Paris Talks: Addresses Given by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Paris in 1911-1912 (Wilmette, IL, USA: Bahá’í Publishing, 2006);
From 1910 to 1913 Abdu’l-Bahá, set out on historic journeys to the European and North American continents to bring the teachings of Bahá’u’láh to populations there. When he stayed in Paris he held interviews and gave lectures/speeches at the invitation of many groups and Church leaders of the day. These are a compilation of the talks and interviews He gave during his stay.
The Two Kinds of Light – page 68, Paris Talks
November 5th
Today the weather is gloomy and dull! In the East there is continual sunshine, the stars arenever veiled, and there are very few clouds. Light always rises in the East and sends forth its radiance into the West. There are two kinds of light. There is the visible light of the sun, by whose aid we can discern the beauties of the world around us—without this we could see nothing. Nevertheless, though it is the function of this light to make things visible to us, it cannot give us the power to see them or to understand what their various charms may be, for this light has no intelligence, no consciousness. It is the light of the intellect which gives us knowledge and understanding, and without this light the physical eyes would be useless. This light of the intellect is the highest light that exists, for it is born of the Light Divine. The light of the intellect enables us to understand and realize all that exists, but it is only the Divine Light that can give us sight for the invisible things, and which enables us to see truths that will only be visible to the world thousands of years hence. It was the Divine Light which enabled the prophets to see two thousand years in advance what was going to take place and today we see the realization of their vision. Thus it is this Light which we must strive to seek, for it is greater than any other. It was by this Light that Moses was enabled to see and comprehend the Divine Appearance, and to hear the Heavenly Voice which spoke to Him from the Burning Bush. It is of this Light Muḥammad is speaking when He says, “Alláh is the light of the Heavens, and of the Earth.” Seek with all your hearts this Heavenly Light, so that you may be enabled to understand the realities, that you may know the secret things of God, that the hidden ways may be made plain before your eyes. This light may be likened unto a mirror, and as a mirror reflects all that is before it, so this Light shows to the eyes of our spirits all that exists in God’s Kingdom and causes the realities of things to be made visible. By the help of this effulgent Light all the spiritual interpretation of the Holy Writings has been made plain, the hidden things of God’s Universe have become manifest, and we have been enabled to comprehend the Divine purposes for man. I pray that God in His mercy may illumine your hearts and souls with His glorious Light, then shall each one of you shine as a radiant star in the dark places of the world.
Abdu’l-Bahá in Paris - (archives of the United States Baha’is; Baha’i Encyclopedia Project)