia Bagdadi, April 24, 1912, Washington DC, ‘Abdu’l-Baha in America’, Star of the West, vol. 19, no. 2, May 1928)

Entering the Kingdom of God

A woman… called on the Master and had many questions about Christ within, visions, dreams, spiritual life and many other topics. Lovingly Our Beloved discarded her ideas and notions about these matters, telling her the realities of every question. "Today," he said, "the door of the Kingdom of God is open, you must enter therein." "Where is this Kingdom?" she hesitatingly asked. "It's the Celestial Kingdom of Abha," the Master answered her. "Oh! I don't see it! Is it impossible for me to enter therein?" "No! Turn your face to God; trust in him, submit all your thoughts and ideas to Him and he shall lead you to His eternal Kingdom!" "But, I have been doing this for two long years." ‘Abdu’l-Baha said: "Very good! I hope you shall attain therein". 

(‘Abdu’l-Baha’s explanation, 1913, recorded by Ahmad Sohrab; ‘Abdu’l-Baha in Edinburgh – Sohrab’s Diary Letters’)