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PASSING THE TEST OF GOD

The Most Great Law has Come!
The Ancient Beauty [Baha'u'llah] ruleth upon the throne of King David.
Thus hath my pen spoken that which the histories of bygone ages have related!”
-Proclamation of Baha'u'llah, page 89.

Table of Contents

Make firm our steps, O Lord, in Thy path and strengthen Thou our hearts in Thine obedience. Turn our faces toward the beauty of Thy oneness, and gladden our bosoms with the signs of Thy divine unity. Adorn our bodies with the robe of Thy bounty, and remove from our eyes the veil of sinfulness, and give us the chalice of Thy grace; that the essence of all beings may sing Thy praise before the vision of Thy grandeur. Reveal then Thyself, O Lord, by Thy merciful utterance and the mystery of Thy divine being, that the holy ecstasy of prayer may fill our souls - a prayer that shall rise above words and letters and transcend the murmur of syllables and sounds - that all things may be merged into nothingness before the revelation of Thy splendor.

Lord! These are servants that have remained fast and firm in Thy Covenant and Thy Testament, that have held fast unto the cord of constancy in Thy Cause and clung unto the hem of the robe of Thy grandeur. Assist them, O Lord, with Thy grace, confirm with Thy power and strengthen their loins in obedience to Thee.

Thou art the Pardoner, the Gracious.

INTRODUCTION

The successorship to the throne of David continued in the Covenant of Baha'u'llah and the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu'l-Baha in the Baha'i Faith, entitled the Guardian of the Cause of God, is at the same time a Point of Unity for the believers who come under the protection of the Covenant, and a stumbling block keeping those out who prefer their own selves to the Plan of God. This is what ‘Abdu'l-Baha has said that the Covenant is at once a “blessing to the righteous and a curse to the wicked.”

Baha'u'llah states in the Book of Certitude that the “oppression” of the truth is the “essential feature” of “every revelation” and that unless the “darkness of the night of error” first come to pass, the “light of truth” can never be made manifest unto the people.

This "oppression" is the essential feature of every Revelation. Unless it cometh to pass, the Sun of Truth will not be made manifest. For the break of the morn of divine guidance must needs follow the darkness of the night of error.
(Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 31)

Baha'u'llah goes on to explain that “If ye say ye believe do you think that God will let you alone and not put you to the test?” Those who fail the test will not only see spiritual destruction, but are prophesied to be killed in one hour of thermonuclear war in which one third of mankind is to be destroyed with every American city of population 100,000 or more to be incinerated in the thermonuclear “lake of fire”.

TABLET OF THE TEST

In the Tablet of the Test, entitled the Lawh-i-Fitnih, Baha'u'llah further explains the importance of TESTS in the Baha'i faith, and how these Tests purify the faith from those who are not able and do not have the capacity to pass these tests and thus graduate and move on to the next level of spiritual advancement. Adib Teherzadeh further comments upon the Tablet of the Test, that these tests always come on the COVENANT, and that the Book of the Covenant and the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu'l-Baha become the final testing ground for the believers. Will the people remain under the provisions of the Covenant or will they knowingly and willfully allow selfish motives to drag themselves down into the Condition of Violation.

“Thus it is seen that no means for dissension hath been left, but carnal desires are the cause of difference as it is the case with the violators. These do not doubt the validity of the Covenant but selfish motives have dragged them to this condition. It is not that they do not know what they do – they are perfectly aware and still they exhibit opposition.

“In short, the ocean of the Covenant is tumultuous and wide. It casteth ashore the foam of violation and thus rest ye assured. Be engaged in the furtherance of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar and prepare the means for the diffusion of the divine fragrances. Be not engaged in anything but this, for otherwise thou shalt dissipate thine attention and the work will not advance.” (‘Abdu'l-Baha, Selections, pp. 215-216)

Concerning the Tablet of the Test, Teherzadeh explains:

TABLET OF THE TEST

'Abdu'l-Baha, the true Exemplar of the Teachings of Baha'u'llah, has established the pattern of servitude which is the highest station for man to attain.

Baha'u'llah's position was that of sovereignty and lordship. The position of His Son, Abdu'l-Baha, was that of servitude. When water flows from the summit of a mountain and falls to the valley, it creates energy. Similarly, the flow of spiritual forces from Baha'u'llah to Abdu'l-Baha has produced a great power which is released to mankind. When Baha'u'llah appeared there was no one worthy or capable of receiving His Revelation. Abdu'l-Baha on behalf of humanity became its perfect recipient and, although not a Manifestation of God, He was invested with divine authority and power by Baha'u'llah.

In His Will & Testament, written by His own hand, Baha'u'llah has appointed Abdu'l-Baha as the One to whom all the believers should turn after His ascension…

In the Lawh-i-Fitnih Baha'u'llah states that the tests and trials that accompany His Revelation are so severe that a great many people who believe in God and are well-informed of the mysteries of His Cause will be deprived and left in darkness.

Alluding to religious leaders, He foreshadows that these stars of the heaven of knowledge will fall. He affirms that through these tests all that is hidden in men's hearts will be disclosed, that mankind will be separated, some elevated to the heights of faithfulness, others cast down upon the dust. He mentions that the winds of these mighty tests of God have already begun to blow and that the full force of their impact would be felt in the year Shidid (stress) [what stress He layeth upon a moments deviation]. This is a reference to the rebellion of Mirza Yahya in Adrianople which shook the Faith to its foundations and temporarily breached the ranks of its followers. It is also an illusion to the ascension of Baha'u'llah which brought in its wake the rebellion of Mirza Muhammad Ali and the breaking of the Covenant of Baha'u'llah.

A careful study of the lives and teachings of the Founders of great religions will demonstrate that one of the functions of the Manifestation of God has always been to explain the meaning and purpose of His Revelation and to solve any difficult problem which perplexes the minds of His followers. Baha'u'llah and Abdu'l-Baha were always ready to answer questions asked by the believers. These ranged from weighty subjects down to various minor details dealing with every aspect of the Revelation of Baha'u'llah.

However, on the subject of succession They remained silent and only at the end of Their lives did They disclose the identity of Their successors. There are many wisdoms in this. Such an action may be likened to that of a teacher who is always ready to answer questions and help his pupils solve their problems. Only on one occasion does he remain silent and refrain from helping them, namely, on the day of examination. On that day the students alone will have to find the answers. It is their test and it is also the day of separation. Those who pass are elevated to a higher class and those who fail are not.

The history of the Faith demonstrates that the Covenant has always provided the testing-ground for the believers. The Bab gave the glad-tidings of the appearance of 'Him Whom God shall make manifest' but did not explicitly disclose the identity of Baha'u'llah. Baha'u'llah established a mighty Covenant appointing Abdu'l-Baha as the Center of that same Covenant but kept this appointment a well-guarded secret until, shortly before His ascension, He handed the Kitab-i-Ahdi (Book of My Covenant) to Abdu'l-Baha. This document, in the terms of the above analogy, became the examination paper for the entire body of Baha'u'llah's followers. Some passed and others failed the test. Similarly, the Will & Testament of Abdu'l-Baha in which Shoghi Effendi was appointed as the Guardian of the Faith was kept secret. It was after His passing that this document was read. Again, this produced tests for the believers. Some who had ambitious ideas and a lust for leadership opposed Shoghi Effendi as the Guardian of the Faith. These men tried very hard to create divisions within the Cause. But one of the distinguishing features of the Faith is that although many outstanding followers of Baha'u'llah broke the Covenant and arose, with every means at their disposal, to create schism in the Faith, they failed to bring this about. The Covenant of Baha'u'llah triumphed and those who opposed it perished and were brought to naught.
(From the Revelation of Baha'u'llah, Vol. I, p. 134-137)

Thus have the violators denied the plain truth, that Baha'u'llah made a strong Covenant appointing ‘Abdu'l-Baha to succeed Himself to the throne of David; that ‘Abdu'l-Baha adopted Mason Remey to be his aghsan son and continue this aghsan line of David forward in Mason Remey. That Shoghi Effendi upheld ‘Abdu'l-Baha's adoption of Mason, thus qualifying Mason as an aghsan to be then appointed by Shoghi Effendi in accordance with the Will and Testament on page 12 that if he had no son of his own he must “choose another branch [aghsan]” to succeed him. And that Mason continued this Aghsan lineage of King David in his only son Pepe, who passed on the throne of David to his only son Neal Chase ben Joseph Aghsan.

This is the straight path that leads to the true Universal House of Justice of Baha'u'llah. It is the straight path that is backed up with documentation and proofs for all to see as glaring as the noonday SUN!

“God has vowed to perfect His light though the wicked abhor it so!”

'Abdu'l-Baha Adopts Mason Remey as His Aghsan Son

‘Abdu'l-Baha to his only son Mason Remey:

“I have adopted you as my son [Persian: aghsan]. You have to appreciate this favor very much indeed. One should see that you are living according to the requirements of this sonship. You should be aware of your responsibilities. My prayers will help you. I always pray for you. ”
(‘Abdu'l-Baha to Mason Remey, cf. “The Diaries of Mason Remey”, Folio 2, "A Pilgrimage to the Holy Land: Reminisces of the Master, 1921", pp. 127-129. New York Public Library Collection)

Shoghi Effendi Recognized Mason as Aghsan: 'Abdu'l-Baha's "Dear Son"

Upheld by Shoghi Effendi “to go against him is to go against God” (W&T, p. 11):

“Coagulated drops of Baha'u'llah's all-Sacred Blood and Ringlets of His Most Blessed Locks Presented as my most precious possession to ‘Abdu'l-Baha's ‘dear son' Mr. Charles Mason Remey”
(signed) Shoghi March 1922”

Click Here to see Photo of Original Document and Handwriting of Shoghi Effendi

“It appears that the guardians of the Baha'i faith are trying to out-do each other in finding UNIQUE ways to appoint their successors. These are TESTS to TEST the believers to see if they really do believe….”

“Mason explained to me that in the unique way that Shoghi Effendi appointed his successor the guardianship was tested. He said the believers would not be put through that test again. He said the next time they wouldn't know who the guardian is for a while. This is through his unique way of appointing you. It seems that the guardians try to out-do each other in using unique ways in appointing their successors. For me I must be absolutely certain that the one that I support and give my allegiance is the true guardian. I must take no one's word for this. I must see with my own eyes. Investigate with my own intellect and know with my own heart.” (Dr. Leland Jensen, Letter to Pepe, July 19, 1975, p. 2)

Letters of Pepe Remey Aghsan, Grandson of 'Abdu'l-Baha

"The conditions under which he [Mason] lived forced him to make the many steps he took and thus a great confusion (in the minds of those who failed the test) ensued as a result." (Pepe to Dr. Jensen, 24 July 1975)

"Mason told me that the Guardian of the Faith must be respected and followed and upheld even if he becomes “gaga…..that was his own expression." (Pepe to Dr. Jensen, 24 July 1975)

"Mason was confident that in time the masses of Believers would come to the conclusion that they needed and wanted a Guardian. Had they done so during his lifetime, I should not have objected to being his successor. Mason would have delighted in (the) conclusion regarding the Afnan and Aghsan branches and if it is true that Mason was, in fact, the adopted Aghsan son of 'Abdu'l-Baha, and if that fact were to be generally accepted, then I should not be able to refuse being his only possible successor.... The fact will always remain that if the Baha'i Faith must have a Guardian to progress, then only Mason Remey could have fulfilled that role, and Mason Remey intended me as his successor…" (Pepe, 25 July 1991, Personal names omitted for privacy)

“The believers at Deer Lodge sent me copies of their last Bulletin containing statements about Dr. Leland… How often I think it very significant that God has seen fit to place the only meaningful activity of the Baha'i Faith (under the Guardianship) in the hands of a small group of Baha'is who are inmates in a prison. When one thinks of how long the Faith has fallen in the hands of so many false bearers of the Baha'i standard; -- it is very significant that the Deer Lodge Group have taken up the stand. It is very refreshing, indeed and, in my personal opinion, represents the best possible starting point for a whole new (and clean) growth for the Faith.” (Pepe to Opal, 2/21/75)

“During our many talks... I spent a lot of time discussing your activities there in Missoula and all that you have been accomplishing at the Prison. I wanted to discuss the situation for I have thought it very significant that with things at such a low ebb in the Faith since Mason Remey's death......the only effective and significant activity in the Faith under the third Guardian is being carried on from a prison! Think of the times Baha'u'llah and Abdu'l-Baha spent in prisons! Perhaps, spiritually speaking, the Faith has completed a full cycle and is back on a new start!” (Pepe to Opal, 5/5/75)

“The fact is that I understand completely what Dr. Jensen is driving at and deep down inside I know that he is right. However, these are decisions which I ought to have made years ago; -- and, in fact, I did decide according to how I felt then. Therefore, it is evident that the time was not right then nor now. Perhaps, the future alone will tell, all may turn out as Dr. Jensen sees it.” (Pepe to Opal, 8/12/75)

“I have admitted to all who ask my opinion that I have no doubt I should have stood behind him [Dr. Jensen] 100% had I been indoctrinated into the Faith by him. We, who came into the Faith by others, got another indoctrination and it is not always easy to have to change ones past convictions.” (Pepe to Opal 3/4/78)

“If Mason had been recognized by the masses of believers as both spiritual and administrative head of the Faith then I would naturally have fallen in line as his successor. I have encouraged confused individuals to turn to Donald Harvey (as you pointed out). I have never considered Donald the spiritual successor to Baha'u'llah.” (Pepe to Dr. Leland Jensen, 18 January 1994)

“Pepe told me that the one thing that got through to him in all the recent correspondence was that Mason Remey would have liked what (was) presented about him being the Aghsan. Pepe told me that if Mason was an Aghsan, so was he himself, and then naturally all the others could be put aside for the guardianship mentioning Donald Harvey in this light. He said words to the effect that if Mason Remey was an Aghsan, so was he, and therefore he would of course be the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith….he would have no other recourse than to accept his guardianship.” (Transcript of a Phone Conversation of Pepe to a believer, Sept. 4, 1990)

“Mason was confident that in time the masses of Believers would come to the conclusion that they NEEDED and WANTED a Guardian. Had they done so during his lifetime, I should not have objected to being his successor. Mason would have delighted in (the) conclusion regarding the Afnan and Aghsan branches and if it is true that Mason was, in fact, the adopted Aghsan son of 'Abdu'l-Baha, and if that fact were to be generally accepted, then I should not be able to refuse being his only possible successor.... The fact will always remain that IF THE BAHA'I FAITH MUST HAVE A GUARDIAN TO PROGRESS, then ONLY MASON REMEY COULD HAVE FULFILLED THAT ROLE, and Mason Remey intended me as his successor…” (Pepe, 25 July 1991. Personal names omitted for privacy)

“From what Mason told me about Shoghi Effendi's experience as Guardian and how it affected him…..plus what I experienced in the first person regarding what the Guardianship did to Mason, believe me, I wouldn't wish that role on my worst enemy.

“Nevertheless, if I were convinced that coming forth and taking a definite stand as Mason Remey's successor would result in peace and harmony amongst all the Baha'is, I should not hesitate one minute to do so…. Mason awaited the day when the masses of Baha'is (now termed sans-guardian Baha'is) would WANT a Guardian. Should the time come when those masses should turn to me, I could NOT refuse to fulfill the role, for not to do so would be a violation of the faith and trust that Mason Remey placed in me.... I am dedicated to that end.” (Pepe, 9 May 1992. Personal names omitted for privacy)

The Violators of the Covenant, ‘Abdu'l-Baha tells us know the TRUTH of the Covenant but still they exhibit opposition for selfish motives have dragged them into that Condition.

The purpose of this article is to educate the people to the point that if they are pure of heart they would be able to see through the TEST OF GOD using the intellect that God gave and the Independent Investigation of the Truth that Baha'u'llah gave them that God's Covenant remains unbroken and intact just as God promised. That the Kingdom of God (Davidic) is firmly established upon the earth as it is in heaven and that the faithful joyfully enter therein!

PASSING THE TEST OF GOD

He is God!

O God, my God! These are servants attracted in Thy days by the fragrances of Thy holiness, enkindled with the flame burning in Thy holy tree, responding to Thy voice, uttering Thy praise, awakened by Thy breeze, stirred by Thy sweet savors, beholding Thy signs, understanding Thy verses, hearkening to Thy words, believing Thy Revelation and assured of Thy loving-kindness. Their eyes, O Lord, are fixed upon Thy kingdom of effulgent glory and their faces turned toward Thy dominion on high, their hearts beating with the love of Thy radiant and glorious beauty, their souls consumed with the flame of Thy love, O Lord of this world and the world hereafter, their lives seething with the ardor of their longing for Thee, and their tears poured forth for Thy sake.

Shield them within the stronghold of Thy protection and safety, preserve them in Thy watchful care, look upon them with the eyes of Thy providence and mercy, make them the signs of Thy divine unity that are manifest throughout all regions, the standards of Thy might that wave above Thy mansions of grandeur, the shining lamps that burn with the oil of Thy wisdom in the globes of Thy guidance, the birds of the garden of Thy knowledge that warble upon the topmost boughs in Thy sheltering paradise, and the leviathans of the ocean of Thy bounty that plunge by Thy supreme mercy in the fathomless deeps.

O Lord, my God! Lowly are these servants of Thine, exalt them in Thy kingdom on high; feeble, strengthen them by Thy supreme power; abased, bestow upon them Thy glory in Thine all-highest realm; poor, enrich them in Thy great dominion. Do Thou then ordain for them all the good Thou hast destined in Thy worlds, visible and invisible, prosper them in this world below, gladden their hearts with Thine inspiration, O Lord of all beings! Illumine their hearts with Thy joyful tidings diffused from Thine all-glorious Station, make firm their steps in Thy Most Great Covenant and strengthen their loins in Thy firm Testament, by Thy bounty and promised grace, O Gracious and Merciful One! Thou art, verily, the Gracious, the All-Bountiful.

Men Whom the Slander of the Slanderer Affect Not!

In the opening passage of the sacred Will and Testament of ‘Abdu'l-Baha, the Master reveals a prayer for a certain type of spiritual being to be brought forth and created by God – a spiritual being that is the NEW CREATION of MAN – "men whom the slander of the slanderer affect not" – Man in the spiritual and everlasting IMAGE of God Himself, thus fulfilling the everlasting Covenant begun in the Bible at the time of Adam as recorded in the first chapter of the book of Genesis: “And then God Covenanted: ‘Let US make man in Our image and after Our likeness.” Where the ‘Us' and the ‘Our' refer to the appearance of Nine Manifestations of God in His spiritual image – the Nine Great Revelators sent to all mankind throughout the 6000 years Cycle of Adam (Sept. 21, 4000 BC to Sept. 21, 2001 AD), the prophetical six day work week where “each day with the Lord is as 1000 years and 1000 years is as one day (2 Pet. 3:8)!

The Master has so revealed:

“All-praise to Him Who, by the Shield of His Covenant, hath guarded the Temple of His Cause from the darts of doubtfulness, Who by the Hosts of His Testament hath preserved the Sanctuary of His most Beneficent Law and protected His Straight and Luminous Path, staying thereby the onslaught of the company of Covenant-breakers, that have threatened to subvert His Divine Edifice; Who hath watched over His Mighty Stronghold and All-Glorious Faith, through the aid of men whom the slander of the slanderer affect not, whom no earthly calling, glory and power can turn aside from the Covenant of God and His Testament, established firmly by His clear and manifest words, writ and revealed by His All-Glorious Pen and recorded in the Preserved Tablet.”
(Will and Testament (W&T), p. 3)

All the violators - “the company of Covenant-breakers” do (especially those who were first educated by Doc and then broke the Covenant later) is take Doc and Pepe's letters out of context and then also deny the true and plain meaning of them.

Likewise do they misquote the sacred and explicit Books of the Covenant and take the texts of Baha'u'llah, 'Abdu'l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi out of context as well. The Master says that they do this to "muddy the waters", so to speak, "so that they can fish." So in the end, they have only "denied themselves and perturbed and poisoned others" (W&T, p. 12); victims of their own folly and misshapen design.

Whoso beholdeth Me with an eye besides Mine own will never be able to know Me

For this reason, in order to set the record straight, We have decided to respond in this document made public on the internet, so sincere people, like yourself, who want to see the truth can have the facts and receive the Truth as We see it from Our own eyes and not through that of others.

“Verily I say! No one hath apprehended the root of this Cause. It is incumbent upon everyone, in this day, to perceive with the eye of God, and to hearken with His ear. Whoso beholdeth Me with an eye besides Mine own will never be able to know Me.”
(Baha'u'llah cf. Shoghi Effendi, The Advent of Divine Justice, p. 77)

If we look at all the letters of Pepe as a WHOLE and not just bits and pieces, we can see that Pepe's desire, as he wrote, was to redeem his father's, Mason Remey's, good name. Pepe writes:

“Should the time come when those masses should turn to me, I could not refuse to fulfill the role for not to do so would be a violation of the faith and trust Mason Remey placed in me [which includes adopting and appointing his successor as son and heir]. His name [Mason's] must eventually be rehabilitated. A man who gave so much for the Faith and who was dearly loved by the Founding-Fathers ('Abdu'l-Baha & Shoghi Effendi) deserves something more than what has been heaped upon him in the past. I am dedicated to that end; not for myself, nor for the Faith, nor the Believers, but for Mason Remey. If you have any compassion for me, you should not want me to undergo the sufferings that would result as a consequence of what you ask. Faithfully, Joseph Pepe-Remey 9 May, 1992)”

The only WAY Mason's good name can be redeemed or "rehabilitated" as Pepe put it, is by it being WHOLLY and FULLY demonstrated that Mason is in fact the legal son—aghsan—of 'Abdu'l-Baha. And Pepe wanted this fact ACCEPTED by the MAJORITY of people.

In order to accomplish this goal, Pepe, eventually for a brief time, took a stand "in the spirit of the antagonist", not as the devil's advocate, but as Pepe himself wrote, as the "Devil Himself" in opposition. Then, having obtained the goal, after it was fully demonstrated that in fact Mason was the legal adopted son—aghsan—of 'Abdu'l-Baha, Pepe then supported and consented in his letters that it was true in the light of Mason being Aghsan, that in fact BOTH he and Mason were Aghsan, and all the rest could be put aside for the guardianship. Pepe furthermore told Doc to give him Doc's choice of who should be the successor and that Pepe would then go ahead and adopt and appoint that person that Doc recommended, and in the end this is exactly what happened.

These are the facts as they are in chronological order. Yet the opposers to this would rather ignore the truth, and they only cite the letters of "opposition" that Pepe wrote, which he did in order to draw out the truth from Dr. Jensen and Neal Chase whom Pepe adopted and appointed as his aghsan son and successor, in a highly visible and public manner, so it would be set down on a firm foundation once and for all time.

When Dr. Jensen published The Most Mighty Document in 1979, which gives the genealogy of Baha'u'llah back to King David and explains that in fact Mason is the legal and adopted son—aghsan—of 'Abdu'l-Baha, Pepe wrote to a believer in response:

"Did you not know that, in spite of my friendship and admiration for Leland Jensen, I have not given my consent to his insistence upon my being Guardian in the sense that he has put me forth. He has presented a very fascinating and most convincing statement [The Most Mighty Document] and I have spent long hours going over what he espouses in his document. Unfortunately, we are not all on the same level spiritually and therefore unable to see things in the same light that others see." (Pepe to a believer, 19 July 1979)

Here Pepe does not deny that he is the Guardian, but states, that he has "not given my consent" to be proclaimed as such. Later at the end of his life, Pepe makes very clear statements, that if the majority should accept Mason as both the spiritual and administrative head of the faith; Pepe would have no choice but to step forth as the successor. The majority, however, failed to support him within his lifetime, so we see that, Pepe left it to his only son and heir, his successor to the Guardianship "to undergo the sufferings that would result as a consequence" in coming forward to defend Mason, Pepe and himself as AGHSAN, wherein it is written in our Holy Writ: "Suffering in the path of God is a pleasure!"

The problem, therefore, for Pepe, was in raising up a true BODY of believers.

"It is so much more urgent for the Baha'i Faith today to achieve that UNITY which would permit a spiritually healthy and sound BODY of believers to come into play for what good is a HEAD without a functioning BODY? We have already seen during Mason's Guardianship how poorly that works." (Pepe to Dr. Jensen, 24 July 1975)

Had the MAJORITY demanded Pepe come forth as Guardian, as ONLY he and Mason were Aghsan (which Dr. Jensen explained) Pepe wrote that he most certainly would have come forward. But instead the majority failed the tests and would repeatedly fall away. Pepe writes:

“Already, many of those who accepted Dr. Jensen's claims originally, have abandoned him and even turned against him [i.e. failed the Test]. I have not done this, for I believe in his sincerity – right or wrong. So many phonies have come to visit Mason in Florence in the past and I saw through them right off. Dr. Opal and Dr. Jensen never impressed me as being insincere even though it is very difficult for myself (as it is for so many others) to reconcile what he puts forth with what we had learned of the Baha'i Faith previously." (Pepe to a believer, 19 July 1979)

THE GREAT STEP!

This is the same "difficulty" that Mason was confronted with, that the Aghsan lineage does in fact continue, through the legal adoption of Mason by 'Abdu'l-Baha. Mason writes that ALL the Baha'is will have to take what Mason called that great "step" in order to understand that although the line of the succession "by birth" of the Guardianship was broken it does in fact still continue "strictly to the divine plan of the Will and Testament" which can only be in this other way: AGHSAN by legal adoption. Mason writes in this vein in his appeals to the "Hands":

"We, the Hands of the Faith, must step over somewhere. We are at an impasse in the History of the Baha'i faith. The line of the succession by birth of the Guardianship is broken. Now the blank question before us is where and how shall we make the step. The Badahists say scrap the Guardianship entirely and let us get a new and different system of Baha'i Administration from that of the Will and Testament, something without a Guardian. Such is the solution we [Mason was not leaning this way, he uses the term "we" in order to identify himself with the people who have this problem and try to get them out of it, Pepe and Doc did this often as well, see SAQ "Rebukes addressed to the prophets” for more] are leaning toward now – the solution that the majority of us evidently favor. We must look at this matter ["The line of the succession by birth" having come to an end] just as it in reality is and begin "A New Baha'i Era".

"I think and I propose to you an entirely different solution, namely that we adhere strictly to the divine plan of the Will and Testament [which states the Guardian can ONLY BE an AGHSAN, see page 12] and its framework, built up around the Guardianship as its heart and its center – then by one move that will surely be accepted by the vast major part of the believers in the world make a systematic study and research into the letters, notes [such as the inscription Shoghi wrote on the packet of the hair and the blood to 'Abdu'l-Baha's 'dear son' Mason, and], manuscripts of the Beloved Guardian and considering the appointments that he made, all in the hope that we will in some way find a Guardian of the Faith, a Guardian by virtue of our right and duty to protect the Faith in the face of the present crisis.

"Thus by this one step [in which all of "the vast major part of the believers" could accept Mason as Aghsan the legally adopted son of 'Abdu'l-Baha] we will get the working of the Administration back again and functioning as it should be under the Guardianship. Then [Mason throws a bone to the materialists] in time to come let us hope that there will in time be descendants of the present AGSANS who will eventually prove to be worthy of their right by inheritance to be considered worthy of this high calling – of the Guardianship. Thus there may eventually be Guardians ["by birth", as he stated before] of the lineage of Baha'u'llah. (Mason Remey, Daily Observations, Vol. I, # 40, pp. 63, 64)

The "one move" or great "step" is for the majority of believers to accept Mason as Aghsan, whether this would pass back to the natural line or not, Mason or Pepe would have to adopt those cut off (for when they were cut off they were no longer aghsan), back in, in order to remain in strict adherence to the provisions of the sacred Will and Testament.

So when Dr. Jensen published The Most Mighty Document, this is what the people were rejecting, the legal adoption of Mason Remey by 'Abdu'l-Baha.

THE WISDOM OF THE APOSTLES

Like Mason, Pepe takes on the position of the people who are in error, in order to lead them out of error. Thus Pepe writes, taking the peoples burden ("the doubts and scruples of the people") onto himself, "it is very difficult for myself (as it is for so many others) to reconcile what he puts forth with what we had learned of the Baha'i Faith previously." This is the same teaching tool ("in the spirit of the antagonist"), that 'Abdu'l-Baha described that Peter used in the early days of the dispensation of Christ. 'Abdu'l-Baha explains:

THE WISDOM OF THE APOSTLES
From a Tablet of 'Abdu'l-Baha

"IN order to spread and teach the cause of God two of the Apostles went to the city of Antioch. No sooner had they arrived than they started to exhort and give counsel to the people. As the inhabitants of the city were totally uninformed of the divine principles they started to censure and arraign them, which finally ended in their persecution and torture and imprisonment. The details of these sad events did not reach the Disciples and thus the way of association and communication was entirely barred.

"But when Peter heard about it he started for that country without delay. Having entered the city he commenced in the beginning to associate and fraternize with the people until, little by little, he became the loving companion and comrade of the nobles and ministers. In a short space of time he became well known for his piety, godliness, virtue, explanations, knowledge, perfections and excellences of the world of humanity. Finally he became acquainted with the king of that country and consorted with him with joy and fragrance. When Peter saw that the king was relying upon him with the utmost confidence, trust and assurance, one night apropos of some question, he brought in the name of the Apostles. The king told him that some time ago two such ignorant and illiterate souls had entered his city and, having begun to deliver seditious speeches, he had ordered his officers to arrest them and put them under chains and fetters. His holiness Peter expressed a passing wish to meet them. The king commanded his attendants to bring them in to the audience chamber. According to the requirements of the place and time Peter appeared not to recognize them and then asked:

"'Who are you? Where do you come from?'

"They answered: 'We are the servants of his holiness the Spirit of God (Christ) and we come from Jerusalem.'

"Then he asked about his holiness, the Spirit: 'Who is he?'

"They said: 'He is the Promised One of the Bible and the Desired One of all the servants.'

"Afterward, in the spirit of the antagonist, he asked them the universal and particular questions and at every step contended with them. Often the very nature of the question gave them a clue as to how to answer.

''In short, one by one, he put the doubts and scruples of the people in the form of questions and they gave convincing answers. Now and then he would accept a number of their explanations, and anon, he would wave aside a set of others bringing forth counter propositions so that the audience might not find out that he also was one of them. In brief, several nights were spent in these interrogations and answers, now in refutation, again in acceptance, then in discussion and anon in controversial contention until all those who were present became fully informed of the fundamental principles of God and all their uncertainties were dispelled. Then, on the last evening he dramatically announced that truly all that (they had) heard conformed with reality; and everyone agreed with him. Then, and not until then everyone realized that this third person was the friend of the first two souls. For this reason it is revealed in the blessed verse: 'We have glorified them by the appearance of a third person.'

''This story illustrates the meaning of wisdom. Therefore the teacher must speak according to the acceptable standard of the place and the time so that his words may affect the hearts and the people may understand his address. Teaching the Cause of God in this manner will produce fruits. We must not remain stationary and silent. If the thousand-voiced nightingale does not break into musical trills and rapturous melodies it is like a mute sparrow. If the thrush of the rose garden of significances does not sing tuneful lays and sweet airs it is the speechless, wingless jaybird. If the dove of the garden of mysteries does not coo it is the raven of the wretched ash heap. If the peacock of the Paradise of immortality does not display its multicolored plumage it is the black raven of the desolate ruin of mortality. Consequently, if ye are of the birds of the gardens of sanctity flutter ye your wings and soar heavenward. If ye are of the nightingales of the Rizwan of the Lord of Lords then sing and warble His glorification. If ye are of the lovers of the countenance of the Almighty then raise your voices and demonstrate your sincerity. If ye are of the wooers of the face of the Beloved then cry and weep disconsolately, so that you may throw an earthquake into the pillars of the world, burn the hearts of mankind with the burning fire of God's conflagration, intoxicate and exhilarate all the lovers and yearning ones with the wine of glory and attain to the ultimate hope of the favored ones and the highest aspiration of the sincere ones."
('Abdu'l-Baha, The Wisdom of the Apostles, Star of the West, Vol. 13, pp. 180-181).

Thus this is the stand that Pepe took, as the conditions in the world so demanded, like that of Peter, in “controversial contention" until the truth of what Doc and Neal Chase were defending—Mason Remey IS an AGHSAN, the legally adopted son of 'Abdu'l-Baha—was accepted and confirmed publicly by Pepe himself! "For this reason it is revealed in the blessed verse: 'We have glorified them [Doc and Neal] by the appearance of a third person [Pepe].'” As Neal passed through this Test, at the encouragement of Pepe—for Pepe needed to know that the one he was to pick was loyal and trustworthy beyond a doubt—Pepe adopted and appointed him to continue on after his and Dr. Jensen's passing as the Guardian of the Cause of God, the only Aghsan alive in the world today, successor seated upon the throne of David.

In order to really understand what Pepe was saying or writing, therefore, as he was most certainly a believer in his own Guardianship and Mason and himself being Aghsan, ("Often the very nature of the question gave them a clue as to how to answer.") we can therefore discard the "spirit of the antagonist" from his letters to see that he was causing a scenario through which the truth would be drawn out. This is so all future generations would be so firmly educated to the truth as none could deviate or violate, as the people are to be so educated that this would not be able to occur.

The outcome is the acceptance of the truth by the majority. Thus many years after 1979, in 1990, we sent Pepe copies of the original language of the Will and Testament in Persian in which it is written in Persian by the pen of 'Abdu'l-Baha, that the Guardian should "choose another branch" which in Persian explicitly states "choose another AGHSAN". With this type of irrefutable fact, Pepe then from about September 1990 forward changed his public stand to that of acceptance of this as legal adoption—Mason as Aghsan—but still stated he wished for the majority to accept this as well.

Transcript of Phone Conversation between Pepe and a Believer
SEPTEMBER 4, 1990:
(Note: Personal names omitted for privacy)

"Pepe [said] that the one thing that got through to him in all the recent correspondence, was that Mason Remey would have liked what [was] presented about him being the Aghsan. Pepe [said] that if Mason was an Aghsan, so was he himself, and then naturally all the others could be put aside for the guardianship, mentioning Donald Harvey in this light. He said words to the effect that if Mason Remey was an Aghsan, so was he, and therefore he would of course be the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith….

"He said he would leave for Israel tomorrow if he knew for sure the Government of Israel would accept the adoption of Mason Remey… that if the Government of Israel accepted Mason Remey, he would have no other recourse than to accept his guardianship."
(Excerpt from Phone Transcript of Pepe, 4 September, 1990)

And again in July of 1991:

Excerpt from a Letter from Pepe to a Believer.
JULY 25, 1991:

(Note: Personal names omitted for privacy)

"Mason was confident that in time the masses of Believers would come to the conclusion that they NEEDED and WANTED a Guardian. Had they done so during his lifetime, I should not have objected to being his successor. Mason would have delighted in [the] conclusion regarding the Afnan and Aghsan branches and if it is true that Mason was, in fact, the adopted Aghsan son of 'Abdu'l-Baha, and if that fact were to be generally accepted, then I should not be able to refuse being his only possible successor.... The fact will always remain that IF THE BAHA'I FAITH MUST HAVE A GUARDIAN TO PROGRESS, then ONLY MASON REMEY COULD HAVE FULFILLED THAT ROLE, and Mason Remey intended me as his successor and named Donald on my prodding and he did so to pacify me and to placate my anxieties."
(Pepe, 25 July 1991)

This was the position Pepe took right up until the end:

Excerpt from a Letter from Pepe to a Believer.
MAY 9, 1992:

(Note: Personal names omitted for privacy)

"From what Mason told me about Shoghi Effendi's experience as Guardian and how it affected him…..plus what I experienced in the first person regarding what the Guardianship did to Mason, believe me, I wouldn't wish that role on my worst enemy.

"Nevertheless, if I were convinced that coming forth and taking a definite stand as Mason Remey's successor would result in peace and harmony amongst all the Baha'is, I should not hesitate one minute to do so…. Mason awaited the day when the masses of Baha'is (now termed sans-guardian Baha'is) would WANT a Guardian. Should the time come when those masses should turn to me, I could NOT refuse to fulfill the role, for not to do so would be a violation of the faith and trust that Mason Remey placed in me.... I am dedicated to that end."

(SIGNED)
Faithfully,
Joseph Pepe-Remey
(Pepe, 9 May 1992)

And again in 1994:

Excerpt from a Letter from Pepe to Dr. Leland Jensen.
JANUARY 18, 1994:

"If Mason had been recognized by the masses of believers as both spiritual and administrative head of the Faith then I would naturally have fallen in line as his successor. I have encouraged confused individuals to turn to Donald Harvey (as you pointed out).

I have never considered Donald the Spiritual Successor to Baha'u'llah."

(SIGNED)
Respectfully,
Pepe
(Pepe, 18 January 1994)

Thus Pepe believed and accepted only ONE successor who was BOTH the "spiritual and administrative head of the Faith." There is ONLY one Guardian, and here Pepe discounts Donald altogether, who he only asked Mason to prop up as a front, like Baha'u'llah that had the Bab "nominate" Yahya, in order to protect the true line. This is why, for those who do not know all things, the violators have easy targets to mislead the people, for they have a veritable slough of things they can manipulate and take out of context. That Pepe was the Guardian being the only Aghsan of Mason is a fact. That Mason himself knew he was Aghsan is also a fact, this is why he proclaimed himself as the "Hereditary Guardian", meaning he was the son of 'Abdu'l-Baha. This was the test and the STEP all who were to be saved were to take, the STEP of accepting that although the line of Aghsan, which Mason clearly stated BY BIRTH was broken, the line of AGHSAN BY ADOPTION continues through Mason.

He told me things he did not reveal to any other person

These letters show that both Mason and Pepe were clear on these things from the very beginning; and in keeping in alignment with the Plan of Baha'u'llah given to 'Abdu'l-Baha, took the positions they did in order for the people to figure this out on their own. We, as thinking people, have every right to hold to this stand, as we have many explicit statements of both Mason and Pepe to support this view on this which are more than perfectly demonstrated in many letters and Epistles, including the Book of the Covenant and the provisions of the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu'l-Baha itself.

Of course Our view on this is from the perspective of the believers who are firm in this Covenant of God and have passed successfully through the gauntlet of these tests – sheep to the right, goats to the left, so to speak – and cannot be of any other perspective, as we accept Mason, Pepe and Neal Chase all as the Aghsan and heirs to the throne of David and the Guardianship of the Baha'i faith. Thus we have an unadulterated and pure line of succession to the truth of the spirit of the essence of the Baha'i Cause that illuminates the reality for our eyes to see and ears to behold! But even if a person holds to the other perspective, that Pepe was not knowledgeable or was against himself and Mason being Aghsan, we can see that after he received the original translations of the Will from Persian in 1990 where 'Abdu'l-Baha writes on page 12 – "choose another Aghsan" – that Pepe was converted in his public stand on these things! No one can deny this! They can oppose it by quoting Pepe out of context, but they cannot deny that FACT that Pepe took his public stand on this in 1990 after receiving the translations from the Will. The very fact that Pepe did take his public stand on all this, however, betrays the fact that in reality he already knew the truth all along. And this is what he wrote:

"On the other hand, I must be honest and admit to you (as I have not done except in one other case) that when Mr. Remey took me into his confidence after Shoghi Effendi's death, he told me things he did not reveal to any other person and I knew all that he was doing about making his own Proclamation, etc. long before it was issued."
(Pepe to Dr. Jensen, 24 July 1975)

Thus Mason had shown Pepe the token of the hair and the blood and told him how he was the "Hereditary Guardian" being the son of 'Abdu'l-Baha. In 1985, Pepe shared this fact with only Dr. Jensen. Although Pepe admits in his letters to Neal that he feigned opposition in public, he continually urged Neal to "keep on opposing him" for he wanted this all flushed out in a public debate. And that is what he got. Now all people have the copies of the genuine letters of Pepe and know that this is the truth!

In his “Book of the Opening of the Seventh Seal”, Dr. Jensen explains:

"As they all wanted to be the next guardian and as Mason didn't adopt them as he did you, they figured that when Mason appointed them they were then all spiritual sons, as they figured Mason Remey was. Mason never called any of them "his son" or "my son". They borrowed the theology of the Covenant-breaking hands in which they state that when: 'Abdu'l-Baha called Mason Remey his son, this was only meant a spiritual son. Thus they failed the second test. I have already stated that 'Abdu'l-Baha never called Mason his son, but his Aghsan."
(Part III, Dec 7, 1989, p. 7)

Here Dr. Jensen explains that if Mason would have called any of the others "his son" or "my son" in quotations then this would have qualified as AGHSAN, for in quotations it can be translated back into Persian as AGHSAN. But Mason never did this with any of the others. No. Only with Pepe, did he do this; making Pepe his only adopted son and heir inheriting all things "tangible and intangible" which includes the Aghsan lineage. Thus there is none other after Mason who qualifies. By the Law of Primogeniture alone his only son and heir was Pepe.

Around the same time, Pepe received the copy of the original translation of the Will and Testament, in which it clearly states that the Guardian is AGHSAN, in Persian, on page 12. Pepe also wrote to Dr. Jensen that he was inspired after reading Part V of Doc's 'Book of the Opening the 7th Seal', that Doc should just choose someone and Pepe would fill out the correct adoption papers "conforming" to Doc's "requirements". Doc repeatedly stated these legal requirements throughout his letters and writings and in both The Most Mighty Document in 1979, (that Pepe called "a very fascinating and most convincing statement") and which Doc again re-stated to Pepe in Part III of 'Book of the Opening the 7th Seal' on Dec. 7, 1989, quoted above. Thus this shows that Pepe, in conformity to the Plan of God, was to adopt his successor in the same manner and style as that of the legal adoption of his father Mason Remey by 'Abdu'l-Baha. Pepe writes:

Excerpt from a Letter from Pepe to Dr. Leland Jensen.
MAY 13, 1990:

Dr. Leland Jensen:

"In reading over what you wrote on Page 20 of your letter referring to [the] Guardian of the Faith, the idea came to me that you might select one such person manifesting those qualities you deem worthy… Prepare the necessary adoption papers conforming to your requirements allowing me to adopt that person spiritually, thus passing on to him the AGHSAN lineage that you claim Mason Remey received from 'Abdu'l-Baha and I from Mason. What could be simpler?"
(Pepe, 13 May 1990)

Pepe then wrote after this that he wanted this type of adoption, as in the case of his father, Mason Remey, to be recognized by the MAJORITY of the people as not "spiritually" from 'Abdu'l-Baha but established in their minds as LEGAL. Pepe states: "he would leave for Israel tomorrow if he knew for sure the Government of Israel would accept the adoption of Mason Remey… that if the Government of Israel accepted Mason Remey, he would have no other recourse than to accept his guardianship." (Transcript, Pepe, 4 September, 1990). And again: "Mason was confident that in time the masses of Believers would come to the conclusion that they NEEDED and WANTED a Guardian. Had they done so during his lifetime, I should not have objected to being his successor. Mason would have delighted in [the] conclusion regarding the Afnan and Aghsan branches and if it is true that Mason was, in fact, the adopted Aghsan son of 'Abdu'l-Baha, and if that fact were to be generally accepted [that Mason was the legally adopted son of 'Abdu'l-Baha], then I should not be able to refuse being his only possible successor...." (Pepe, July 25, 1991) In this light, Pepe states: "Prepare the necessary adoption papers conforming to your requirements" showing that he was to adopt his successor in the same manner and style as that of the legal adoption of his father Mason Remey by 'Abdu'l-Baha, to reaffirm that Mason Remey had inherited the AGHSAN lineage from the Master, which Mason then passed on to Pepe who then passed this on only to Neal.

Pepe concludes this May 13th, 1990 letter to Doc by stating that he doesn't want these private letters of his published to everyone (again something else the violators have ignored by publishing all of Pepe's personal letters they can find in order to refute his guardianship and Neal's thus revealing their own disobedience as well as galvanizing the faith of the true believers even the more so) and that his "idea" about the successorship to the Guardianship that he writes to Doc in this same letter should remain private as: "this is something between us" (Pepe, 13 May 1990)

Sent through the revolving door and ended back in!

At this time God intervened and so motivated Pepe that he had no choice but to fulfill his obligation to Mason and choose the successor he was to adopt as his son and heir. This occurred in 1991. Pepe writes:

"I have told you already of my bout with pleurisy last January/February 1991 and a month hospitalized. Have been on medication since but my convalescence will be permanent for it was found I have a defective mitral heart valve and there is no possibility of a remedy unless I subject myself to a surgical operation which I absolutely refuse.

"Truth is I am both curious and anxious to learn what is on the other side of life and the people I have loved most during the past have already gone over to that side. People our age must face up to the reality that we are on our way out of life. Last year [1991] I thought it was the end for me but instead was sent through the revolving door and ended back in."
(Pepe to Dr. Jensen, 2-9-1992)

Test the people to see which one God has chosen!

This is why Pepe then began to Test the different people who were active in the faith at that time, to see which one would not waver in belief that Pepe was to choose to adopt and appoint to succeed him.

On May 2 of 1991, in his “Book of the Opening of the Seventh Seal”, Part VII, Doc announces to Pepe that in fact, out of all the different ones, he sees that God has chosen Neal through the fulfillment of prophecy. Many, many people can testify to this fact, as well as Doc's written word, that Doc had stated over and over again, that if it was up to him he would choose "Neal Chase" to be the next Guardian. And this is exactly what Pepe asked for, who Doc's choice would be. Thus by May 2, 1991, Doc had made this fact known to Pepe in his Epistles to Pepe and Pepe then went ahead with testing the various ones, of which only Neal Chase passed his Test and criteria of loyalty to the Lamb, and standing up to Pepe's sparing and deliberate oppositions publicly. So he wrote that it was not a "carrot" for Neal, meaning that he had passed his Test. He later apologized to both Neal and Dr. Jensen for being forced by the circumstances of the time to use the strong, vulgar or offensive language he sometimes used in his private and public letters to or about Doc and Neal. To Neal, Pepe concedes: "be surprised what beautiful spiritual expressions will be showered on you. It wasn't my nature to be vulgar." (Sept. 20, 1991); and again, to Dr. Jensen, Pepe apologizes: "Unfortunately, my Italian sentiments got the best of me and I allowed myself to get carried away in my retaliatory responses." (2-9-92) Thus showing that in the end God Almighty Alone is in control of His Kingdom and Creation!

Forced to do what he did!

Pepe was forced to do what he did as was Mason before him, and in the manner that he did it, in order to fulfill his role as the second Guardian of the Faith over the period of the Curse or Scattering. Pepe explains that like Mason, he was forced by the "circumstances of the time and place" as in the "Wisdom of the Apostles" explained by 'Abdu'l-Baha. Pepe writes:

"The conditions under which he [Mason] lived forced him to make the many steps he took and thus a great confusion [in the minds of those who failed the test] ensued as a result."
(Pepe to Dr. Jensen, 24 July 1975)

The same was true for Pepe.

“Dear Neal Chase: In spite of my many “harsh” words for you—which are “forced efforts” on my part to provoke you into “open conflict” – there has always remained some “carry over” of the initial “agreeability” of our first contact.” “Keep on opposing me... I like something about you.” (Pepe to Neal, 9/9/91 and 9/23/91)

The conditions under which Pepe lived, as he himself confesses, FORCED him to make the many steps he did, and this is why he adopted and appointed his successor to the guardianship in the manner and style that he did. For the goal always has been (really since the days of Baha'u'llah Himself) for God to raise up the true BODY of believers, that is, a true people who using their intellects will only go by the explicit provisions of the Covenant (in this case the Will and Testament on page 12 and NOTHING else—of which being an Aghsan is an essential requirement and prerequisite), and thus they alone pass the tests and are spiritual and pure in heart. Pepe writes:

"It is so much more urgent for the Baha'i Faith today to achieve that UNITY which would permit a spiritually healthy and sound BODY of believers to come into play for what good is a HEAD without a functioning BODY? We have already seen during Mason's Guardianship how poorly that works." (Pepe to Dr. Jensen, 24 July 1975)

Thus the Test is designed in such a way to bring this about! It is so important to bring this about, that it will be DONE no matter WHAT it takes: "Mason told me that the Guardian of the Faith must be respected and followed and upheld even if he becomes “gaga…..that was his own expression." (Pepe to Dr. Jensen, 24 July 1975)

In the end all the "phonies", as Pepe put it, voluntarily remove themselves from the faith. See how great God is! "Verily we wrong them not, but they wrong themselves!" (W&T, p. 9)

So in the end we can see that the goal was to raise up a true BODY of believers who would pass the test and see the truth with their own eyes. A BODY who would ONLY accept an AGHSAN as the HEAD. This was a rigorous Test orchestrated by the Guardians given to them by the explicit command of Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha. Baha'u'llah knew that 'Abdu'l-Baha's little baby boy, Husayn, had died in infancy, yet he named the Master to Continue the lineage as His successor and Center of His Covenant in the Kitab-i-Ahd, knowing the Master would have to adopt an American (a Gentile) to continue the line. This was in fulfillment of the Shiloh prophecy (see Gen. 49:10 KJV/RSV for more). 'Abdu'l-Baha thus adopted Mason and this is still the controversy, all the way until today: when a natural branch, by birth, of the same family of that of Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha (Jewish—not of those who broke the Covenant), has been grafted back into the line by Pepe, to be the promised third Guardian of the faith at the time of the Great Projection and world calamity such as this World War of Terror that the people are now embroiled within, since the 9-11.

Statement on Succession
By MASON REMEY AGHSAN,
Guardian

The traditional background of the Prophets of Israel is that of a special and family descent from earliest times and from which seed the Prophets and Manifestations of God were descended.

I, Mason Remey, feel… that the descent of the Guardianship can be brought back again into the line of descent from Baha’u’llah [a natural branch: Jewish]. This can be accomplished as soon as there may arise amongst those of this chosen descent one who will qualify [i.e. not of those that broke the Covenant]. All this can be attained in conformity with the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Baha.

Mason Remey AGHSAN, August 1964

Neal Chase is a natural branch - not of those that broke the Covenant - of the same family line of descent from Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha of that of the Exilarch Bostanai of the line that moved from Persia (Mazindaran/Tabaristan) up into Russia. Thus, in following the guidance of Mason, Pepe was looking for a natural branch - Jewish - that would pass through the Testing of Pepe that Pepe could then graft back in to the Throne-Line in the same manner and style as 'Abdu'l-Baha had adopted Mason repeated again at this time of the Great Catastrophe. "Perhaps, spiritually speaking, the Faith has completed a full cycle and is back on a new start!" (Pepe to Opal, 5/5/75)

Pepe told Doc, in writing on May 13, 1990, even as Jesse stood before the prophet Samuel, to tell him which one God had picked. This was in the heat of battle of the Test in 1990. God then shook Pepe up, taking him through the "revolving door" as Pepe put it in 1991, with a very severe near death experience. On May 2, 1991, in the final Part VII of the "Book of the Opening of the Seventh Seal" Doc proclaimed to Pepe in writing that the one who was fulfilling specific prophecies, was Neal Chase. By November 28, 1991, Neal Chase was adopted and appointed by Pepe as the Heir Apparent or as Doc put it in The Most Mighty Document, the “Crown Prince” of the Aghsan. Doc then published "The Law of Adoption" and reissued The Most Mighty Document in early 1992, and throughout the rest of his ministry, to reaffirm that this type or style of adoption like that of 'Abdu'l-Baha with Mason Remey, was legal and binding in both the East and the West upon all the people of all the world, as it was a Universal Principle, upheld, again, in both the East and the West. But the violators detract and deny and thus by their own misshapen design they remove themselves from the Kingdom and have nothing but supposition and confusion.

The bottom line is that someone has to be the Aghsan Guardian in every generation. And others are raised up to violate the Covenant and to oppose. In the end "SAY: All are his servants and all abide by his bidding!"

Those educated by Doc, who knew him and met him, and who then after have made a "shipwreck of their own faith" as Paul put it, will never come back under the provisions of the Covenant in this world or the next, as their egos are just too big and their pride is too great for them to ever admit that they were wrong and that it was them who made the mistake. Thus unrepentant, vulgar and vile, they stubbornly remain in their sins and refuse to turn to God for either forgiveness or redemption. That is their sin, pride before God, an ego so big, that they keep themselves out forever, and a day.

But that is no concern of ours. It is between them and God. No one is depriving them but their own selves. At any and every time while they are still on earth up until their deathbeds they can repent and come back in. But, incredibly, they choose not to! This is of what Baha'u'llah wrote: "A Mysterious Grievous Affliction!"

So Pepe fulfilled his role, and he went along with the choice of Doc that Pepe asked for in 1990, and was so motivated by God in 1991 for all this to come about over one decade ago in accordance with the provisions and strict adherence to every single clause of the sacred Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha. Yet do the jealous and the lost still persist in the error of their own making; while the righteous are guided to everlasting streams of the cool crystal pure waters of life free of price! "God guides whom He wills and misleads whom He wills"; He both separates and unites!

Many are Called Few are Chosen!

‘Abdu'l-Baha explains that Many are Called but few are chosen! He explains that ANYONE that says the pure prayer: “God where are you?” will be brought to God and the knowledge of this Cause. But the choosing takes place when that person chooses for themselves to accept the truth. At the moment they choose and say “YES!” to God and accept the Covenant that is when they are then CHOSEN, that is they pass through the test and reunite with God to know and love God with all their heart and all their mind and all their soul. Nothing more than this is fulfilling to the true believer.

We need two things to accept the truth, an intellect to recognize what is true and a heart pure to accept that truth into our soul. Few people are able to achieve both in this lifetime and this is why the majority rejected Jesus for example during his lifetime about 2000 years ago.

God has given us criteria so that we can recognize the truth. This criteria is both in the greater and lesser Covenant of God. The greater Covenant is the fulfillment of prophecy by prophesied name, date and address and mission, The lesser Covenant is by appointment from one successor to another.

The Current Guardian of the Baha'i faith fulfills both criteria in both the Greater and lesser Covenant of God so that there could be no doubting the veracity of the Covenant in the mind of the True Believer who loves to know!

This is why all are so happy today in the Kingdom in the Revelation of Baha'u'llah.

Having been educated by Dr. Jensen, the great educator and establisher of the Baha'i faith, there is no room for doubt or error when it comes to understanding the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu'l-Baha and the succession of the guardians of the Baha'i Faith seated upon the throne of David that shall never end!

AN ADOPTED SON HAS ALL THE RIGHTS AND PREROGATIVES OF A NATURAL SON

Doc has written about this is his important Book, which everyone who wishes to be firm in the Covenant MUST read, in its entirety, entitled “The Most Mighty Document”. He writes:

AN ADOPTED SON
HAS ALL THE RIGHTS AND PREROGATIVES
OF A NATURAL SON

The Christians accept the authority of the Messiahship of Jesus; he qualifies by the genealogy of Jesus back to David through Joseph. But because of the virgin birth they state that Jesus was the adopted son of Joseph with all the rights of a natural son, although there is no recording of a legal adoption in the scriptures nor in the archives. They claim that by Joseph taking Jesus as his son that this is all that is required to prove adoption; and that an adopted son has all the rights and privileges of a natural son, even the Kingship or Messiahship. Thus the Bible gives the genealogy of Jesus back to David through Joseph to prove his eligibility to be the Promised Messiah, for the Messiah must be a descendant of David through the male line of descent. All the kings of Israel descended from David through a male descendant (no queen ever sat upon the throne).
(Dr. Leland Jensen, ‘The Most Mighty Document' (TMMD), p. ii).

THE DAVIDIC LINE OF DESCENT FROM BAHA'U'LLAH


THE DAVIDIC LINE OF DESCENT FROM BAHA'U'LLAH

In the Book of His Covenant and in the Aqdas, Baha'u'llah appoints His eldest son ‘Abdu'l-Baha, The Most Great Branch, to succeed Himself upon the Throne of David (Baha'i World Faith, p. 209). ‘Abdu'l-Baha's son, Husayn, died in infancy so Baha'u'llah appointed ‘Abdu'l-Baha's brother, Muhammad Ali, the lesser Branch, to succeed ‘Abdu'l-Baha. But Muhammad Ali broke the Covenant of Baha'u'llah, so at the same time that ‘Abdu'l-Baha cut this Branch off the Davidic tree, He adopted Mason Remey to be “His son” in the same manner that the Christians state that Joseph adopted Jesus to be his son, grafting this Branch to the Davidic tree. He called Mason Remey “Aghsan”—my son—almost every time that he addressed him. These are found in many Tablets addressed to Mason Remey recorded in the “Star of the West” Magazine. He is the only person in this world that he referred to as Aghsan, my son, grafting him into the Davidic tree (“O My Dear Son!”, ‘Star of the West' p.144 Vol. X. “O thou enlightened and beloved son!”, ‘Star of the West' p. 229 Vol. XI). ‘Abdu'l-Baha didn't speak English. The way you say “my son” in Persian is “Aghsan”. In ‘Abdu'l-Baha's ‘Last Tablet to America' He states: “Consider! The Divine Gardener cuts off the dry or weak branch from the good tree and grafts to it a branch from another tree. He both separates and unites” (Baha'i World Faith, p. 438). Not only did the Christians uphold the adoption principle for the Messiahship as in the Joseph-Jesus instance, but ‘Abdu'l-Baha upheld it in His Last Tablet to America; this principle has been upheld all the way back into antiquity and all the way down to our present times by peoples, kindreds and governments. It is a universal principle. (The Most Mighty Document (TMMD), p. iii)

THE LAW OF ADOPTION


THE LAW OF ADOPTION

When ‘Abdu'l-Baha adopted Mason Remey to succeed him to the throne of David as his son, this was legal and binding. According to the laws of the Ottoman Empire of the Middle East that ruled over Palestine before it became the state of Israel, a legal adoption occurred when a man called another his son. Then the British Mandate of the West which succeeded the Ottoman Empire retained the adoption laws of the Ottoman Empire as legal and binding under their rule. Then, for the Israeli government, the law for adoption remained the same. If a man calls another his son and leaves him a token to show inheritance (whether it be a stick or a stone or something), then the adoption is legal and binding. When ‘Abdu'l-Baha proclaimed that Mason was his son (privately, publicly and in letters published in Star of the West Magazine), these were not “vague terms of affection but expressed the precise legal relationship which had been created between them.” Here is cited the law of adoption in the Middle East (from Ottoman times to the present) upheld by the British Mandate of the West and the Israeli Supreme Court on June 22, 1960, long after ‘Abdu'l-Baha adopted Mason to be his son and heir.

“This idea of equating adopted children with natural children in matters of succession is well expressed in a responsum of Rabbi Jacob Emden which the learned Judge cited in another decision, In re: Succession of the late Yoseph Blum deceased (4) (at pp. 161), as follows: “If he rears the child for the glory of God the child is certainly to be regarded as his child and not only in lineage, but even where the child had parents and is being brought up by the stranger as a meritorious act, if the latter has no children [‘Abdu'l-Baha had no living natural sons] and is bringing up the child to be his son and to succeed him and they address each other as father and son” (response of Yavetz, Part I, section 168). So also with the deceased in the present case: He reared the child as his daughter to succeed him, and she called him “father” and he called her “daughter.” These were not vague terms of affection but expressed the precise legal relationship which had been created between them – at any rate with respect to the matter of succession.”
(Selected Judgments from the Israeli Supreme Court,
Vol. III, pp. 426-7.)

This was usually confirmed by some token such as a stick or a stone, or something, to make it definite that it was meant that it was a legal adoption. This is called institutive evidence.

“Institutive evidence is that which is created or adopted as a memorial of a fact and for the purpose of being evidence of the fact. The stone set up for a boundary; the giving of a clod of earth or a twig in livery of seizing as evidence or the transfer of the title [etc]....” (Sagebeer, The Bible in Court, p. 104.)

“The Master gave Mr. Remey what no one else ever received – relics of the Blood and Hair of Baha'u'llah; in the East this act symbolizes Mr. Remey's adoption as a Son by ‘Abdu'l-Baha and his becoming a member of the Holy Family.”
(Questions and Answers about Charles Mason Remey and the Baha'i Faith, by F.C. Spataro.)

Shoghi Effendi recognized ‘Abdu'l-Baha's adoption of Mason as true and legal. Immediately after the death of ‘Abdu'l-Baha, Shoghi Effendi called Mason to the Holy land in February and March of 1922 giving to him a “package of ‘Abdu'l-Baha's most sacred possession,” which was left to Shoghi Effendi, as the executor of ‘Abdu'l-Baha's Will to deliver to Mason Remey as his inheritance: “locks of Baha'u'llah's hair” (which represents the headship of the International Baha'i Council/Universal House of Justice) and “drops of his coagulated blood” (which represents the bloodline of David and Baha'u'llah). On the outside of the package Shoghi Effendi addressed it to ‘Abdu'l-Baha's “dear son” whom he later appointed to the headship of the IBC/UHJ. The hair and blood are the tokens of inheritance. ‘Abdu'l-Baha's most prized possession shows the evidence of the legal adoption passed on from father to son – ‘Abdu'l-Baha to Mason. This type of evidence of a token is called “institutive evidence.”
(The Most Mighty Document (TMMD), p. iv)

CONCLUSION

Passing the Test of God is as easy as falling off a log! God has provided the proofs and evidence for His Cause for any one that is pure of heart to be able to recognize and see for themselves. We have provided this and many other websites and articles to help educate the people. In this document we have addressed the issue of tests in the line of successorship. In many other articles we have addressed the Medicine for this sick world, that will bring a war torn humanity out of catastrophe and nuclear holocaust and back into this earth transformed into an everlasting paradise of the spiritual qualities and attributes of Man RE-Created in the spiritual Image of God – heaven on earth for all the peoples of the world!

“And they will sit every man with his neighbor under the vine and under the fig tree!”

Please enjoy the rest of the wonderful article on this website or visit one of the our many Baha'i Centers throughout the world and feel free to contact us at anytime if we can be of any other further assistance to you, day or night.

May the Glory of Glories be upon you!

Salutations!!

O compassionate God! Thanks be to Thee for Thou hast awakened and made me conscious. Thou hast given me a seeing eye and favored me with a hearing ear, hast led me to Thy kingdom and guided me to Thy path. Thou hast shown me the right way and caused me to enter the ark of deliverance. O God! Keep me steadfast and make me firm and staunch. Protect me from violent tests, and preserve and shelter me in the strongly fortified fortress of Thy Covenant and Testament. Thou art the Powerful. Thou art the Seeing. Thou art the Hearing.

O Thou the Compassionate God. Bestow upon me a heart which, like unto a glass, may be illumined with the light of Thy love, and confer upon me thoughts which may change this world into a rose garden through the outpourings of heavenly grace.

Thou art the Compassionate, the Merciful. Thou art the Great Beneficent God.

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