Шоги Эффенди : Вершение судьбы [бахаи : russian : bahairesearch.com]

|BUNFOLDING_DESTINY|N0|P0
{
UNFOLDING DESTINY
(U.K., 1981)
|P1

"...this community can do no better than to gird up afresh its

loins, turn its back upon the clamour of the age, its fears, confusion

and strife, step resolutely forward on its chosen path, unshakably

confident that with every step it takes, should it remain undeflected

in its purpose and undimmed in its vision, a fresh outpouring of

Divine grace will reinforce and guide its march on the highroad

of its destiny."
|P2
Shoghi
[\Pv]
|P3

"...The annals of the British Bahá'í community, small in numbers, yet

unconquerable in spirit, tenacious in belief, undeviating in purpose, alert

and vigilant in the discharge of its manifold duties and responsibilities,

have in consequence of its epoch-making achievements been vastly

enriched.
|P4

"The process set in motion and greatly accelerated through the

successive formulation of the Six Year Plan, the Two Year Plan and the

Ten Year Plan, must continue unabated and unimpaired. Nay with

every passing day it must gather momentum. Every individual believer

must, henceforth, encouraged and inspired by all that has already been

achieved, contribute to its future and speedy unfoldment.

|P5

"That the entire community may befittingly respond to the call of the

present hour and bring to a final consummation the Mission with which

it has been entrusted is the deepest yearning of my heart and the object of

{Printed also in "Bahá'í Administration". (See para. 3, page xvii.)}

|P1
Dear Fellow-workers in the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh,
|P2

It is with words of regret and disappointment that I desire to open

this letter because of my inability, in view of my manifold and pressing

duties, to respond individually and in writing to the many messages of

love and sympathy and of hope that you have so affectionately sent me

since our Beloved's passing from this World. I am sure I am voicing

the sentiments of the bereaved ladies of the Household when I say that

however desirous we may be to correspond separately with every one

of you, the grave responsibilities and manifold duties now devolved

upon us make it regrettably impossible to express in written messages

to every friend what we constantly feel in our hearts, and pray for

when visiting His sacred Shrine.
|P3

At this grave and momentous period through which the Cause of

God in conformity with the Divine Wisdom is passing, it is the sacred

duty of every one of us to endeavour to realise the full significance of

this Hour of Transition, and then to make a supreme resolve to arise

steadfastly for the fulfilment of our sacred obligations.

|P4

Great as is the love and paternal care which our beloved Master is

extending to us from on High, and unique as is the Spirit that

animates today His servants in the world, yet a great deal will depend

upon the character and efforts of His loved ones on whom now rests the

responsibility of carrying on His work gloriously after Him. How

great is the need at this moment when the promised outpourings of His

grace are ready to be extended to every soul, for us all to form a broad

vision of the mission of the Cause to mankind, and to do all in our

power to spread it throughout the world. The eyes of the world, now

that the sublime Personality of the Master has been removed from this

visible plane, are turned with eager anticipation to us who are named

after His name, and on whom rests primarily the responsibility to keep

burning the torch that He has lit in this world. How keenly I feel at

this challenging hour in the history of the Cause the need for a firm

and definite determination to subordinate all our personal likings, our

local interests, to the interests and requirements of the Cause of God!

Now is the time to set aside, nay, to forget altogether, minor

considerations regarding our internal relationships, and to present a

solid united front to the world animated by no other desire but to serve

and propagate His Cause.
[\P4]
|P5

It is my firm conviction which I now express with all sincerity and

candour, that the dignity and unity of the Cause urgently demands--

particularly throughout the American continent--that the friends

should in their words and conduct emphasise and give absolute

prominence to the constructive dynamic principles of Bahá'u'lláh,

rather than attach undue importance to His negative Teachings. With

hearts cleansed from the least trace of suspicion and filled with hope

and faith in what the spirit of love can achieve, we must one and all

endeavour at this moment to forget past impressions, and with absolute

goodwill and genuine co-operation unite in deepening and diffusing

the spirit of love and service that the Cause has thus far so remarkably

shown to the world. To this attitude of goodwill, of forebearance and

genuine kindness to all, must be added, however, constant but

unprovocative vigilance, lest unrestricted association with the peoples

of the world should enable the very few who have been definitely

pronounced by the Master as injurious to the body of the Cause, to

make a breach in the Movement. Not until, however, an unmistakable

evidence should appear, manifestly revealing the evil motives of a

certain individual or groups of individuals, is it advisable to make the

matter public; for an untimely declaration that shall give rise to open

differences among the friends is far more detrimental than forbearing

still further with those who are suspected of evil intentions. As the

Master so fully and consistently did throughout His lifetime, we must

all make a supreme effort to pour out a genuine spirit of kindness and

hopeful love to peoples of various creeds and classes, and must abstain

from all provocative language that may impede the effect of what true

and continued kindness can produce.
|P6

Does not `Abdu'l-Bahá wish us, as He looks down upon us with

loving expectation from His glorious Station, to obliterate as much as

possible all traces of censure, of conflicting discussions, of cooling

remarks, of petty unnecessary observations that impede the onward

march of the Cause, that damp the zeal of the firm believer and detract

from the sublimity of the Bahá'í Cause in the eyes of the inquirer? In

order, however, to insure fair and quick and vigorous action whenever

such an evil activity is revealed and has been carefully ascertained, the

best and only means would appear to be, for the careful observer, once

he is assured of such an evil action, and has grown hopeless of the

attitude of kindness and forbearance, to report it quietly to the Spiritual

Assembly representative of the friends in that locality and submit the

case to their earnest and full consideration. Should the majority of the

[\P5]

members of that Assembly be conscientiously convinced of the case--

and this being a national issue affecting the body of the friends in

America--it should, only through the intermediary of that Assembly,

be cautiously communicated to that greater body representing all the

Assemblies in America, which will in its turn obtain all the available

data from the local Assembly in question, study carefully the situation

and reserve for itself the ultimate decision. It may, if it decides so, refer

to the Holy Land for further consideration and consultation.

|P7

This clearly places heavy responsibilities on the local as well as

national Assemblies, which in the course of time will evolve, with the

Master's power and guidance, into the local and national Houses of

Justice. Hence the vital necessity of having a local Spiritual Assembly

in every locality where the number of adult declared believers exceeds

nine, and of making provision for the indirect election of a Body that

shall adequately represent the interests of all the friends and Assemblies

throughout the American Continent.
|P8

A perusal of some of the words of Bahá'u'lláh and `Abdu'l-Bahá on

the duties and functions of the Spiritual Assemblies in every land

(later to be designated as the local Houses of Justice), emphatically

reveals the sacredness of their nature, the wide scope of their activity,

and the grave responsibility which rests upon them.

|P9

Addressing the members of the Spiritual Assembly in Chicago, the

Master reveals the following:--"Whenever ye enter the council-chamber,

recite this prayer with a heart throbbing with the love of God

and a tongue purified from all but His remembrance, that the All-powerful

may graciously aid you to achieve supreme victory:--`O

God, my God! We are servants of Thine that have turned with

devotion to Thy Holy Face, that have detached ourselves from all

beside Thee in this glorious Day. We have gathered in this spiritual

assembly, united in our views and thoughts, with our purposes

harmonised to exalt Thy Word amidst mankind. O Lord, our God!

Make us the signs of Thy Divine Guidance, the Standards of Thy

exalted Faith amongst men, servants to Thy mighty Covenant. O

Thou our Lord Most High! Manifestations of Thy Divine Unity in

Thine Abhá Kingdom, and resplendent stars shining upon all regions.

Lord! Aid us to become seas surging with the billows of Thy wondrous

Grace, streams flowing from Thy all-glorious Heights, goodly fruits

upon the Tree of Thy heavenly Cause, trees waving through the

breezes of Thy Bounty in Thy celestial Vineyard. O God! Make our

souls dependent upon the Verses of Thy Divine Unity, our hearts

[\P6]

cheered with the outpourings of Thy Grace, that we may unite even

as the waves of one sea and become merged together as the rays of

Thine effulgent Light; that our thoughts, our views, our feelings may

become as one reality, manifesting the spirit of union throughout the

world. Thou art the Gracious, the Bountiful, the Bestower, the

Almighty, the Merciful, the Compassionate.'"
|P10

In the Most Holy Book is revealed:--"The Lord hath ordained

that in every city a House of Justice be established wherein shall gather

counsellors to the number of Baha, and should it exceed this number

it does not matter. It behoveth them to be the trusted ones of the

Merciful among men and to regard themselves as the guardians

appointed of God for all that dwell on earth. It is incumbent upon

them to take counsel together and to have regard for the interests of the

servants of God, for His sake, even as they regard their own interests,

and to choose that which is meet and seemly. Thus hath the Lord your

God commanded you. Beware lest ye put away that which is clearly

revealed in His Tablet. Fear God, O ye that perceive."

|P11

Furthermore, `Abdu'l-Bahá reveals the following:--"It is

incumbent upon every one not to take any step without consulting the

Spiritual Assembly, and they must assuredly obey with heart and soul

its bidding and be submissive unto it, that things may be properly

ordered and well arranged. Otherwise every person will act

independently and after his own judgment, will follow his own desire,

and do harm to the Cause."
|P12

"The prime requisites for them that take counsel together are purity

of motive, radiance of spirit, detachment from all else save God,

attraction to His Divine Fragrances, humility and lowliness amongst

His loved ones, patience and long-suffering in difficulties and servitude

to His exalted Threshold. Should they be graciously aided to acquire

these attributes, victory from the unseen Kingdom of Bahá shall be

vouchsafed to them. In this day, assemblies of consultation are of the

greatest importance and a vital necessity. Obedience unto them is

essential and obligatory. The members thereof must take counsel

together in such wise that no occasion for ill-feeling or discord may

arise. This can be attained when every member expresseth with

absolute freedom his own opinion and setteth forth his argument.

Should any one oppose, he must on no account feel hurt for not until

matters are fully discussed can the right way be revealed. The shining

spark of truth cometh forth only after the clash of differing opinions.

If after discussion, a decision be carried unanimously well and good;

[\P7]

but if, the Lord forbid, differences of opinion should arise, a majority

of voices must prevail."
|P13

Enumerating the obligations incumbent upon the members of

consulting councils, the Beloved reveals the following:--"The first

condition is absolute love and harmony amongst the members of the

assembly. They must be wholly free from estrangement and must

manifest in themselves the Unity of God, for they are the waves of one

sea, the drops of one river, the stars of one heaven, the rays of one sun,

the trees of one orchard, the flowers of one garden. Should harmony of

thought and absolute unity be non-existent, that gathering shall be

dispersed and that assembly be brought to naught. The second

condition:--They must when coming together turn their faces to the

Kingdom on High and ask aid from the Realm of Glory. They must

then proceed with the utmost devotion, courtesy, dignity, care and

moderation to express their views. They must in every matter search

out the truth and not insist upon their own opinion, for stubbornness

and persistence in one's views will lead ultimately to discord and

wrangling and the truth will remain hidden. The honoured members

must with all freedom express their own thoughts, and it is in no wise

permissible for one to belittle the thought of another, nay, he must with

moderation set forth the truth, and should differences of opinion arise

a majority of voices must prevail, and all must obey and submit to the

majority. It is again not permitted that any one of the honoured

members object to or censure, whether in or out of the meeting, any

decision arrived at previously, though that decision be not right, for

such criticism would prevent any decision from being enforced. In

short, whatsoever thing is arranged in harmony and with love and

purity of motive, its result is light, and should the least trace of

estrangement prevail the result shall be darkness upon darkness.... If

this be so regarded, that Assembly shall be of God, but otherwise it

shall lead to coolness and alienation that proceed from the Evil One.

Discussions must all be confined to spiritual matters that pertain to the

training of souls, the instruction of children, the relief of the poor, the

help of the feeble throughout all classes in the world, kindness to all

peoples, the diffusion of the fragrances of God and the exaltation of

His Holy Word. Should they endeavour to fulfil these conditions the

Grace of the Holy Spirit shall be vouchsafed unto them, and that

assembly shall become the centre of the Divine blessings, the hosts of

Divine confirmation shall come to their aid, and they shall day by day

receive a new effusion of Spirit."
[\P8]
|P14

So great is the importance and so supreme is the authority of these

assemblies that once `Abdu'l-Bahá after having Himself and in His

own handwriting corrected the translation made into Arabic of the

Ishraqat (the Effulgences) by Shaykh Faraj, a Kurdish friend from

Cairo, directed him in a Tablet to submit the above-named translation

to the Spiritual Assembly of Cairo, that he may seek from them before

publication their approval and consent. These are His very words in

that Tablet:--"His honour, Shaykh Faraju'llah, has here rendered

into Arabic with greatest care the Ishraqat and yet I have told him that

he must submit his version to the Spiritual Assembly of Egypt, and I

have conditioned its publication upon the approval of the above-named

Assembly. This is so that things may be arranged in an orderly

manner, for should it not be so any one may translate a certain Tablet

and print and circulate it on his own account. Even a non-believer

might undertake such work, and thus cause confusion and disorder. If

it be conditioned, however, upon the approval of the Spiritual

Assembly, a translation prepared, printed and circulated by a non-believer

will have no recognition whatever."
|P15

This is indeed a clear indication of the Master's express desire that

nothing whatever should be given to the public by any individual

among the friends, unless fully considered and approved by the

Spiritual Assembly in his locality; and if this (as is undoubtedly the

case) is a matter that pertains to the general interest of the Cause in

that land, then it is incumbent upon the Spiritual Assembly to submit

it to the consideration and approval of the national body representing

all the various local assemblies. Not only with regard to publication,

but all matters without any exception whatsoever, regarding the

interests of the Cause in that locality, individually or collectively,

should be referred exclusively to the Spiritual Assembly in that

locality, which shall decide upon it, unless it be a matter of national

interest, in which case it shall be referred to the national body. With

this national body also will rest the decision whether a given question

is of local or national interest. (By national affairs is not meant matters

that are political in their character, for the friends of God the world

over are strictly forbidden to meddle with political affairs in any way

whatever, but rather things that affect the spiritual activities of the

body of the friends in that land).
|P16

Full harmony, however, as well as co-operation among the various

local assemblies and the members themselves, and particularly between

each assembly and the national body, is of the utmost importance, for

upon it depends the unity of the Cause of God, the solidarity of the

[\P9]

friends, the full, speedy and efficient working of the spiritual activities

of His loved ones.
|P17

Large issues in such spiritual activities that affect the Cause in

general in that land, such as the management of the "Star of the West"

and any periodical which the National Body may decide to be a Baha'i

organ, the matter of publication, or reprinting Bahá'í literature and its

distribution among the various assemblies, the means whereby the

teaching campaign may be stimulated and maintained, the work of

the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, the racial question in relation to the Cause,

the matter of receiving Orientals and associating with them, the care

and maintenance of the precious film exhibiting a phase of the Master's

sojourn in the United States of America as well as the original matrix

and the records of His voice, and various other national spiritual

activities, far from being under the exclusive jurisdiction of any local

assembly or group of friends, must each be minutely and fully directed

by a special board, elected by the National Body, constituted as a

committee thereof, responsible to it and upon which the National Body

shall exercise constant and general supervision.
|P18

The time is indeed ripe for the manifold activities, wherein the

servants and handmaidens of Bahá'u'lláh are so devoutly and earnestly

engaged, to be harmonised and conducted with unity, co-operation and

efficiency, that the effect of such a combined and systematised effort,

through which an All-powerful Spirit is steadily pouring, may

transcend every other achievement of the past, however glorious it has

been, and may stand, now that, to the eyes of the outside world the

glorious Person of the Master is no more, a convincing testimony of

the potency of His everliving Spirit.
|P19
Your brother and co-worker in His Cause,
Shoghi
|N2|P0
16 December 1922
|P1

To my spiritual brethren and sisters in Great Britain.

Care of the members of the Spiritual Council.+F1

{Dr. Esselmont+ and E. T. Hall+ were "chosen" to represent Bournemouth

and Manchester respectively and they met with seven others representing

"The London Groups" to form the first "All-England Bahá'í Council" which

met at the London home of Mrs. Thornburgh-Cropper+ 6 June, 1922. Mr. G.

P. Simpson+ was elected Chairman.}
|P2

My dearest brethren and sisters in the faith of God!

|P3

May I at the very outset of this, my very first letter to you, convey

[\P10]

to your hearts in words, however inadequate but assuredly deeply felt

and sincere, a measure of my burning impatience, during my days of

retirement, to return speedily and join hands with you in the great

work of consolidation that awaits every earnest believer in the Cause

of Bahá'u'lláh.
|P4

Now that happily I feel myself restored to a position where I can

take up with continuity and vigour the threads of my manifold duties,

the bitterness of every disappointment felt, time and again, in the

course of the past weary months at my feeling of unpreparedness, have

been merged in the sweetness of the present hour, when I realise that

spiritually and bodily I am better equipped to shoulder the responsibilities

of the Cause. The thought, so often comforting and

sustaining, that in the counsels of my British co-workers of that land,

I shall find spontaneous and undiminished support as well as wise and

experienced assistance, is surely one of those forces which will hearten

me in the midst of my future labours for the Cause.

|P5

That in every one of you our departed Master reposed His future

and truest hopes for an able and convincing presentation of the Cause

to the outside world, is abundantly revealed in His spoken and written

words to you, as well as in His general references to the spirit of

sincerity, of tenacity and devotion that animates His friends of that

land.
|P6

The fierce tests that have raged over that island in the past; the calm

and determination with which they have been so bravely faced and

surmounted; the seeds of loving fellowship that the Beloved in person

has more than once scattered in its soil; the rise, as its result, of a few

but indeed capable, reliable, devoted and experienced followers and

admirers of the Cause; the splendid and in many instances unique

opportunities that are yours--these indeed are cherished thoughts for

a land that illumines its past and should cheer its future.

|P7

I need hardly tell you how grateful and gratified I felt when I heard

the news of the actual formation of a National Council whose main

object is to guide, co-ordinate and harmonise the various activities of

the friends, and when I learned of its satisfactory composition, its

harmonious procedure and the splendid work it is achieving.

|P8

My earnest prayer is that the blessing of the Almighty may rest

upon all its deliberations, that it may be divinely guided, inspired in

its work, may smooth speedily and definitely all differences that may

arise, may promote the all-important work of Teaching, may widen

the sphere of its correspondence and exchange of news with the distant

[\P11]

parts of the Bahá'í world, may secure through its publications a

dignified and proper presentation of the Cause to the enlightened

public, and may in every other respect prove itself capable of distinct

and worthy achievements.
|P9

With abiding affection and renewed vigour I shall now await the

joyful tidings of the progress of the Cause and the extension of your

activities, and will spare no effort in sharing with the faithful, here and

in other lands, the welcome news of the progressive march of the Cause

and the unceasing labours of our British friends for the Cause of

Bahá'u'lláh.
|P10
Your brother,
Shoghi
|N3|P0
23 December 1922
|P1

To my beloved brethren and sisters throughout Great Britain.

Care of the members of the Bahá'í Council.
|P2
Dearest Friends,
|P3

I have during the last few days been waiting eagerly for the first

written messages of my Western friends, sent to me since they have

learned of my return to the Holy Land. How great was the joy when

dear Miss Rosenberg's+ letter--the very first that reached me from the

West--was handed to me this evening, bearing the joyful news of

the safety, the unity and the happiness of my British friends across the

seas! I read it and re-read it with particular pleasure and felt a thrill

of delight at the welcome news of the harmonious and efficient

functioning of your Spiritual Assembly.
|P4

I very sincerely hope that now that I have fully re-entered upon my

task, I may be enabled to offer my humble share of assistance and

advice in the all-important work which is now before you. I fervently

pray to God that the field of your activities may go on expanding, that

your zeal and efforts may never diminish, and that new souls, active,

able and sincere, may soon join with you in bearing aloft the Glorious

Standard of the Cause in that land....
|P5

Ere long, an able and experienced teacher recently arrived from

Persia will visit your shores and will, I trust, by his thorough

[\P12]

knowledge of the Cause, his wide experience, his fluency, his ardour

and his devotion, reanimate every drooping spirit and inspire the

active worker to make fresh and determined efforts for the deepening

as well as the spreading of the Movement in those regions. His

forthcoming book, which he has patiently and laboriously written on

the history of the Movement and which has been partly revised by the

Pen of our Beloved Master is beyond any doubt the most graphic, the

most reliable and comprehensive of its kind in all Bahá'í literature. I

am sure he will considerably enrich the store of your knowledge of the

various phases and stages of the Bahá'í Movement. Our beloved Dr.

Esslemont will, I trust, be particularly pleased to meet him, as he is

eminently qualified to offer him valuable help in connection with

various aspects of his (Dr. Esslemont's) book. I am enclosing various

suggestions of Mr. Dreyfus-Barney and of Mr. Roy Wilhelm made

by them at my request, during their last sojourn in the Holy Land. I

submit them to Dr. Esslemont's consideration as well as to that of the

Spiritual Assembly. I very deeply regret my inability to give the

attention I desire to this admirable work of his, but will assuredly do

all in my power to aid him in the final stages of his work. I am certain

however that the book as it now stands gives the finest and most

effective presentation of the various aspects of the Cause to the mind

of the Oriental as well as to that of the Westerner. May it arouse a

genuine and widespread interest in the Cause throughout the world.

|P6

I am now starting correspondence with every Bahá'í local centre

throughout the East and will not fail to instruct and urge the believers

everywhere to send directly through their respective spiritual local

Assemblies the joyful tidings of the progress of the Cause, in the form

of regular detailed reports, to the various assemblies of their spiritual

brethren and sisters in the West. England, I am confident, will

regularly and consistently receive, directly, and indirectly through the

"Star of the West" and the "Bahá'í News" of India, a large share of

such tidings from Persia, Caucasus, Turkestan, India, Turkey and

Mesopotamia, North Africa and Egypt. It would be most gratifying

and encouraging to all earnest workers for the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh if

every now and then a report on the spiritual activities of the friends in

Great Britain, as well as articles on spiritual matters, would be

submitted for publication to the above-mentioned periodicals. It would,

I feel very strongly, react very favourably on the Cause in England,

and would serve to draw closer the ties that bind all spiritual centres

together at the present time.
[\P13]
|P7

I would be pleased and grateful if the members of the Spiritual

Assembly would at any time inform me of their needs, wants and

desires, their plans and activities, that I may through my prayers and

brotherly assistance contribute, however meagrely, to the success of

their glorious mission in this world.
|P8

To my extreme regret, I feel unable in view of my manifold and

pressing duties, and owing to the extraordinary extension of the

Movement in recent times, to correspond with the friends individually

and express to them in writing what I always feel in the depth of my

heart of brotherly affection and abiding gratitude for their love and

sympathy for me. I shall, however, await with eager expectation their

individual letters and assure them of my readiness and wish to be of

any service to them in their work for the Cause.
|P9

Remembering every one of you in these hallowed surroundings and

fervently praying at the three sacred Thresholds that the blessings of

the Lord may rest upon your individual and collective efforts,

|P10
I am as ever your devoted brother,
Shoghi
|N4|P0
17 February 1923
|P1

The beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful throughout

London, Manchester and Bournemouth.

Care of the members of the National Spiritual Assembly.+F1

{The first meeting of the elected "National Spiritual Assembly" took place

in London on 13 October 1923.}
|P2
Dearest brethren and sisters in `Abdu'l-Bahá,
|P3

The letters that I have recently received from the friends in London

and Manchester have been to me a source of great hope and

encouragement, and have served to strengthen the ties that bind me to

my dearly-beloved friends in that great country.
|P4

I am much pleased and gratified to hear of the wonderful progress

of the work of our able and devoted brother, Jinab-i-'Avarih, and my

earnest hope and prayer is that he may, by his zeal, patience,

experience and knowledge, set ablaze the fire that the Master has

kindled in the heart of that land.
|P5

The supreme necessity, and the urgent need of the Cause of God at

present, is the unity of the friends, and their sustained and wholehearted

[\P14]

co-operation in their task of spreading the Divine Teachings

throughout the world. It is the sacred duty of all believers to have

implicit confidence in, and support heartily, every decision passed by

their Spiritual Assemblies, whether local or central; and the members

of these Assemblies must, on their part, set aside their own inclinations,

personal interests, likes and dislikes, and regard only the welfare of the

Cause and the well-being of the friends. This is surely the foundation

which must be firmly laid in the hearts of all believers the world over,

for upon this only can any constructive and permanent service be

achieved, and the edifice of the Beloved's last instructions, as revealed

in His Will and Testament, be raised and established.

|P6

The all-conquering Spirit of Bahá'u'lláh cannot prove effective in

this world of strife and turmoil, and cannot achieve its purpose for

mankind, unless we, who are named after His Name, and who are the

recipients of His Grace, endeavour, by our example, our daily life and

our dealings with our fellow-men, to reveal that noble spirit of love and

self-sacrifice of which the world stands in need at present.

|P7

I have been reading lately some of the oldest Tablets of `Abdu'l-Bahá

and am enclosing for your perusal the translation of various

selections from His soul-stirring words, revealed some twenty-five

years ago, during the darkest days of His incarceration in the prison

city of Akka. You will realise as you read them the unshakable

confidence of the Master in the future growth of the Movement, the

significance of the Cause in this age, and the glorious privilege of the

friends to labour for its spread in every land.
|P8

I am enclosing also my revised translation of the Hidden Words,

both Persian and Arabic, a copy of which I have sent to the friends in

the United States in response to their cable, requesting me to authorise

circulation of my version among the friends in America.

|P9

I have recently received a message from our beloved brethren and

sisters in Germany, who, in the midst of their sufferings and trials,

yearn to receive a word of sympathy and comfort from their fellow-workers

in France and England. I am sure you will gladly respond to

their request, and cheer them with the glad-tidings of the wonderful

progress of the Cause in your land and elsewhere.
|P10

I am always looking forward to receiving your letters and hear from

you personally in all matters pertaining to the Cause. It is my earnest

prayer whenever I visit the Sacred Shrines, that the friends in England

may be always protected, guided and blessed in their work of service to

the Cause, and may soon witness the fulfilment of the glorious promises

[\P15]

of the Master regarding the future of that land and the spiritual re-awakening

Your letter to Shoghi Effendi has been received and was read

by him with keen delight and satisfaction for it bespoke of the

new spirit of ardent devotion that has enkindled the hearts of the

faithful followers of Baha, and of their loyal and active

endeavours in the path of service. Should the friends continue

in their labours of love and service their activities will yield

glorious results and they shall witness the realisation of the

promises of the Beloved regarding the spiritual achievements of

the friends in that land.
|P3

Shoghi Effendi is highly gratified and encouraged to know

that the friends have carried out so efficiently his directions

regarding the establishment of National and local Spiritual

Assemblies; and he feels confident that the co-ordinated and

unified efforts of its members, blessed by the unfailing assistance

and guidance of the Beloved Master, will mark the dawn of a

new era of spiritual activity and enlightenment.
|P4

He is very pleased to know that you are faithfully working

for peace and harmony amongst the friends; and he prays that

you may be blessed in your endeavours and be inspired and

guided to clear all misunderstandings that may arise; and may

help bring about that spirit of unity which is so essential to the

life and growth of the Cause. There is no doubt that difficulties

will always arise; but if met in the spirit of earnest and selfless

devotion and purity of motive all problems will be solved and

we shall emerge from every difficulty spiritually stronger and

wiser.
|P5

Shoghi Effendi wishes to extend to you his thanks for your

giving him the report of the activities of the friends there. He

will soon write a letter to the Assembly based on their report. He

wishes you to rest assured that his thoughts and prayers are with

you wishing you all success in your labours for the promulgation

of the Blessed Cause.
[\P16]
|P6

Although unable to write individual letters he will gladly

welcome all letters that you will send him in the future...

|N6|P0
29 November 1923
|P1

To the members of the English National Spiritual Assembly

|P2

My dearly-beloved fellow-workers in the Vineyard of God!

|P3

I am in receipt of your letter dated Nov. 17th 1923, and forwarded

to me by our active and devoted brother, Mr. Simpson. I have read it

with the utmost pleasure and satisfaction. I feel happy and encouraged

to learn that those few, yet earnest and promising, servants of

Bahá'u'lláh in that land are, despite the vicissitudes and obstacles that

confront the rapid rise of the Movement, wholeheartedly striving and

co-operating for the fulfilment of His divine Promise.

|P4

You, surely, have laid a firm foundation for the future development

of the Cause in those regions, and my hope is that the National

Assembly of Great Britain may, by full, frequent, and anxious

consultation, protect the Cause, maintain and promote harmony

amongst the friends, and initiate and execute ways and means for the

diffusion of its spirit and the promotion of its principles.

|P5

I welcome with keen and genuine satisfaction the active participation

of our beloved sister, Mrs. Thornburgh-Cropper, in the affairs of the

Cause, and feel confident that her wisdom, her experience, her

influence, and her unparalleled opportunities for the service of the

Movement will pave the way for the wholesome growth of the Cause

in that land.
|P6

I am sure you all realise the seemingly unsurmountable difficulties

in the way of individual correspondence with the ever-increasing

multitude of Bahá'ís throughout the world, and I need hardly tell you

how tremendously difficult it is, and how reluctant I feel, to

discriminate at all between the many letters of varying importance

which I daily receive from almost every corner of the globe. Realising

however that direct and intimate individual correspondence, in some

form or other, is most urgent and vital to the interests of the Cause, I

am, I assure you, giving it these days again my careful and undivided

attention, and pray God that to this problem may soon be found a

satisfactory and feasible solution. In the meantime, I wish to emphasise

the fact that I eagerly await, and would welcome, and would assuredly

have time to peruse, most carefully and in person, every individual

[\P17]

letter you may wish to send me, and my readiness and wish to attend,

in the very best way I can, to every matter raised in those letters. No

written message, however unimportant, will first be opened and read

by any one save myself.
|P7

Regarding the proposed conference on "Living Religions within the

British Empire", I feel that such a great opportunity for the Movement

should not be neglected, and I am glad to know that it has been seized

by the members of the National Assembly, and is being closely

examined by them. I would welcome further particulars as to who has

conceived the idea, under whose auspices it will be conducted, and

whether it is being supported by government authorities, and what

conditions are imposed on its proceedings. I am discussing the matter

with some of the Bahá'í representatives of India and America as to

what friends would be most competent to represent the Cause at this

conference. I shall communicate on this subject with the National

Assemblies of India and America, and will inform you immediately

I receive definite information from them.
|P8

As to the raising of funds to provide for the expenses of the Baha'i

representatives, I am sure the friends in England will find in the

National Assemblies of India and America and in myself ready and

generous supporters of a step that will undoubtedly prove of immediate

and universal value for the ultimate recognition of the Cause by the

world.
|P9

It is my ardent prayer that we may all be inspired to adopt the most

effective measures for the successful achievement of this great

undertaking.
|P10

I was much impressed by the charm and force of Major Moore's

article, published recently in T. P. Cassell's weekly, and I would much

desire to know whether his action was spontaneous, or whether he was

urged or requested by someone to write it. I strongly urge the friends,

and particularly the members of the National Assembly, to do all in

their power to make of this able and highly-minded admirer of the

Cause, a zealous and true Baha'i. I am looking forward with keen

anticipation to his spiritual development and his taking a more active

part in the affairs of the Cause.
|P11

I am enclosing for the friends recent translations of the wonderful

prophetic utterances of Bahá'u'lláh, and I trust you will find them of

great value in your work of teaching and spreading the Cause.

|P12

Awaiting eagerly your letters, individually as well as collectively,

Your short yet encouraging letter was gladly received by our

dear Shoghi Effendi just yesterday evening. He felt very pleased

indeed with that spirit of hopefulness which your letter

conveyed, and he eagerly hopes that in the days to come nothing

will mar the brightness and optimism of his English brethren

and sisters over in the West.
|P3

Your references to the commemoration meeting held in

London, brought back with all its painful sadness recollections

of that one night. In a calm and quiet night, brightened by the

silvery rays of the moon, gathered `Abdu'l-Bahá'í sorrow-stricken

faithful ones, to commemorate the night of His last

farewell. On the cistern by the Tomb sat His fervent servants;

below them flickered the dying lights of Haifa, and above head

shown in full magnificence the star bespangled heavens. It was

in the mid-watches of such a night that with sorrow and fervour

the servants turned unto their dear Master so near and yet so far

away; and with a deep feeling of that bitter loss they supplicated

help and guidance from their Lord. A word or two from Shoghi

Effendi made them feel the Master nigh, and made them realise

as never before that it was only in following in His steps, and in

living the life that He had, that we can prove our faithfulness to

our Master's Cause. It was indeed a night of meditation and

prayer and we missed you all so much.
|P4

We are receiving encouraging news from almost everywhere,

such as Italy, Germany, China and Australia; and as you will

have them more fully in the circulars of the Spiritual Assembly,

I had hardly need make mention of them here.
|P5

Shoghi Effendi's earnest hopes in England are very great, and

I am sure that the sincere and true-hearted efforts of his fellow-workers,

will spread the principles of this great Revelation as

never before. Hard though it be to get access to the more

intellectual circles in England, he firmly believes that through

persistence, the obstacles will be soon overcome and they, with

their own accord, will welcome you in their midst, turning a

sympathetic ear to all that you have to share with them. May

these high hopes be realised....
[\P19]
|P6
[From the Guardian:]
My beloved brother,
|P7

My deepest admiration for your indefatigable exertions for the

success of the Cause. I will always remember you in my prayers and

await eagerly your personal letters. I welcome any suggestions and

further particulars regarding the conference on the Living Religions

Your letter of Dec. 23rd furnishing necessary information

concerning the Conference on Religions arrived and made our

dear Guardian highly pleased and delighted.
|P3

As he has quite recently written to the friends in England, he

has instructed me to answer your letter and inform you that he

has written and directed the National Spiritual Assembly of

America to have a comprehensive article written by the ablest

pen among the American friends--to be excellent both in style

and in representation.
|P4

After this essay is written, it will be sent to our dear Shoghi

Effendi who will send it to your N.S. Assembly for your perusal

and consideration. You will add your remarks and suggestions

and return it to him for final approval.
|P5

Shoghi Effendi is also thinking of selecting someone among

the Indian friends to represent India. This Conference and a

worthy and dignified representation of the Holy Cause therein,

are under his serious consideration. We hope that through his

wise instruction and powerful prayers your activities in this

respect will be crowned with glorious success and that it will be

known to the public that the Cause is not a movement collateral

with other movements such as the Brahma Somaj or Ahmadi

movements.
|P6

Here at the Holy Shrine of our Beloved we remember all the

dear friends in England and supplicate humbly for their

happiness.
|P7

Shoghi Effendi is sending you his love and affection together

[\P20]

with his deep appreciation towards your noble labours and

sacrificial efforts in the service of the Holy Cause...

|P8
[From the Guardian:]
My dear friend,
|P9

I enclose a copy of my recent letter to the National Spiritual

Assembly of America regarding the Conference as well as copies of my

recent translation of some of the most remarkable and prophetic

utterances of Bahá'u'lláh and `Abdu'l-Bahá which might interest the

friends in Great Britain. Pray convey my love to all of them.

|P10
Shoghi
|N9|P0
4 January 1924 (Enclosure)
|P1

To the members of the American National Spiritual Assembly.

|P2
My dearest friends!
|P3

On Nov. 28th I received the following communication from the

President of the National Spiritual Assembly of Great Britain!

|P4

"I have now to bring to your notice, though possibly you are

already aware of it, a matter which is of the first importance in

the opinion of the National Spiritual Assembly as you will see

from one of the paragraphs of the enclosed minutes of its first

meeting, which was held on October 13th. So far the programme

of the conference on the `Living Religions within the British

Empire' is in a somewhat nebulous condition, but I have

ascertained from Miss Sharples, the honorary secretary of the

committee of organisation, that the conference has been approved

by the authorities of the British Empire Exhibition, 1924 and

will last for ten days, covering the last week of the month of

September and the first three days of October. It is proposed that

all religions taught and practised throughout the British Empire

shall be represented at the conference, including the Christians,

Muhammadans, Buddhists, Brahma Somaj, Theosophists and

others, and that each one in turn shall have at its disposal a day

or part of a day for a meeting to expound its principles and deal

with its organisation and objects."
|P5

In their last letter, the members of the National Spiritual Assembly

of Great Britain further inform me that the idea of the above-mentioned

conference has originated with the Theosophical Society,

[\P21]

but these having later dropped its management the organisation of the

conference passed into the hands of the School of Oriental Studies and

the Sociological Society. You will also note from the enclosed copy of

a letter addressed by the same Miss Sharples to the President of the

British National Spiritual Assembly that the time offered to the

Bahá'í representatives will be very limited, and that most probably

the allotted time will be just sufficient to read their papers or deliver

their address and engage in the discussion that might arise after their

formal presentation of the Cause.
|P6

As the British Empire Exhibition, of which this conference forms

a part, is itself a semi-official undertaking, and receives actually the

generous support and active participation of the government authorities

throughout the British Empire, I feel that the opportunities now

offered to the Bahá'í world should not be missed, as this chance, if

properly utilised, might arouse and stimulate widespread interest

among the enlightened public.
|P7

As so much will depend upon the nature and general presentation

of the theme, rather than upon the personality of the reader or speaker,

I feel that first and foremost our attention should be concentrated on the

choice and thorough preparation of the subject matter as well as on the

proper drafting and the form of the paper itself, which might possibly

have to be submitted afterwards to the authorities of the conference.

|P8

I feel the necessity of entrusting this highly important and delicate

task to a special committee, to be appointed most carefully by the

National Spiritual Assembly of America, and consisting of those who

by their knowledge of the Cause, their experience in matters of

publicity, and particularly by their power of expression and beauty of

style will be qualified to produce a befitting statement on the unique

history of the Movement as well as its lofty principles.

|P9

I am enclosing an article on the Bahá'í Movement which I trust

might serve as a basis and example of the paper in question. An

account of the most salient features of the history of the Cause, a brief

but impressive reference to its many heroes and martyrs, a convincing

and comprehensive presentation of the basic principles, and a

characteristic survey of the Master's life, as well as a short but graphic

description of the present position and influence of the Movement both

in the East and the West, should, in my opinion, be included and

combined into one conclusive argument. Its length should not surpass

that of the enclosed article, and its general tone, expression and

language should be at once dignified, sober and forceful.

[\P22]
|P10

The greatest care and caution must be exercised in choosing those

who can best provide and fulfil the above-mentioned requisites and

conditions.
|P11

I shall be most pleased to offer my views and suggestions once the

paper has assumed its final shape, and wish you to obtain the assistance

and advice of those whom you think able to judge amongst the friends

in England and elsewhere.
|P12

Mr. Simpson, the President of the British National Spiritual

Assembly, writes that Miss Grand from Canada has suggested the

names of Dr. Watson and Mr. J. O. McCarthy of Toronto to

represent the Canadian Bahá'ís. I would be pleased to receive your

views as to who should represent Canada at the Conference. India is

the only other country within the British Empire that can send a

native Bahá'í representative to the conference, and it is rather

unfortunate that the United States of America should have to be

excluded, as the speakers at the conference must necessarily be subjects

of the British Empire.
|P13

I am enclosing recent translations of the prophetic and most

remarkable words of Bahá'u'lláh and `Abdu'l-Bahá which I trust you

will all find of great value and interest in the great work you are doing

for the Cause.
|P14

May this great project yield an abundant harvest for the Cause, and

your efforts be richly blessed by the guiding Spirit of `Abdu'l-Bahá.

Shoghi Effendi was glad to hear from you again and hopes

that the activities of the friends in England are progressing day

after day. There is really so much to be done in almost every

country that the more the friends accomplish, the larger does the

field of service become. As a matter of fact in many countries we

can hardly claim to have fully represented the Cause and to have

declared its strong and sublime principles to all classes of men. It

is with a vision of greater accomplishments among higher and

higher circles of society, that our Guardian wishes his fellow-workers

to feel inspired; and in these dark and dismal days it is

[\P23]

the proclamation of Bahá'u'lláh's great Message for which the

faithful servant must strive with heart and soul.
|P3

Concerning the sum which Shoghi Effendi has sent to the

National Assembly as a personal gift; he would like to inform

you that in case you feel in great need of funds for the activities

of the Cause in England, you might take from the sum which he

sent you, and at the time of the Exposition Shoghi Effendi might

be able to help you in case you cannot collect the necessary

expense. Shoghi Effendi attaches great hopes to the activities of

the friends in London, and may they some day be realised.

|P4

The copies of the "Hidden Words" you had published were

received and Shoghi Effendi thinks that they are quite well

printed. He is glad that he can share these comforting thoughts

from Bahá'u'lláh with his brothers and sisters in the West....

|P5
[From the Guardian:]
My dear fellow-worker,
|P6

I always look forward with keen anticipation to any news from

England indicating the progress and advancement of the Cause so dear

to our hearts. I pray ardently for every one of you and assure you

I wish to acknowledge receipt of your letter to our dear

Guardian and assure you that he is always most glad to hear from

you in person and to know still more of the activities of his

fellow-workers in that country. At a time when the whole work

and administration of the Cause with all its overpowering

intensity and extent has devolved upon the shoulders of our

youthful Guardian, I am sure you quite well realise what every

single expression of the progress of the Cause he stands for would

mean to him as our leader and captain; and at a time when the

varied questions and problems that the Bahá'í Movement, on its

way to the spiritual reconquest of the world, is confronted with,

seem endless in number, I hardly need mention what effect the

[\P24]

personal assurance and the undying enthusiasm of his fellow-workers

would bear upon the tender heart of Shoghi Effendi.

|P3

Concerning the passing away of Mr. Hall's father, he wishes

me to ask you to extend to him a full measure of his grief at the

bereavement of such a radiant brother as Mr. Hall, although he

briefly conveyed his sentiments to him through a short telegram.

He was, however, quite pleased with Mr. Hall's work and the

measure of success which he has met with. He shared this good

news with his friends here with a view to inspire all to action.

You should assure Mr. Hall that the deep sense of love and

gratitude that Shoghi Effendi feels toward him is perhaps too

great for me to put into words, but I feel that the success which

he has attained is an ample proof of Shoghi Effendi's ardent

prayers for him.
|P4
[From the Guardian:]
My esteemed brother:--
|P5

Just a word of appreciation on my part of your devoted and persistent

efforts in the service of the Cause. Do please convey to our precious

Mr. Hall my condolences and sentiments of undying affection as well

as the assurance of my ardent prayers for the welfare and spiritual

happiness of his dear family and the Manchester Bahá'í Group.

|P6
Shoghi
|N12|P0
11 June 1924
|P1

To Mr. Simpson, President of the Bahá'í National Spiritual

Assembly of England.
|P2
My dear and revered Bahá'í Brother,
|P3

As I do not have your address with me I am writing and

forwarding this to you through our dear brother, Mr.

Asgarzadeh.+! Some time ago I received a letter addressed to our

beloved Guardian from Miss Mabel M. Sharples, the Hon.

Secretary of the Conference on Living Religions within the

Empire, giving him some information concerning the time of

the Conference, and conditions covering the submission of

papers to be read at the Conference. I forwarded this letter to our

beloved Shoghi Effendi.
|P4

Yesterday I received a letter from him instructing me to

[\P25]

answer in his behalf Miss Sharples' letter. Yesterday I answered

her letter and told her that Shoghi Effendi hopes to be able to

attend the Conference and deliver an address on the Cause in

person and in case circumstances prevent him from doing so, a

paper will be sent to the Conference through Mr. Simpson, the

President of the Bahá'í Spiritual Assembly, to be read on that

occasion. I told her also that we will appreciate any further

information or suggestion she thinks necessary in regard to this

matter. This information or suggestion will be communicated

by her to your National Spiritual Assembly.
|P5

This morning a cablegram was communicated by the Greatest

Holy Leaf to Mr. Roy Wilhelm in New York, instructing the

committee in charge of the desired article to hasten its despatch.

This article should be handed towards the end of July. The time

is short. If the American friends have already sent that article, I

mean if it is on the way, and we receive it in time, we shall

immediately forward it to our dear Shoghi Effendi for his

approval and then mail it to you. If it, however, arrives late, we

will directly mail it to you so that you may modify it if necessary

and hand it over to the Secretary of the Conference. In the latter

case, it is not necessary to submit it to Shoghi Effendi for his

approval, for he authorises you, the members of the National

Spiritual Assembly to make any correction which you think

advisable.
|P6

Shoghi Effendi has also instructed me to enclose a cheque for

thirty pounds in this letter as contribution towards the

Conference. If the English friends are to add something to this

sum and offer it to the Conference, it will be highly appreciated

by Shoghi Effendi.
|P7

The cheque is drawn by the Anglo-Palestine Bank at Haifa on

the Jewish Colonial Trust, London, payable to your order. It is

dated June 15th and No. F077834/34224. Today we received

the answer to our cablegram to Mr. Wilhelm, stating that the

article was mailed on the 11th, both to Haifa and England and

that Mr. Mills would gladly act at the Conference.

|P8

As we understand Mr. Mountfort Mills may go from America

to England at the time of the Conference. Shoghi Effendi will be

very glad, if Mr. Mills read the Paper. This desire of Shoghi

Effendi was also mentioned in to-day's cablegram which was

communicated to Mr. Wilhelm.
[\P26]
|P9

Through the many cablegrams and letters which have arrived

from different centres of the Cause, promising the maintenance

of harmony, union and love among the dear friends, the grief

and sorrow of our beloved Guardian has been greatly lightened

and so we have great hope that when the hot season of the Holy

Land is over, we will have the pleasure and joy of his return.

|P10

The members of the Holy Family are all sending you and

your dear co-workers their tender love and assure you of their

ardent prayers at the Holy Shrines in your behalf. They are

always awaiting heart-refreshing glad tidings from you. My

humble greeting and warm love to yourself and the dear friends

too.
|P11
Your humble brother and co-worker in His service,
|P12
(Enclosure)
Bahiyyih Khanum, Haifa

ARTICLE MAILED ELEVENTH BOTH HAIFA LONDON GLADLY ACT

...I have to write you and inform you that only yesterday I

had the privilege of receiving a letter from our dear Guardian

who is still away from Haifa ... he wishes me to write you, in

answer to your letter to him, that he very much regrets to be

unable to be present in London and represent a Cause to which

he has ... dedicated his heart and soul. Were it at all possible for

me to send you his short note, you would see for yourself with

what a spirit he expresses his deep regret.... Although he realises

your disappointment at his inability to go to London, he wishes

me to assure every one of you that his eager prayers for you all

is unfailing and that it is with a glad heart that he cherishes the

fondest hopes in the effort that the proceedings of the religious

Conference shall have on the audience. May I also add that this

is a hope in which everybody shares especially the Greatest Holy

Leaf and the members of the family.
|P3

I presume by now you have already received a copy of the

address that is to be read...
[\P27]
|P4

You might be interested to know that the news of the progress

of the Cause among the Kadiani sect in India is quite surprising

and two of their chief leaders have not only become Bahá'ís, but

have started an admirable little weekly, I think, through which

they hope to bring many of their colleagues over. By the way,

I believe the leader of the sect who is himself a young man is

coming over to London to represent his sect at the Conference.

|P5

The confusion and disorder in Persia which had aroused so

much apprehension on the part of the helpless Bahá'ís and had

even led in one case to actual martyrdom, has apparently

subsided for the moment.
|P6

Here in Haifa everybody is in good health. With heartfelt

greetings to all the friends in London....
|N14|P0
23 September 1924
|P1

MAY WEMBLEY (sic CONFERENCE) FULFIL YOUR FONDEST HOPES

PRAY CONVEY AUTHORITIES MY SINCERE REGRET AT INABILITY TO

BE PRESENT I WISH THEM FULL SUCCESS IN THEIR NOBLE

ENDEAVOURS.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N15|P0
24 September 1924+F1

{Also addressed to America and published in "Bahá'í Administration".}

|P1
The beloved of the Lord and the hand-maids of
the Merciful in Great Britain.
|P2
Care of the National Spiritual Assembly.
|P3
Dear Friends,
|P4

I return to the Holy Land with an overpowering sense of the

gravity of the spiritual state of the Cause in the world. Much as I

deplore the disturbing effect of my forced and repeated withdrawals

from the field of service, I can unhesitatingly assure you that my last

and momentous step was taken with extreme reluctance and only after

[\P28]

mature and anxious reflection as to the best way to safeguard the

interests of a precious Cause.
|P5

My prolonged absence, my utter inaction should not, however, be

solely attributed to certain external manifestations of unharmony, of

discontent and disloyalty--however paralysing their effect has been

upon the continuance of my work--but also to my own unworthiness

and to my imperfections and frailties.
|P6

I venture to request you to join me in yet another prayer, this time

more ardent and universal than before, supplicating with one voice the

gracious Master to overlook our weaknesses and failings, to make us

worthier and braver children of His own.
|P7

Humanity, through suffering and turmoil, is swiftly moving on

towards its destiny; if we be loiterers, if we fail to play our part surely

others will be called upon to take up our task as ministers to the crying

needs of this afflicted world.
|P8

Not by the force of numbers, not by the mere exposition of a set of

new and noble principles, not by an organised campaign of teaching--

no matter how worldwide and elaborate in its character--not even by

the staunchness of our faith or the exaltation of our enthusiasm, can

we ultimately hope to vindicate in the eyes of a critical and sceptical

age the supreme claim of the Abha Revelation. One thing and only

one thing will unfailingly and alone secure the undoubted triumph of

this sacred Cause, namely, the extent to which our own inner life and

private character mirror forth in their manifold aspects the splendour

of those eternal principles proclaimed by Bahá'u'lláh.

|P9

Looking back upon those sullen days of my retirement, bitter with

feelings of anxiety and gloom, I can recall with appreciation and

gratitude those unmistakable evidences of your affection and steadfast

zeal which I have received from time to time, and which have served

to relieve in no small measure the burden that weighed so heavily upon

my heart.
|P10

I can well imagine the degree of uneasiness, nay of affliction, that

must have agitated the mind and soul of every loving and loyal servant

of the Beloved during these long months of suspense and distressing

silence. But I assure you such remarkable solicitude as you have shown

for the protection of His Cause, such tenacity of faith and unceasing

activity as you have displayed for its promotion, cannot but in the end

be abundantly rewarded by `Abdu'l-Bahá, who from His station above

is the sure witness of all that you have endured and suffered for Him.

|P11

And now as I look into the future, I hope to see the friends at all

[\P29]

times, in every land, and of every shade of thought and character,

voluntarily and joyously rallying round their local and in particular

their national centres of activity, upholding and promoting their

interests with complete unanimity and contentment, with perfect

understanding, genuine enthusiasm, and sustained vigour. This indeed

is the one joy and yearning of my life, for it is the fountain-head from

which all future blessings will flow, the broad foundation upon which

the security of the Divine Edifice must ultimately rest. May we not

hope that now at last the dawn of a brighter day is breaking upon our

Your letter of Sept. 30th written to our beloved Guardian,

Shoghi Effendi, arrived and rejoiced his dear heart with its very

interesting contents.
|P3

Yesterday he instructed me to translate a great part of it into

Persian so that it may be inserted in the circular of the Haifa

Spiritual Assembly and also to convey to you his great affection

for you and the dear English friends who so splendidly laboured

towards the dignified representation of the Cause of God at the

Conference on Religions.
|P4

We have already the reports given in "The Times" from the

two sessions of the Conference allotted to the Ahmadiyyih

people and to us. Both are very interesting indeed....

|P5

Shoghi Effendi prays for the success and confirmation of you

and all the dear and noble English friends whose earnestness of

efforts towards the welfare of the Cause of God he highly

admires and appreciates with profound love....
|N17|P0
10 October 1924
|P1
My dearly-beloved brother,
|P2

I am highly gratified with your splendid achievements and deeply

appreciative of your painstaking efforts. More power to your elbow!

You are rendering our precious Cause a splendid service in its hour of

[\P30]

need! Lady Blomfield's+ idea of a reception was undoubtedly inspired

and was admirably executed. It has indeed rejoiced my heart. My love

and my gratitude for her wise, patient and fruitful efforts.

Your very interesting letter of Oct. 15th. written to our

beloved Guardian together with the printed copy of the sermon

of Dr. Walsh arrived the day before yesterday and imparted

great joy to his dear heart. He cherishes great hopes for the bright

future of the Cause in England. Of course his hopes are partly

based on the intrinsic mighty power of the Cause of God and

partly on the dignified way the dear friends in England are

presenting the Cause of God to the public.
|P3

Yesterday afternoon he instructed me to write this informing

you of the safe arrival of your letter and assure you that he

appreciates with great love your distinguished services to the

Cause of God. He prays at the Holy Shrines that fresh

confirmations may reach you from the Abhá Kingdom day by

day so that you may have material comfort and spiritual success.

He is sure that the holy spirit of our beloved Lord, `Abdu'l-Bahá

is watching over you and guiding your steps in life.

|P4

The members of the Holy Family and the friends in Haifa are

thinking of you and the other dear friends in England with love

and admiration, joining all in prayers for your happiness.

|P5
[From the Guardian:]
My dearest friend,
|P6

I wish to add a few words of assurance and sympathy in view of the

heavy burden of responsibility that rests on your shoulders in these

difficult and trying times. My fervent and increasing prayer is that

Abdu'l-Bahá may show you the way that will enable you to continue

your splendid pioneer work effectually, peacefully, free from every

earthly care and anxiety. Dr. Walsh's sermon is astonishingly good.

I wish you would send me about 50 copies of the same. I pray

It is always a pleasure to acknowledge receipt of your letters

to our dear Guardian, and he was deeply interested in the minutes

of the last meeting of the N.S.A. which you were so kind as to

enclose.
|P3

Your own letter, however, brought up a very interesting and

vital question in regard to the future progress of the Cause in

England, especially now that through the efforts of you all the

spread of the Bahá'í Movement has been well placed on the road

to our ultimate victory. Now is the time to take all necessary

measures against a slacking in our pace and it is truly unfortunate

that just when the individual endeavours of every single member

is most needed and necessary, age and earthly cares deprive us of

some of our experienced and able co-workers. It would, I believe,

be a great service if just as few as possible could manage to deny

themselves of the joy and enthusiasm of serving as noble a Cause.

|P4

I am sure it would interest you to know that Mr. and Mrs.

Mills are now in Haifa and all that they have to say proves well

the energy and efforts of the London friends. We already have

about ten pilgrims and are expecting some more. I suppose Dr.

Esslemont who would have much to tell us and whose arrival

Shoghi Effendi is eagerly awaiting, is among those who will

soon arrive....
|P5
[From the Guardian:]
My dear fellow-worker,
|P6

I trust that the prolonged visit of Dr. Esslemont will prove to be in

future pregnant with far-reaching possibilities for the service of the

Cause in England. To yourself I send my imperishable love and

The letter you had sent through Dr. Esslemont to Shoghi

Effendi has arrived and it gave him very great pleasure to read

it. Although it is quite beyond me to express to you just what

[\P32]

thoughts and sentiments your frank expressions of loyalty and

love aroused in his heart, this I feel I can assure you that it made

him hopeful of the future and added to his great confidence in

you.
|P3

The Bahá'í Cause has a great mission to the people of England

but the field of service though immensely vast presents

innumerable difficulties, and it needs the able hand of a staunch

and true Bahá'í primarily and the dexterity of a good supervisor,

to overcome every confronting difficulty and to carry His

Message to millions of people. This responsibility has been

entrusted to you by the guided decision of the Bahá'ís in England

and our Guardian finds great pleasure in confiding the same duty

in you and in endorsing the happy decision of the friends there.

|P4

In regard to your contemplated withdrawal from the

presidency of the N.S.A. and the London Assembly, it made him

very happy to know that even the thought of it has totally

vanished. The hopes that he cherished in you are far too many to

permit you a more quiet part in Bahá'í activities in England, and

the hopeful signs of progress in the past year has made the

prospects of the coming year very bright and it all depends upon

the efforts of the friends in England and the guidance of our

Master from on high just how bright it shall turn out to be.

|P5

We still have Mr. Mills with us in Haifa and I assure you, we

miss you very much. The photograph you had sent to Shoghi

Effendi has been received and it shall be framed and placed in the

Persian Pilgrim House...
|P6

...just of late we had the very sad news of the martyrdom of

a Bahá'í woman expecting to be soon a mother, and although she

was related to very influential officers in the army, nothing

could make the criminals, who sought refuge in the house of one

of the Mullas, arrested. Though such cases of untold carnage

prove with much more force than mere words just what the

spirit of Bahá'u'lláh infused into every such Bahá'í has been, and

exactly what it means in Persia to try and become one, the

horrors of such a murder are truly beyond words. All that we

have to do is to seek His Grace and to beg and implore for God's

mercy.
|P7

May I also write a further assurance of Shoghi Effendi's

reliance upon you and with an expression of his heartfelt love for

you....
[\P33]
|P8
[From the Guardian:]
My most precious fellow-worker,
|P9

But for your unremitting labours, your sound and selfless efforts, the

burden that weighs upon me would prove well-nigh unbearable. I am

sure your heart responds to the sentiments that surge in my heart. I

have a profound admiration for the heroic manner in which you are

rendering such pioneer service to the Cause in England. May the

Master sustain you, comfort you and uphold you in your great task.

Be assured of my brotherly, unfailing prayers.
|P10
I am your true and affectionate brother,
Shoghi
|N21|P0
24 November 1924+F1
{Printed also in "Bahá'í Administration".}
|P1

To my dearly beloved brothers and sisters in `Abdu'l-Bahá.

Care of the English National Spiritual Assembly.
|P2
Dearest friends!
|P3

The day is drawing near when for the third time we shall

commemorate the world over the passing of our well-beloved `Abdu'l-Bahá.

May we not pause for a moment, and gather our thoughts?

How has it fared with us, His little band of followers, since that day?

Whither are we now marching, what has been our achievement?

|P4

We have but to turn our eyes to the world without to realise the

fierceness and the magnitude of the forces of darkness that are

struggling with the dawning light of the Abha Revelation. Nations,

though exhausted and disillusioned, have seemingly begun to cherish

anew the spirit of revenge, of domination, and strife. Peoples, convulsed

by economic upheavals, are slowly drifting into two great opposing

camps with all their menace of social chaos, class hatreds, and world-wide

ruin. Races, alienated more than ever before, are filled with

mistrust, humiliation and fear, and seem to prepare themselves for a

fresh and fateful encounter. Creeds and religions, caught in this

whirlpool of conflict and passion, appear to gaze with impotence and

despair at this spectacle of increasing turmoil.
|P5

Such is the plight of mankind three years after the passing of Him

from Whose lips fell unceasingly the sure message of a fast-approaching

Divine salvation. Are we by our thoughts, our words, our deeds,

[\P34]

whether individually or collectively, preparing the way? Are we

hastening the advent of the Day He so often foretold?

|P6

None can deny that the flame of faith and love which His mighty

hand kindled in many hearts has, despite our bereavement, continued

to burn as brightly and steadily as ever before. Who can question that

His loved ones, both in the East and the West, notwithstanding the

insidious strivings of the enemies of the Cause, have displayed a spirit

of unshakable loyalty worthy of the highest praise? What greater

perseverance and fortitude than that which His tried and trusted

friends have shown in the face of untold calamities, intolerable

oppression, and incredible restrictions? Such staunchness of faith, such

an unsullied love, such magnificent loyalty, such heroic constancy,

such noble courage, however unprecedented and laudable in themselves,

cannot alone lead us to the final and complete triumph of such a great

Cause. Not until the dynamic love we cherish for Him is sufficiently

reflected in its power and purity in all our dealings with our fellowmen,

however remotely connected and humble in origin, can we hope to

exalt in the eyes of a self-seeking world the genuineness of the all-conquering

love of God. Not until we live ourselves the life of a true

Bahá'í can we hope to demonstrate the creative and transforming

potency of the Faith we profess. Nothing but the abundance of our

actions, nothing but the purity of our lives and the integrity of our

character, can in the last resort establish our claim that the Bahá'í spirit

is in this day the sole agency that can translate a long cherished ideal

into an enduring achievement.
|P7

With this vision clearly set before us, and fortified by the knowledge

of the gracious aid of Bahá'u'lláh and the repeated assurances of

Abdu'l-Bahá, let us first strive to live the life and then arise with one

heart, one mind, one voice, to reinforce our numbers and achieve our

end. Let us recall, and seek on this sad occasion the comfort of the last

wishes of our departed yet ever watchful Master:
|P8

"It behoveth them not to rest for a moment, neither to

seek repose. They must disperse themselves in every land,

pass by every clime, and travel throughout all regions.

Bestirred, without rest, and steadfast to the end, they must

raise in every land the triumphal cry, Ya Baha'u'l-Abha!

(O Thou the Glory of Glories).... The disciples of Christ

forgot themselves and all earthly things, forsook all their

cares and belongings, purged themselves of self and passion,

[\P35]

and with absolute detachment scattered far and wide and

engaged in calling the peoples of the world to the divine

guidance; till at last they made the world another world,

illumined the surface of the earth, and even to their last

hour proved self-sacrificing in the pathway of that beloved

one of God. Finally in various lands they suffered glorious

martyrdom. Let them that are men of action follow in their

footsteps!"
|P9

Having grasped the significance of these words, having obtained a

clear understanding of the true character of our mission, the methods

to adopt, the course to pursue, and having attained sufficiently that

individual regeneration--the essential requisite of teaching--let us

arise to teach His Cause with righteousness, conviction, understanding

and vigour. Let this be the paramount and most urgent duty of every

Baha'i. Let us make it the dominating passion of our life. Let us scatter

to the uttermost corners of the earth; sacrifice our personal interests,

comforts, tastes and pleasures; mingle with the divers kindreds and

peoples of the world; familiarise ourselves with their manners,

traditions, thoughts and customs; arouse, stimulate and maintain

universal interest in the Movement, and at the same time endeavour

by all the means in our power, by concentrated and persistent attention,

to enlist the unreserved allegiance and the active support of the more

hopeful and receptive among our hearers. Let us too bear in mind the

example which our beloved Master has clearly set before us. Wise and

tactful in His approach, wakeful and attentive in His early intercourse,

broad and liberal in all His public utterances, cautious and gradual in

the unfolding of the essential verities of the Cause, passionate in His

appeal yet sober in argument, confident in tone, unswerving in

conviction, dignified in His manners--such were the distinguishing

features of our Beloved's noble presentation of the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh.

|P10

If we all choose to tread faithfully His path, surely the day is not far

distant when our beloved Cause will have emerged from the inevitable

obscurity of a young and struggling Faith into the broad daylight of

universal recognition. This is our duty, our first obligation. Therein

lies the secret of the success of the Cause we love so well. Therein lies

the hope, the salvation of mankind. Are we fully conscious of our

responsibilities? Do we realise the urgency, the sacredness, the

immensity, the glory of our task?
|P11

I entreat you, dear friends, to continue, nay, to redouble your efforts,

[\P36]

to keep your vision clear, your hopes undimmed, your determination

unshaken, so that the power of God within us may fill the world with

all its glory.
|P12

In this fervent plea joins me the Greatest Holy Leaf. Though

chagrined in the evening of her life at the sorrowful tales of repression

in Persia, she still turns with the deepest longings of her heart to your

land where freedom reigns, eager and expectant to behold, ere she is

called away, the signs of the universal triumph of the Cause she loves

so dearly.
|P13
Shoghi
|N22|P0
13 February 1925
|P1

"I have read with the deepest pleasure the Minutes of the meeting

of your National Assembly and am deeply gratified to note the

constancy, devotion and thoroughness with which you are conducting

your affairs."

(Copied from National Spiritual Assembly Minutes, 28 February

1925)
|N23|P0
26 March 1925
|P1
My dear Bahá'í Brother,
|P2

Your interesting letter of March 12th written to our beloved

Guardian together with the draft minutes of the 12th meeting of

your National Spiritual Assembly has been received. The draft

on Haifa for the sum of thirty-three pounds sterling which is the

joint contribution of the English friends for the relief of their

suffering brothers at Nayriz, and enclosed in your letter, has also

been received. This sum has been added to contributions received

from other centres and will be sent by next mail to the National

Spiritual Assembly of Persia. From Persia they shall acknowledge

the receipt of this sum directly and for the present, our Guardian

acknowledges its receipt gratefully and wishes you to kindly

convey his gratitude to all the dear friends who have so kindly

and generously contributed.
|P3

Our dear brother, Dr. Esslemont, was not well for some time,

[\P37]

but now I am glad to tell you that he is better and we are

expecting him to come out of the hospital to-day.
|P4

We have nowadays the pleasure of having among us the first

group of our beloved New Zealand and Australian believers.

They are of great sincerity and devotion. From here they are

intending to visit England where I am sure you will enjoy their

acquaintance and company very much....
|P5
[From the Guardian:]
My precious fellow-worker,
|P6

The prompt and generous contribution of the British friends for the

relief of the sufferers in Nayriz is deeply appreciated and I wish to

offer through you to them all in the name of the victims of that great

catastrophe my deep and grateful thanks. May the All-Bountiful

reward and bless them a hundred fold! The sum of approximately

1000 pounds has been until now collected from various parts of the

Bahá'í world and more is expected. What an admirable and convincing

testimony of the reality of the Bahá'í bond that binds the East with the

West. Regarding the historical compilation suggested by the Persian

friends, I think your plan is suitable and correct. The English N.S.A.

will I trust collect all the data and exercise its discretion and judgment

in collating all the material received from the friends and assemblies

throughout Great Britain, and, after having given it a definite and

final shape, will forward it direct to Persia. I would welcome a copy of

it myself. Assuring you of my gratitude and prayers,

|P7
Your true brother,
Shoghi
|N24|P0
2 November 1925
|P1

IRAQ'S SUPREME COURT UNEXPECTEDLY PRONOUNCED VERDICT

AGAINST US IN BAGHDAD CASE STRONGLY ADVISE NATIONAL AND

EVERY LOCAL ASSEMBLY COMMUNICATE BY CABLE AND LETTER

WITH IRAQ HIGH COMMISSIONER APPEALING ARDENTLY FOR

ACTION TO ENSURE THE SECURITY OF Bahá'u'lláh'S SACRED HOUSE.

|P2
SHOGHI.
[\P38]
|N25|P0
6 November 1925+F1
{Printed also in "Bahá'í Administration".}
|P1

To the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful

throughout the East and throughout the West.
|P2
Dearly-beloved friends:
|P3

The sad and sudden crisis that has arisen in connexion with the

ownership of Bahá'u'lláh's sacred house in Baghdad has sent a thrill

of indignation and dismay throughout the whole of the Bahá'í world.

Houses that have been occupied by Bahá'u'lláh for well nigh the whole

period of His exile in Iraq, ordained by Him as the chosen and

sanctified object of Bahá'í pilgrimage in future, magnified and extolled

in countless Tablets and Epistles as the sacred centre "round which

shall circle all peoples and kindreds of the earth"--lie now, due to

fierce intrigue and ceaseless fanatical opposition, at the mercy of the

declared enemies of the Cause.
|P4

I have instantly communicated with every Bahá'í Centre in both

East and West, and urgently requested the faithful followers of the

Faith in every land to protest vehemently against this glaring

perversion of justice, to assert firmly and courteously the spiritual

rights of the Bahá'í community to the ownership of this venerated

house, to plead for British fairness and justice, and to pledge their

unswerving determination to ensure the security of this hallowed spot.

|P5

Conscious of the fact that this property has been occupied by Baha'i

authorised representatives for an uninterrupted period of not less than

thirty years, and having successfully won their case at the Justice of

Peace and the Court of First Instance, the Bahá'ís the world over

cannot believe that the high sense of honour and fairness which

inspired the British Administration of Iraq will ever tolerate such

grave miscarriage of justice. They confidently appeal to the public

opinion of the world for the defence and protection of their legitimate

rights now sorely trampled under the feet of relentless enemies.

|P6

Widespread and effective publicity along these lines, in well-conceived

and carefully-worded terms, is strongly recommended for it

will undoubtedly serve to facilitate the solution of this delicate and

perplexing problem.
|P7

Having exerted ourselves to the utmost of our ability, let us rest

assured in the power of the Lord, Who keepeth watch over His house,

and Who will, no matter how dark present prospects appear, assure for

generations yet unborn His cherished and holy edifice.

I have been asked to enclose for your kind attention the

following papers:--
|P3

1. Circular letter concerning the residential house of Bahá'u'lláh

in Baghdad.
|P4

2. Circular letter concerning the purchase of land around the

Holy Shrines in Haifa.
|P5

3. The system of transliteration to be used in all Bahá'í references.

|P6

4. A plan of the immediate neighbourhood of the Shrines in

Haifa showing in approximate proportions the different plots

around it.
|P7

In view of the extreme importance of the aforementioned

papers, Shoghi Effendi trusts that all necessary measures will be

taken to insure their prompt distribution among all the different

assemblies and among all such recognised Bahá'ís as your

distinguished assembly deems fit and advisable....

|N27|P0
12 November 1925
|P1
Dear Bahá'í Brother,
|P2

Our dear Guardian was very glad to receive your letter of

Nov. 4th through which you acquaint him with the steps you

have already taken in carrying out his instruction concerning the

Baghdad House.
|P3

He is highly pleased with what you have done. In other Baha'i

Centres also the friends have in a similar way followed promptly

his telegraphic instruction. Up to this time we have received no

further information regarding the actual situation of the House.

|P4

Shoghi Effendi will let you know of any fresh development

as soon as he receives information. He sends you his warm

affection and extends to you his appreciation for your noble

services to the Cause of God. He prays for your health and

success in service. He wishes you to kindly convey his loving

greeting to all the dear friends in England....
[\P40]
|P5
[From the Guardian:]
My dear self-sacrificing brother,
|P6

The wise and prompt measures you have taken have given me the

utmost satisfaction. I trust your devoted endeavours will be crowned

with full success. I have sent you a few days ago various circulars, a list

of transliterated terms and the plan of the surroundings of the Holy

Shrine, copies of all of which I earnestly request you to place in the

hands of every recognised believer.
|P7
Your grateful brother,
Shoghi
|N28|P0
23 November 1925
|P1

BELOVED ESSLEMONT PASSED AWAY, COMMUNICATE FRIENDS AND

FAMILY DISTRESSING NEWS URGE BELIEVERS DEDICATE SPECIAL DAY

I find it very hard to be able to express in adequate words our

deep feelings and sorrow at the loss of our dearly-beloved

brother Dr. Esslemont. Those of us who had known him only

since his sojourn in Haifa, had even in that short period of time,

learnt to admire and love him. How much more so those of you

to whom he was an old friend and fellow-worker.
|P3

I have been ordered by Shoghi Effendi to relate in as simple

words as possible for the information of his friends in England,

the sufferings of his last days and yet words fail me in that painful

task.
|P4

The chronic disease from which he had suffered in the past

had very much undermined his weak constitution and his

eagerness to serve the Cause he so dearly loved, despite all advice

to the contrary, was a great tax upon his failing strength. His stay

at the Black Forest in Germany all through the summer had

improved his health, but upon his return to Haifa he felt rather

weak and he was frequently in bed for a few days. Not until a

fortnight ago was Dr. Esslemont seriously ill and even then the

doctors thought that in spite of the fact that the trouble from

[\P41]

which he had suffered in the past was now more active there was

no reason for great anxiety. His health was slowly improving

and everything was being done to give him the best medical

advice obtainable here in Haifa, when suddenly and unexpectedly

at about midnight of November 21st the doctor had a severe

stroke of "cerebral embolus". The next day a second stroke

followed and he at last succumbed to the third which he had at

about seven o'clock of the next evening. The attending doctors

were both European--one Italian and the other German. Our

two Bahá'í doctors Yunis Khan and Mirza Arastu, whom you

must have met in London very gladly put themselves at his

disposal.
|P5

Hard as it was for everyone who had known Dr. Esslemont

to see him pass away and to realise what a great loss it means to

the friends the world over, we can find no greater consolation

than in the happy thought that he now lies in peace and his soul

where it so loved to be. Beyond all earthly cares, all pains and

sorrows his soul dwells forever.
|P6

The funeral service was both simple and touching. His body

was washed by two of the friends, dressed and wrapped in white

silk cloth and perfumed by attar of roses. On his finger Shoghi

Effendi placed his own Bahá'í ring which he had worn for a

good many years. Laid in a simple casket of walnut and placed

in the hall of the Pilgrim House, the friends gathered together

and said their funeral prayer over him. The casket was carried

for a short distance by Shoghi Effendi and then placed in the

Master's carriage and accompanied by the sons-in-law of the

Master it slowly wound its way, followed by eleven other cabs

carrying the friends, to the foot of Mt. Carmel. There it was laid

to rest in that beautifully-situated cemetery, and flowers from

the garden of the Master's home were scattered over his grave.

Simple as he was in his life and character, equally simple was his

funeral service. And yet just as in the simplicity of his character

lay his many virtues, in like manner did the simplicity of that

service sink into every heart and fill every eye with tears.

|P7

In case you think it would please them you are perfectly

welcome to communicate to the family of Dr. Esslemont the

particulars of his death and burial. Enclosed you will please find

a letter from Shoghi Effendi addressed to the family and relations

of the deceased. You will please have it read by his wife, who I

[\P42]

believe is in London, and then sent over to his father and sister

who are in Aberdeen.
|P8

Due to the reason that Shoghi Effendi hopes to build in the

near future the grave of Dr. Esslemont on his behalf and on

behalf of all the friends, our Guardian would like very much to

have the design chosen by the family of the deceased. Of course

you would let them know that through certain considerations it

would be best to have the design devoid of any cross as that in

this country would particularise it to the Christian faith. You

would let the family know that the expense would be defrayed

by the friends all over the world and by Shoghi Effendi himself.

|P9

Shoghi Effendi would also like you to send the picture of Dr.

Esslemont to the countries where the friends have published

magazines with a request to have it published. They are America,

India, Germany and Australia. He wants you also to write a

comprehensive biographical sketch of the life of Dr. Esslemont

for "The Star" in America laying most stress on his life since he

became a Baha'i. This of course does not necessarily mean that

you should write it yourself but anyone in London. You should

also make mention of him in your circular letter in detail....

|N30|P0
30 November 1925+F1
{Printed also in "Bahá'í Administration".}
|P1

To the beloved of God and the handmaids of the Merciful in the East

and in the West.
|P2
Dear fellow-workers,
|P3

It is with feelings of overwhelming sorrow that I communicate to

you the news of yet another loss which the Almighty, in His

inscrutable wisdom, has chosen to inflict upon our beloved Cause. On

the 22nd of November, 1925--that memorable and sacred day in

which the Bahá'ís of the Orient celebrated the twin Festivals of the

Declaration of The Báb and the Birthday of `Abdu'l-Bahá--Dr. John

E. Esslemont passed on to the Abhá Kingdom. His end was as swift

as it was unexpected. Suffering from the effects of a chronic and

insidious disease, he fell at last a victim to the inevitable complications

that ensued, the fatal course of which neither the efforts of vigilant

[\P43]

physicians nor the devoted care of his many friends could possibly

deflect.
|P4

He bore his sufferings with admirable fortitude, with calm

resignation and courage. Though convinced that his ailments would

never henceforth forsake him, yet many a time he revealed a burning

desire that the friends residing in the Holy Land should, while visiting

the Shrines, implore the All-Merciful to prolong his days that he may

bring to a fuller completion his humble share of service to the Threshold

of Bahá'u'lláh. To this noble request all hearts warmly responded. But

this was not to be. His close association with my work in Haifa, in

which I had placed fondest hopes, was suddenly cut short. His book,

however, an abiding monument to his pure intention, will, alone,

inspire generations yet unborn to tread the path of truth and service as

steadfastly and as unostentatiously as was trodden by its beloved

author. The Cause he loved so well he served even unto his last day

with exemplary faith and unstinted devotion. His tenacity of faith, his

high integrity, his self-effacement, his industry and painstaking

labours were traits of a character the noble qualities of which will live

and live forever after him. To me personally he was the warmest of

friends, a trusted counsellor, an indefatigable collaborator, a lovable

companion.
|P5

With tearful eyes I supplicate at the Threshold of Bahá'u'lláh--

and request you all to join--in my ardent prayers, for the fuller

unfolding in the realms beyond of a soul that has already achieved so

high a spiritual standing in this world. For by the beauty of his

character, by his knowledge of the Cause, by the conspicuous

achievements of his book, he has immortalised his name, and by sheer

merit deserved to rank as one of the Hands of the Cause of God.

|P6

He has been laid to rest in the heart of that beautifully situated

Bahá'í burial ground at the foot of Carmel, close to the mortal remains

of that venerable soul, Haji Mirza Vakilu'd-Dawlih, the illustrious

cousin of The Báb and chief builder of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar of

Ishqabad. Pilgrims visiting his grave from far and near will, with

pride and gratitude, do honour to a name that adorned the annals of an

I write to acknowledge receipt of your two letters of Nov. 25

and 28th to Shoghi Effendi and to thank you on his behalf for all

the trouble you have taken in communicating to the friends and

to his family the sad news of the passing away of Dr. Esslemont.

Shoghi Effendi cannot but appreciate the many evidences of

your devotion and love.
|P3

We are very glad to know that Mr. Mills is as successful in his

endeavours and we trust that it should end with a decisive

victory on our part. Mr. Mills has kept us briefly in touch with

what he has been doing in London but we still await more

detailed news from him. He is probably too busy to write.

|P4

Shoghi Effendi has already heard from Miss Esslemont.

|P5

Everybody is well here. Shoghi Effendi and the family send

you their heartfelt greetings....
|P6
[From the Guardian:]
My dear indefatigable co-worker,
|P7

Knowing what the urgency and multiplicity of pressing activities

mean to a person who pursues his task almost single-handed, I can

well understand, sympathise, and admire your noble endeavours and

the splendid work you are doing for the Cause of God. I wish to renew

the expression of my deep confidence in, and great appreciation of, the

part you play at this highly-important and difficult stage of our work.

Your communications regarding the houses in Baghdad have been

highly satisfactory and I trust will yield the long-desired fruit.

Regarding the position of ..., Azizu'llah Khan Bahadur will

immediately after my decision let you know on my behalf what I feel

to be the most suitable way of meeting this difficult situation. I feel too

overwhelmed with work to write more.
|P8
Shoghi
|N32|P0
9 December 1925
|P1

URGE FRIENDS INQUIRE IN COURTEOUS TERMS BY CABLE AND

I am sending you enclosed a copy of the pamphlet written by

Dr. Esselmont.
|P3

Last year Dr. Esslemont sent you a similar copy of the

pamphlet fully revised for you to publish. Shoghi Effendi would

like very much to have a copy of his revised edition and is

sending the enclosed only as a reminder of some of the

corrections and revisions he had made in the copy he sent you.

In case you have published copies of the revised edition, Shoghi

Effendi would like to have a number of copies sent to him and

in case you have not published it, he would like you to send him

a correct copy of the revised form of the edition as you have it.

He could have it published himself. In any case, however, he

wishes you to send back to him the enclosed copy.
|P4

We received last night news that the keys of the houses in

Baghdad have been given to the Shi'ites and they had made a

regular demonstration on the occasion. We await to see what

will be done at last....
|N34|P0
23 January 1926
|P1
My dear Bahá'í Brother,
|P2

I take pleasure in thanking you on behalf of our dear Guardian

for your letters of Dec. 9th and 13th and of Jan. 4th which he

was very glad to receive. He appreciates immensely your many

efforts and although so far away, you are to him, I assure you, a

great and indispensable helper. It is always with confidence in its

thoroughness that he refers to you anything of importance.

|P3

He is so glad to learn that the friends in England have in the

different centres held memorial meetings for our departed

brother. He was to us all a great friend and fellow-worker and

to the Cause a faithful servant--his memory will help us to

follow an equally righteous path.
|P4

The biographical sketch which you have written for the

different Bahá'í magazines and a copy of which you had sent to

our Guardian was received and read. He fully approves of it and

feels sure that the different publications will welcome your

[\P46]

article and will be glad to devote some of their pages to the

memory of one whose name and writings were often to be seen

in those same magazines.
|P5

With regard to the design of the grave of Dr. Esslemont, a

picture of which you had sent enclosed, Shoghi Effendi wishes to

inform you that although he himself liked the design and would

have been glad to follow it altogether, up till the present the

tombs of the Bahá'ís have been very simply built and the custom

has been to have them as beautiful and at the same time as simple

as possible. This general custom holds true even in the case of the

tombs of the Master's mother and brother. The graves are built

of white marble stones but the designs have in every case been

simple, and he wishes you very much to make the family of Dr.

Esslemont understand that although Shoghi Effendi will not be

able to follow the design strictly he will try to make the tomb

as near it as possible, while keeping within the range of the

customary simplicity. Even the tomb of the cousin of The Báb

which is close to that of Dr. Esslemont and which Shoghi Effendi

also intends to build will be very simple.
|P6

In connection with the leaflet of Dr. Esslemont, Shoghi Effendi

feels that if you intend to publish a new edition you would do

well to keep it until you are through with it, but if you already

have many copies of the last issue and the Assembly does not

intend to bring out a new edition in the near future, he wants

you to send him the leaflet so as to be able to send it to America

where he wants to have it translated into Hebrew and other

languages. At any case he wants you to send him a copy of it or

the original as soon as possible.
|P7

Our Guardian has been very glad to receive a wire of late

from Baghdad telling him that everything was hopeful. As yet

we do not have any particulars but we trust that we can soon

regain our rights in the houses. It is perhaps very fortunate that

the High Commissioner himself will be in Baghdad and will be

able to help us very much....
|P8

P.S. With regard to the accent in the letter a in the

transliteration of Persian names and words and the difficulty of

the publishers in having a vertical mark, Shoghi Effendi feels

that in case having the regular vertical mark means too much

trouble and expense it would be justified to replace it by the

horizontal dash on the a, but if the trouble and expense would

[\P47]

not be much, for the sake of uniformity throughout transliterations

everywhere, it would be best to have the regular vertical

mark.
|P9
[From the Guardian:]
My dear fellow-worker,
|P10

I am sure you will understand, and explain my motive and reasons

to dear Esslemont's relatives in connexion with the design of the tomb.

Much as I love and esteem my departed friend, I feel I must pay due

consideration to the general practice prevailing in Haifa and Akka

particularly as it is applied even to the resting places of the Master's

nearest relations. I will however follow the design as closely as it is

consistent with simplicity, without altering in any way the shape and

general outline presented by the architect. Please assure his relatives of

my keen desire to do everything possible that will enhance and preserve

Many thanks for your letter of Feb. 21, and I am so sorry I

could not answer you earlier.
|P3

I am sending you enclosed the plan that you had sent and

behind it I have marked the approximate prices of the plots. You

realise that the exact price cannot be determined because they

fluctuate and various causes bring about this change in price. For

this reason I have given two figures one being the minimum and

the other the maximum. There are no probabilities that under

any conditions the maximum and the minimum will change.

However, I have sent you the price for the so called region rather

than the individual plots, the latter being due to many reasons

quite impossible.
|P4

Shoghi Effendi is quite well though as usual very busy with an

overwhelmingly vast correspondence. The family are all well

and send you their love and best wishes....
|P5
[From the Guardian:]
My esteemed and valued friend:
|P6

I understand from your recent cable to me that Miss ... has at last

complied with my request and written the London Assembly

acknowledging their authority. I have immediately cabled you my

[\P48]

heartfelt appreciation of her act. If that is the case I wish to urge you

and the London Council to exercise the utmost care, consideration and

vigilance that this new step taken in the right direction may gradually

lead to a definite solution of this painful problem. I am as usual terribly

overwhelmed with my unceasing work and this cable of yours has been

a most welcome relief. I have received your letter dated Feb. 7. I am

returning one of the leaflets for future publication in London. I wish

to remind you of the necessity of close co-operation on the part of the

English National Spiritual Assembly with `La nova Tago' published

I thank you very much indeed on behalf of our dear Guardian

for your kind letters of March 29th and 31st.
|P3

The news of the reconciliation of ... with the National

Assembly has been the source of immeasurable joy to the heart

of Shoghi Effendi and he appreciates the spirit of both parties in

trying to forget all past misunderstandings and in starting anew

with genuine love and goodwill. This has relieved Shoghi

Effendi of a very heavy weight of thought and distress and this

itself gives you as much satisfaction as it does to us all.

|P4

Shoghi Effendi has gladly received the names of the elected

body for the London Assembly and he wishes them all success

from the bottom of his heart. That they may all help to vindicate

still more strongly the great claim of our dear Cause in England,

that they may succeed to increase daily the numbers of earnest

Bahá'í workers and that they may mirror forth the great spirit

of our beloved Master, is the fondest hope and the fervent prayer

of our dear Guardian.
|P5

As I write you these lines we are all sorely distressed with the

ghastly news of the martyrdom of twelve Bahá'ís in one of the

towns of southern Persia....
|P6
[From the Guardian:]
My dear and valued friend:
|P7

I have received with feelings of deep satisfaction the welcome news

of ... compliance with my request. I wish to impress upon all those

who come in contact with her the necessity of exercising forbearance,

[\P49]

kindness and loving consideration while adhering closely to the

established principles of the Cause. I will inform you if any action is

necessary regarding the martyrdom in Jahrum in Southern Persia--

a monstrous crime that has deeply afflicted us all. Concerning the

membership of the Spiritual Assembly, I have already communicated

with America to the effect that the members who are entitled to vote

must be strictly limited to nine. Additional members may attend only

in a consultative capacity. I realise fully the delicacy and difficulty of

your position but it must be made clear to all that nine and only nine

can vote. All other subsidiary matters are left to the Assemblies.

|P8
Lovingly,
Shoghi
|N37|P0
11 April 1926+F1

{This is the first example of a receipt from the Guardian. A few such

receipts appear in this book as they illustrate his meticulous attention to

detail. They do not, however, represent the total contributions made by

members of the British Bahá'í community during the thirty-five years

covered by the book.}
|P1

I gratefully acknowledge the receipt of the sum of seventeen pounds

from my dear friends the Bahá'ís of England as their much appreciated

contribution for the purchase of land around the Holy Shrines on Mt.

Carmel.
|P2
Shoghi
|N38|P0
22 April 1926+F2
{Printed also in "Bahá'í Administration."}
|P1

To the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful

throughout the West.
|P2
Fellow-labourers in the Divine Vineyard:
|P3

In the midst of the many vicissitudes which the creative Word of

God is destined to encounter in the course of its onward march towards

the redemption of the world, there breaks upon us the news of still

another loss, more bewildering in its character, yet more inspiring in

its challenge, than any of the gravest happenings of recent times. Once

again the woeful tale of unabated persecution, involving this time the

martyrdom of twelve of our long-suffering brethren in Jahrum,

southern Persia, has reached our ears, and filled us with a gloom which

all the joys and ennobling memories of Ridvan have failed to dispel.

[\P50]
|P4

From the meagre reports which have thus far been received from

that distracted country it appears that this shameful and atrocious act,

though the outcome of a number of obscure and complex causes, has

been chiefly instigated by that ever-present factor of fierce and relentless

impulse of religious hostility. Persia--long-neglected and sorely-tried--

continues, despite the revival of recent hopes, to be the down-trodden

victim of unscrupulous personal rivalries and factious intrigue,

of tribal revolt, political dissensions and religious animosities--all of

which have in times past brought in their wake the shedding of the

blood of so many of its innocent and choicest sons.

|P5

Fully alive to the gravity of the occasion, and realising the urgency

of my sacred duty, I have, upon the receipt of the news, transmitted

telegraphically through the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís

of Persia a special message addressed in the name of the Bahá'ís in

every land to the supreme Authority in the State, expressing our

profound horror at this outrageous act as well as our earnest entreaty

to inflict immediate punishment on the perpetrators of so abominable

a crime. And as this sad event involved chiefly the welfare and security

of the Bahá'í residents in Persia, I have specially requested all local

Assemblies in that land to address a similar message to the highest

authorities concerned appealing for full protection and justice. Should

future developments necessitate direct and foreign intervention, I shall

acquaint the national Bahá'í representatives in every land to take in

cooperation with all local Assemblies such measures as will effectually

conduce to a fuller recognition of the dynamic force latent in the Baha'i

Faith and ensure the betterment of the lot of the heroic supporters of

our Cause.
|P6

Pending the opening of official and direct communication with

recognised authorities whether in Persia or elsewhere, I strongly feel

that the time has assuredly come when it is incumbent upon every

conscientious promoter of the Cause to bestir himself and undertake in

consultation with the friends in his locality such measures of publicity

as will lead to the gradual awakening of the conscience of the civilised

world to what is admittedly an ignominious manifestation of a

decadent age.
|P7

I would specially request all National Assemblies to give their

anxious and immediate consideration to this grave matter, and to

devise ways and means that will secure the fullest publicity to our

grievances. I would remind them that whatever is published should be

couched in terms that are at once correct, forceful and inoffensive. I

[\P51]

would particularly stress the importance of making every effort to

secure the sympathy and hospitality of the leading journals and

periodicals of the Western world, and of sending to the Holy Land any

such references in papers that will arise to champion the cause of

Righteousness and Justice. I greatly deplore the fact that owing to the

remoteness and the unstable conditions in Persia, details and particulars

regarding this ugly incident are not as yet available, but will be duly

communicated to the various centres immediately upon their receipt.

I would however ask the believers throughout the West to arise

without any further delay and supplement the publication of the news

conveyed in this message with an account of previous happenings of

a similar character, combined with an adequate survey of the aim, the

principles, and history of the Bahá'í Cause.
|P8

It is to you, dearly beloved friends of the West, who are the

standard-bearers of the emancipation and triumph of the Bahá'í Faith,

that our afflicted brethren of the East have turned their expectant eyes,

confident that the day cannot be far-distant when, in accordance with

Abdu'l-Bahá'í explicit utterance, the West will "seize the Cause"

from Persia's fettered hands and lead it to glorious victory.

|P9

Though grief-stricken and horrified at this cruel blow, let us be on

our guard lest we give way to despair, lest we forget that in the

Almighty's inscrutable Wisdom this sudden calamity may prove to be

but a blessing in disguise. For what else can it do but to stir the inmost

depths of our souls, set our faith ablaze, galvanise our efforts, dissolve

our differences, and provide one of the chief instruments which the

unhampered promoters of the Faith can utilise to attract the attention,

enlist the sympathy, and eventually win the allegiance of all mankind?

|P10

Ours is this supreme opportunity; may we fulfil our trust.

Your true brother,
Shoghi
|N39|P0
11 May 1926+F1
{Printed also in "Bahá'í Administration".}
|P1

To the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful

throughout the West.
|P2

Dearly beloved brothers and sisters in `Abdu'l-Bahá!

|P3

Grave and manifold as are the problems confronting the struggling

Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, none appear more significant nor seem more

[\P52]

compelling in their urgency than the incredible sufferings borne so

heroically by our down-trodden brethren of the East. Recent reports

confirming the news which I have lately communicated to you have all

emphasised the barbarous severity practised on the innocent followers

of our Cause. They reveal the possibility of the extension of this

agitation, partly instigated for political purposes and selfish motives,

to neighbouring towns and provinces, and dwell upon the traditional

slackness of the local authorities to inflict prompt and severe punishment

upon all the perpetrators of such abominable crimes. It has been

ascertained that in the town of Jahrum women have suffered

martyrdom in a most atrocious manner, that the knife of the criminal

has mercilessly cut to pieces the body of a child, that a number have

been severely beaten and injured, their bodies mutilated, their homes

pillaged, their property confiscated, and the homeless remnants of their

family abandoned to the mercy of a shameless and tyrannical people.

In other parts of Persia, and particularly in the province of

Adhirbayjan, in the town of Maraghih, the friends have been pitilessly

denied the civic rights and privileges extended to every citizen of the

land. They have been refused the use of the public bath, and been

denied access to such shops as provide the necessities of life. They have

been declared deprived of the benefit and protection of the law, and all

association and dealing with them denounced as a direct violation of

the precepts and principles of Islam. It has even been authoritatively

stated that the decencies of public interment have been refused to their

dead, and that in a particular case every effort to induce the Moslem

undertaker to provide the wood for the construction of the coffin failed

to secure the official support of the authorities concerned. Every appeal

made by these harassed Bahá'ís on behalf of their brethren, whether

living or dead, has been met with cold indifference, with vague

promises, and not infrequently with severe rebuke and undeserved

chastisement.
|P4

The tale of such outrageous conduct, such widespread suffering and

loss, if properly expressed and broadcast, cannot fail in the end to

arouse the conscience of civilised mankind, and thereby secure the

much-needed relief for a long-suffering people. I would, therefore,

renew my plea, and request you most earnestly to redouble your efforts

in the wide field of publicity, to devise every possible means that will

alleviate the fears and sorrows of the silent sufferers in that distracted

country.
|P5

Surely these vile wrong-doers cannot long remain unpunished for

[\P53]

their ferocious atrocities, and the day may not be far distant when we

shall witness, as we have observed elsewhere, the promised signs of

Divine Retribution avenging the blood of the slaughtered servants of

I thank you on behalf of Shoghi Effendi for your letter of May

8th.
|P3

He was very glad indeed to learn the names of the newly

elected London Spiritual Assembly and he wishes them success

from the bottom of his heart. He earnestly trusts that throughout

the coming year they will succeed to give a fresh impetus to the

progress of the Cause in England and will not be satisfied with

only mediocre efforts and endeavours.
|P4

With regard to the election of the Assemblies and your desire

to have substitutes in order to ensure a steady and easy-to-obtain

quorum for business, Shoghi Effendi would not like to give you

any further special regulations but would prefer you to

communicate with America and follow the method they have

adopted. He has a keen desire that uniformity should exist in the

regulations. I am sure you would gladly communicate with Mr.

Horace Holley on the subject.
|P5

He is so gratified that the case of ... is settled permanently and

he hopes that in future no such petty misunderstandings will

come in the way of the steady growth of the Movement, which

is of the utmost necessity not only in England but throughout

the world.
|P6

Shoghi Effendi is well but as usual very busy. The recent

atrocities in Persia have been a source of deep grief to his

heart....
|P7
[From the Guardian:]
My dear fellow-worker,
|P8

In order to avoid misunderstandings and confusion and ensure

uniformity of method and action I have requested you to conform to the

[\P54]

principle adopted by the American friends and Mr. Holley will inform

you of the method they pursue. I realise the special and peculiar

difficulties that prevail in London and the nature of the obstacles with

which they are confronted. I feel however that an earnest effort should

be made to overcome them and that the members must arrange their

affairs in such a way as to ensure their prompt attendance at 9

meetings which are held in the course of the year. This surely is not an

insurmountable obstacle.
|P9

I will remember their needs and difficulties in my prayers at the

Holy Shrines and will continue to supplicate for them Divine guidance

Shoghi Effendi wishes me to acknowledge the receipt of your

letter dated June 22nd, 1926. He is most appreciative of the

many and continuous services you are rendering to the Cause in

that land. Your efficiency, sincerity and untiring zeal are great

assets for the friends in England....
|P3

Shoghi Effendi fully approves of your suggestion to put a

royalty on the translations of Dr. Esslemont's book equal to what

he had arranged for the original. Not only is that a fair thing to

do but also it is incumbent upon us to show our appreciation of

Dr. Esslemont's services to the Cause by safeguarding the interests

of his family, especially as his wife is an invalid and in need of

help. Shoghi Effendi specially wants me to ask you to show

utmost consideration to her interests.
|P4
[From the Guardian:]
My dear fellow-worker,
|P5

I hope you will assure Mrs. Esslemont on my behalf and express to

her my warm approval of your suggestion which would safeguard her

interests and prove of some assistance to her....
|P6

Assuring you of my earnest prayers for your continued and

unsparing efforts for the promotion of the Cause you serve so well,

This is to acknowledge the receipt of your letter to Shoghi

Effendi dated June 20, 1926. He is very thankful for what you

are trying to do for the friends in Persia. I hope the efforts of the

whole western friends combined will alleviate this great burden

which rests upon them, and at least give them the peace and

comfort which they have been for so long desiring.

|P3

As to the translation or rather revision of the translation of the

"Hidden Words". A year ago, I believe, the American friends

wrote to Shoghi Effendi and asked him to do it. Complying

with their wish he revised his translation and they have published

it both in paper and leather bound. Shoghi Effendi believes that

another edition in England will be useless and perhaps will not

find the necessary market. You could buy from America all the

copies you need. Nevertheless, if you want to have a new English

edition you can procure a copy from America. Shoghi Effendi

does not believe it necessary to give it a still other revision....

|P4
[From the Guardian:]
My dear and able friend,
|P5

I am in correspondence with Rev. Townshend+ in connexion with

various alterations in my rendering of the Hidden Words. I have just

received his second letter containing suggestions which I greatly

appreciate and value. I am hoping to revise it for a third time after my

correspondence with Mr. T. is over. I feel you can postpone it for the

present. I hope and pray you will succeed in giving wide and effective

publicity to the atrocities perpetrated in Persia, in the British Press. It

is so necessary and important. We must at all costs capture the heights

and the British friends have in this connexion a unique and splendid

opportunity in their own country and amid their own people. Difficult

though it be we must persevere and not relax in our efforts. What

Martha+F1
{Martha Root.}

has achieved is a great incentive and example. Your own

splendid efforts are deeply and lovingly appreciated by me.

|P6
Shoghi
[\P56]
|N43|P0
17 October 1926+F1
{Printed also in "Bahá'í Administration".}
|P1

To the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful

throughout the West.
|P2

Dearly-beloved brothers and sisters in `Abdu'l-Bahá!

|P3

In the course of the few months that have elapsed since my last

communication to you regarding the appalling circumstances that have

culminated in the martyrdom of our Persian brethren in Jahrum,

events of the highest importance to the future welfare of our beloved

Cause have transpired, and with startling suddenness conferred abiding

solace upon those who still have to face the pains and terrors of

unmitigated and shameless tyranny.
|P4

You have, most of you I presume, read with thrilling joy in one of

the recent issues of the "Star of the West" that illuminating account

given by our beloved sister, Miss Martha Root, wherein she tells with

her characteristic directness and modesty the story of her moving

interview with Her Majesty Queen Marie of Rumania and of the

cordial and ready response which her gentle yet persuasive presentation

of the principles of the Bahá'í Faith has evoked in the heart of that

honoured Queen. One of the visible and potent effects which this

historic interview proved capable of achieving was the remarkable

appeal in the form of an open letter which Her Majesty freely and

spontaneously caused to be published to the world at large testifying in

a language of exquisite beauty to the power and sublimity of the

Message of Bahá'u'lláh.
|P5

It was indeed a never-to-be-forgotten occasion when, on the eve of

the day commemorating the passing of Bahá'u'lláh, a handful of us,

His sorrowing servants, had gathered round His beloved Shrine

supplicating relief and deliverance for the down-trodden in Persia, to

receive in the midst of the silence of that distressing hour the glad-tiding

of this notable triumph which the unbending energy and

indomitable spirit of our beloved Martha has achieved for our sacred

Cause.
|P6

With bowed heads and grateful hearts we recognise in this glowing

tribute which Royalty has thus paid to the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh an

epoch-making pronouncement destined to herald those stirring events

which, as `Abdu'l-Bahá has prophesied, shall in the fullness of time

signalise the triumph of God's holy Faith. For who can doubt but that

the deeds of those valiant pioneers of the Faith, unexampled though

[\P57]

they have been in the abundance of their number and unexcelled in

their sublime heroism, are but a faint glimmer of what, according to the

Divine Promise, its steadfast followers are destined to perform? Those

heroic exploits that have immortalised the names of its primitive

adherents will continue to adorn and illuminate the pages of its blood-stained

history; yet we cannot forget that the period of its full fruition

with all its promise of world felicity and undreamt-of-achievements is

yet to be realised, its golden Age yet to unfold. Indeed, how chastening

to our pride, how challenging to our enthusiasm, if we but pause for

a moment amidst the world's many distractions and ponder in our

hearts the vastness, the compelling urgency, the ineffable glory of what

still remains unachieved.
|P7

But let us all remember, in this connexion, that prior to every

conceivable measure destined to raise the efficiency of our administrative

activities, more vital than any scheme which the most resourceful

amongst us can devise, far above the most elaborate structure which the

concerted efforts of organised Assemblies can hope to raise, is the

realisation down in the innermost heart of every true believer of

the regenerating power, the supreme necessity, the unfailing efficacy

of the Message he bears. I assure you, dear friends, that nothing short

of such an immovable conviction could have in days past enabled our

beloved Cause to weather the blackest storms in its history. Naught

else can today vitalise the manifold activities in which unnumbered

disciples of the Faith are engaged; naught else can provide that driving

force and sustaining power that are both so essential to the success of

vast and enduring achievements. It is this spirit that above all else we

should sedulously guard, and strive with all our might to fortify and

exemplify in all our undertakings.
|P8

Moved by an irresistible impulse, I have addressed to Her Majesty

in the name of the Bahá'ís of both the East and the West a written

expression of our joyous admiration and gratitude for the queenly

tribute which Her Majesty has paid to the beauty and nobility of the

Bahá'í Teachings. I have, moreover, assured Her Majesty of the far-reaching

effect which her superb testimony will inevitably produce,

and of the welcome consolation it has already brought to the silent

sufferers in that distracted country. To my message of appreciation and

gratitude there has come lately a written response, penned by Her

Majesty, profoundly touching, singularly outspoken, and highly

significant in the testimony it bears, from this queenly tribute to a

Divine Ideal I quote these penetrating words:
[\P58]
|P9

"Indeed a great light came to me with the Message of Bahá'u'lláh

and `Abdu'l-Bahá. It came as all great messages come at an hour of dire

grief and inner conflict and distress, so the seed sank deeply.... We

pass on the Message from mouth to mouth and all those we give it to

see a light suddenly lighting before them and much that was obscure

and perplexing becomes simple, luminous and full of hope as never

before. That my open letter was balm to those suffering for the Cause

is indeed a great happiness to me, and I take it as a sign that God

accepted my humble tribute.... With bowed head I recognise that I

too am but an instrument in greater Hands and rejoice in the

knowledge...."
|P10

Dear friends, with feelings of profound emotion we recall the

glowing promises that have so often fallen from the lips of our departed

Master, and with throbbing hearts rejoice in the gradual realisation of

His most cherished desire.
|P11

And as we call to mind the circumstances that have led to such a

notable advance, we are filled with admiration for that unique and

great-hearted apostle of Bahá'u'lláh, our dearly-beloved Martha Root,

who under trying circumstances and almost single-handed in her

efforts, has so wonderfully paved the way for the universal recognition

of the Cause of God. In her case we have verily witnessed in an

unmistakable manner what the power of dauntless faith, when coupled

with sublimity of character, can achieve, what forces it can release, to

what heights it can rise.
|P12

Let such remarkable revelations of the reality and continuity of the

Divine Purpose, made manifest from time to time to us His feeble

children serve to fortify our faith in Him, to warm the chill which

fleeting misfortunes may leave behind, and fill us with that Celestial

potency which alone can enable us to withstand the storm and stress

that lives dedicated to His service must needs encounter.

Shoghi Effendi wishes me to acknowledge the receipt of your

letters dated October 3rd and 10th, 1926. He wishes me

especially to mention how appreciative he is of your many

[\P59]

services so efficiently and devotingly rendered. He will pray for

you and for the other members of the London Group that

through your combined efforts an unprecedented progress be

made there and numerous persons attracted to the precepts of the

Cause.
|P3

Concerning the attendance of certain individuals at the

meeting of the Assemblies and at the invitation of that body.

This, Shoghi Effendi considers, to be as expert advice which is

absolutely necessary for good administration. The members of

the Assembly are not supposed to know everything on every

subject, so they can invite a person, versed in that question, to

attend their meetings and explain his views. But naturally he

will have no right to vote....
|P4
[From the Guardian:]
My dear and precious co-worker,
|P5

I am glad and grateful to feel that the joint efforts of Martha and

Mountfort+F1
{Martha Root and Mountfort Mills.}

have given a fresh impetus to the promotion of the Cause

in Great Britain. I trust that the collective and individual efforts of the

members of the British Spiritual Assemblies will serve to consolidate

the work already achieved. I should be pleased to receive if available

full copies of any newspapers in Great Britain that may have published

the appreciations broadcast by the Queen of Rumania. The entire

issue of the papers--not clippings--will be of great significance to the

friends in Persia. Ten copies of each would be sufficient. I wish also to

request you to urge all the friends in Great Britain to subscribe to the

"Messager Baha'i" published by Mrs. Stannard in Geneva. It is

essential and valuable.
|P6
Your true brother,
Shoghi
|N45|P0
29 October 1926+F2
{Printed also in "Bahá'í Administration".}
|P1

To the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful

throughout the West.
|P2
Dear fellow-workers in the Divine Vineyard!
|P3

It will gladden and rejoice every one of you to learn that from

[\P60]

various quarters there has of late reached the Holy Land tidings of

fresh developments that are a clear indication of those hidden and

transforming influences which, from the source of Bahá'u'lláh's mystic

strength, continue to flow with ever-increasing vitality into the heart

of this troubled world.
|P4

Both in the wider field of its spiritual conquests, where its

indomitable spirit is forging ahead, capturing the heights, pervading

the multitude; as well as in the gradual consolidation of the

administrative structure which its avowed followers the world over are

labouring to raise and fortify, the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, we can

increasingly discern, bids fair to become that force which, though not

as yet universally recognised, none can afford to belittle or ignore.

|P5

In the bold and repeated testimonies which Her Majesty, Queen

Marie of Rumania, has chosen to give to the world--a copy of whose

latest pronouncement I enclose--we truly recognise evidences of the

irresistible power, the increasing vitality, the strange working of a

Faith destined to regenerate the world. Her Majesty's striking tribute

paid to the illuminative power of the Teachings of Bahá'u'lláh and

Abdu'l-Bahá is bound to effect an entire transformation in the attitude

of many to a Faith the tenets of which have often been misunderstood

and sorely neglected. It will serve as a fresh stimulus to the enlightened

and cultured to investigate with an open mind the verities of its

message, the source of its life-giving principles.

|P6

From Baghdad, moreover, where the sacred habitation of Bahá'u'lláh

has been violated by a relentless enemy and converted into a rallying

centre for the corrupt, the perverse, and the fanatical, there comes the

news, highly reassuring to us all, of the satisfactory progress of the

negotiations which, we are informed on high authority, will soon lead

to the expropriation of the property by the State, culminating in the

fullness of time in its occupation by the triumphant followers of God's

holy Faith. The case of the houses, so ably presented, so persistently

pursued, above all reinforced by the vigilant and protecting power of

our departed Master, will eventually triumph, and by its repercussions

in Persia as in the world at large, will lend a powerful impetus to the

liberation of those forces which will carry the Cause to its ultimate

destiny. I will, when the occasion presents itself, inform the believers

through their respective National Spiritual Assemblies to address

messages of appreciation and gratitude to the Authorities concerned in

view of their unrelaxing efforts for the triumph of Right and Justice.

|P7

For the present, we cannot but rejoice and feel profoundly thankful

[\P61]

as we witness in so many directions the welcome signs of the gradual

emancipation of the struggling Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, of the increasing

recognition on the part of both the high and lowly of its universal

principles--all so rich in their promise of ultimate victory.

Shoghi Effendi wishes me to acknowledge the receipt of your

letter dated November 14th, 1926, together with the minutes of

the 18th meeting of the National Assembly, held on October

23rd 1926. He has received the 200 copies of the 4th edition of

the folder and desires to thank you for them.
|P3

The question of incorporating the National Assembly is very

important for though at present there may not be any important

business which necessitates that, one may arise at any time. There

is also some advantage in being ready for any future developments.

But naturally such a step should be taken after consultation

with competent lawyers lest some defect may in the future cause

some inconveniences.
|P4

What Shoghi Effendi desires to have are clippings of any

article written by the Queen of Rumania on subjects referring to

the Cause and published in England. He has received such

declarations or open letters from America and wishes to know

what she is doing along those lines in England which is her own

native home. It is really wonderful how boldly she is advocating

this Cause absolutely regardless of what others may say. This is

a very good lesson for those who being Bahá'ís keep in the dark

so as not to be criticised and perhaps ostracised by so called

society people.
|P5

We are eagerly awaiting to meet Miss Rosenberg and Mrs.

Slade+ to obtain a first hand information of the condition of the

Cause in England and the extent to which Mr. Mills and Miss

Root have succeeded to improve it.
|P6
[From the Guardian:]
My dearly-beloved co-worker:
|P7

I am hoping that our deliberations with our English Bahá'í visitors

[\P62]

will assist and aid the work in which you are engaged and prove

beneficial to the Cause in general. I feel that the opportunities now

open to the friends are greater than ever before and I will pray that the

measures they undertake will redound to the glory, the power and

effectiveness of the Cause. The utterances of the Rumanian Queen

should be given the fullest possible publicity and be fully utilised as I

feel they are of great significance and value. More power to your

Thank you so very much for your clear good letter of Jan.

16th--Shoghi Effendi bids me say how much pleasure he always

derives from the perusal of your letters--which are always

expressed with such admirable clearness, and to the point. He has

just now been discussing with me the various matters you

mention.
|P3

He says that in one way we are not quite correct in the way

we manage our elections for the National Assembly--Shoghi

Effendi says that the intention is, that when once the 19 delegates

have been elected by the friends of the respective centres in the

proportions you mention, i.e. 12 delegates from among the

London friends, five from the Manchester friends, and two from

the Bournemouth group, that then, these 19 delegates assembled

should choose by secret ballot from the whole body of the

believers in Gt. Britain and Ireland, the nine friends they consider

most suitable as members of the National Assembly. Heretofore,

as I understand it, it has rather been our practice that the 12

London delegates elected six from the London friends--the

Manchester five delegates elected two from Manchester and the

Bournemouth delegates elected one from Bournemouth. But,

Shoghi Effendi says, all the 19 delegates must clearly understand

that they must select from the whole body of the believers in Gt.

Britain and Ireland those 9 whom they consider the most fit and

suitable members to constitute the National Assembly. Therefore

it will be necessary to supply each of the 19 delegates with a

complete list of all those believers in Gt. Britain and Ireland.

From that complete list of course must be eliminated all those

who from one cause or another are unable to serve on the

[\P63]

National Assembly. Also--Shoghi Effendi says that those 19

elected delegates should if possible meet during the Feast of

Ridvan in London thus forming as it were a Báby Convention!

I had not realised before that the annual Bahá'í Convention in

the U.S.A. consists solely of those delegates who had been chosen

by their respective Centres in order that they may elect the 9 to

form the National Assembly of that country. Did you understand

this? I certainly did not. As Shoghi Effendi points out--it is quite

possible that--e.g. in the future--7 members might be elected

from the Manchester friends and only two from London! On

the other hand--it is quite possible that all nine members chosen

by the 19 delegates might be from the London group. Of course,

on reflection one sees clearly that the proceedings must be as now

described because in the future there may be 21 or 53 separate

local Assemblies in Gt. Britain just as is now the case in the

U.S.A.--and it would obviously be impossible for each of these

Assemblies to elect one of their number to sit as their

representative on the National Assembly. No doubt I ought to

have understood this before--but I must confess I did not!...

|P4

It is very grievous that our dear Mrs. Cropper should have

been so ill--we have all been praying for her recovery since we

knew of it and I am thankful to hear she is now making steady

progress.
|P5

Since writing to you I too have had a bad influenza cold that

swept through our house. But I am now quite recovered I am

glad to say.
|P6
With all best wishes to yourself.
Your sincere friend in His service,
Ethel Rosenberg
|P7

P.S. I have just remembered I have said nothing about the

London area that should be included--Shoghi Effendi thinks it

would save trouble if you drew your circle widely enough to

include Mrs. Slade and her daughter! At first he inclined to agree

with you that it would be best to take the middle one--the

Postal Area--and make exceptions in favour of Mrs. Haybittel

and her daughter. (Mrs. Ginman+ I hear from my brother has

moved into town now) but it seemed to him that you might

possibly have other friends residing or moving out to Surbiton

etc., so that it might save you trouble in the future if you selected

[\P64]

the widest area? This is merely a suggestion on his part--as it

will no doubt be decided at the meeting of the London Assembly.

But with regard to the choosing by the 19 delegates of the nine

members of the National Assembly, his instructions are quite

definite and must not be departed from--as these instructions

are as laid down by the Master in the Testament and other

Tablets. Shoghi Effendi says you can even now soon select the

day for the 19 delegates to come to London during Ridvan. By

the way Ridvan begins exactly 31 days after the New Year so it

starts almost always on April 21st and lasts for 12 days. I have

recorded my notes on list enclosed.
|P8
Yours ever,
E. Rosenberg
|P9
Shoghi+F1

{In a different handwriting from Miss Rosenberg's.}

Effendi emphatically urges that the 19 friends elected as

delegates should meet together during Ridvan--Shoghi Effendi

has sent you three copies of the Bahá'í Year Book, one for

London, one for Manchester and one for Bournemouth.

|P10
Read and approved. Shoghi
Editor's Note:
|P11

From December 1926 to April 1927, while the secretary who was then

helping with the English correspondence was away from Haifa, Miss Ethel J.

Rosenberg (addressed in letters by the Guardian as "My dear Rosa"), was on

pilgrimage and kept up a lengthy and repetitive correspondence with George

P. Simpson. In these letters from Miss Rosenberg are many instructions from

the Guardian to the British National Assembly. The letter reproduced in this

compilation, dated January 29th, 1927 is important for many reasons:

|P12

1. It is the only one from Miss Rosenberg which carried the handwriting of

Shoghi Effendi where he "Approved" what had been written.

|P13

2. It outlined the principle for the election of the National Spiritual

Assembly by delegates which the British N.S.A. had not then appreciated

from the earlier letters of the Guardian (of 1923, 1294, 1925, later

published in "Bahá'í Administration").
|P14

3. It insisted upon Convention being held in London during Ridvan.

|P15

4. It clarified the need to have a recognised voting area for London but left

the final decision to the local Spiritual Assembly of London.

|P16

As a result of this letter 13 delegates attended Convention and 4 voted by

post; ten members were elected to the National Assembly (Guardian's letter of

May, 13th, 1927 refers), and the London area was defined as having a radius of

36 miles.
[\P65]
|N48|P0
12 February 1927+F1
{Printed also in "Bahá'í Administration".}
|P1

To the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful

throughout the West.
|P2

Dearly-beloved brothers and sisters in `Abdu'l-Bahá:

|P3

The trend of various events, affecting directly and indirectly the

interests of the Bahá'í Cause, have of late served to bring into further

prominence the character as well as the significance of a Faith destined

to regenerate the world.
|P4

Of all the diverse issues which today are gradually tending to

consolidate and extend the bounds of the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, the

decision of Egypt's religious Tribunal regarding the Bahá'ís under its

jurisdiction appears at the present moment to be the most powerful in

its challenge, the most startling in its character, and the most perplexing

in the consequences it may entail. I have already alluded in my letter

of January 10, 1926, addressed to the National Spiritual Assembly

of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada, to a particular feature

of this momentous verdict, which after mature deliberation has obtained

the sanction of Egypt's highest ecclesiastical authorities, has been

communicated and printed, and is regarded as final and binding. I have

stressed in my last reference to this far-reaching pronouncement the

negative aspect of this document which condemns in most unequivocal

and emphatic language the followers of Bahá'u'lláh as the believers in

heresy, offensive and injurious to Islam, and wholly incompatible with

the accepted doctrines and practice of its orthodox adherents.

|P5

A closer study of the text of the decision will, however, reveal the

fact that coupled with this strong denunciation is the positive assertion

of a truth which the recognised opponents of the Bahá'í Faith in other

Muhammadan countries have up to the present time either sedulously

ignored or maliciously endeavoured to disprove. Not content with this

harsh and unjustifiable repudiation of the so-called menacing and

heretical doctrines of the adherents of the Bahá'í Faith, they proceed in

a formal manner to declare in the text of that very decision their belief,

that the Bahá'í Faith is a "new religion", "entirely independent" and,

by reason of the magnitude of its claim and the character of its "laws,

principles and beliefs," worthy to be reckoned as one of the established

religious systems of the world. Quoting various passages judiciously

[\P66]

gleaned from a number of Bahá'í sacred Books as an evidence to their

splendid testimony, they proceed in a notable statement to deduce the

fact that henceforth it shall be regarded as impossible for the followers

of such a Faith to be designated as Muslim, just as it would be incorrect

and erroneous to call a Muhammadan either Christian or Jew.

|P6

It cannot be denied that in the course of the inevitable developments

of this present situation the resident Bahá'ís of Egypt, originally

belonging to the Muslim Faith, will be placed in a most humiliating

and embarrassing position. They, however, cannot but rejoice in the

knowledge that whereas in various Muhammadan countries and

particularly in Persia the overwhelming majority of the leaders of

Islam are utterly opposed to any form of declaration that would

facilitate the universal recognition of the Cause, the authorised heads

of their co-religionists in one of the most advanced communities in the

Muhammadan world have, of their own initiative, published to the

world a document that may justly be termed as the first charter of

liberty emancipating the Bahá'í Faith from the fetters of orthodox

Islam. And in order to insure the complete rupture of Bahá'í official

relations with Muslim Courts they lay down in unmistakable terms

the condition that under no circumstances can the marriage of those

Bahá'ís who have been required to divorce their Muslim wives be

renewed by the Muslim Court unless and until the husbands formally

recant their faith by solemnly declaring that the Quran is the "last"

Book of God revealed to man, that no law can abrogate the Prophet's

Law, no faith can succeed His Faith, no revelation can claim to fulfill

His Revelation.
|P7

While unwavering in their belief in the Divine station of the

Author of the Quran and profoundly convinced of the necessity and

worldwide influence of His Divine mission, Bahá'ís in every land

stand undeterred and unabashed in the face of the strong condemnation

pronounced against their brethren in Egypt. Indeed, they together with

their fellow-workers in all Muslim countries welcome with gladness

and pride every opportunity for further emancipation that they may

set forth in a truer light the sublime mission of Bahá'u'lláh.

|P8

In the face of such an outspoken and challenging declaration, the

Bahá'ís of the West cannot but feel the deepest sympathy with their

Egyptian brethren who, for the sake of our beloved Cause and its

deliverance, have to face all the embarrassments and vexations which

the severance of old-established ties must necessarily entail. They will,

however, most certainly expect every staunch and loyal believer in the

[\P67]

Faith who resides in that land to refrain in view of the grave warning

uttered expressly by our opponents, from any practice that would in

any manner constitute in the eyes of a critical and vigilant enemy a

repudiation of the fundamental beliefs of the people of Baha. They will

most assuredly, whenever the moment is opportune, step forth with

eager hearts to offer every support in their power to their fellow-workers

who, with stout hearts and irreproachable loyalty, will

continue to hold aloft the standard of God's struggling Faith. They

will not fail to come to the rescue of those who with joyous confidence

will endure to the very end such vicissitudes as this New Day of God,

now in its birth-throes, must needs suffer and surmount.

|P9

We cannot believe that as the Movement grows in strength, in

authority and influence, the perplexities and the sufferings it has had

to contend with in the past will correspondingly decrease and vanish.

Nay, as it grows from strength to strength, the fanatical defendants of

the strongholds of orthodoxy, whatever be their denomination, realising

the penetrating influence of this growing Faith, will arise and strain

every nerve to extinguish its light and discredit its name. For has not

our beloved `Abdu'l-Bahá sent forth His glowing prophecy from behind

the prison walls of the citadel of Akka--words so significant in their

forecast of the coming world turmoil, yet so rich in their promise of

eventual victory:--
|P10

"How great, how very great is the Cause; how very fierce the

onslaught of all the peoples and kindreds of the earth! Erelong

shall the clamour of the multitude throughout Africa, throughout

America, the cry of the European and of the Turk, the groaning

of India and China be heard from far and near. One and all they

shall arise with all their power to resist His Cause. Then shall the

Knights of the Lord, assisted by grace from on high, strengthened

by faith, aided by the power of understanding and reinforced by

the legions of the Covenant, arise and make manifest the truth of

the verse: `Behold the confusion that hath befallen the tribes of

the defeated!'"
|P11

Dearly beloved friends, upon us devolves the supreme obligation to

stand by His side, to fight His battles and to win His victory. May we

prove ourselves worthy of this trust.
|P12
Your true brother,
Shoghi
[\P68]
|N49|P0
26 February 1927
|P1

...quite in order to utilise the Bahá'í Fund for the payment of

at least half of the travelling expenses of the Friends who come

to London from a distance, "one chief object of the Fund should be

to help the Friends in these difficulties".
|P2
(Quoted in National Spiritual Assembly Minutes)
|N50|P0
22 March 1927
|P1
LOVING APPRECIATION AFFECTIONATE REMEMBRANCE.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N51|P0
27 April 1927+F1
{Printed also in "Bahá'í Administration".}
|P1
Dearly-beloved friends:
|P2

With feelings of horror and indignation I communicate to you the

tale of yet another tragedy involving the shedding of the blood of a

martyr of the Faith on Persia's sacred soil. I have before me, as I pen

these lines, the report of the local Spiritual Assembly of Ardibil, a

town on the north-east confines of the province of Adhirbayjan, not far

distant from those hallowed spots where The Báb suffered His last

confinement and martyrdom. Addressed to the National Spiritual

Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Persia, this report recounts in simple but

moving language the circumstances that have led to the cowardly crime

committed in the darkness of the night at the instigation of the fanatical

clergy--the deadliest opponents of the Faith in that town.

|P3

Our martyred brother, Aminu'l-'Ulama by name had for some

time past become notorious in the eyes of the Muslim inhabitants of

Ardibil for his tenacity of faith by openly refusing at every instance to

vilify and renounce his most cherished convictions. In the latter part

of Ramadan--the month associated with prayer, pious deeds and

fasting--his use of the public bath--that long-established institution

the amenities and privileges of which are as a rule accorded only to the

adherents of the Muslim Faith--had served to inflame the mob, and

to provide a scheming instigator with a pretext to terminate his life. In

the market-place he was ridiculed and condemned as an apostate of the

[\P69]

Faith of Islam, who, by boldly rejecting the repeated entreaties

showered upon him to execrate the Bahá'í name, had lawfully incurred

the penalty of immediate death at the hands of every pious upholder of

the Muslim tradition.
|P4

In spite of the close surveillance exercised by a body of guards

stationed around his house, in response to the intercession of his friends

with the local authorities, the treacherous criminal found his way into

his home, and on the night of the 22nd of Ramadan, corresponding

with the 26th of March 1927, assailed him in a most atrocious and

dastardly manner. Concealing within the folds of his garment his

unsheathed dagger, he approached his victim and claiming the need of

whispering a confidential message in his ears plunged the weapon hilt-deep

into his vitals, cutting across his ribs and mutilating his body.

Every attempt to secure immediate medical assistance seems to have

been foiled by malicious devices on the part of the associates of this

merciless criminal, and the helpless victim after a few hours of

agonising pain surrendered his soul to his Beloved. His friends and

fellow-believers, alarmed at the prospect of a fresh outbreak that would

inevitably result were his mortal remains to be accorded the ordinary

privileges of a decent burial, decided to inter his body in one of the two

rooms that served as his own dwelling, seeking thereby to appease the

fury of an unrelenting foe.
|P5

He leaves behind in desperate poverty a family of minors with no

support but their mother, expectant to bring forth her child, and with

no hope of relief from their non-Bahá'í relatives in whose eyes they

deserve to be treated only with the meanest contempt.

|P6

It appears from the above-mentioned report that the merciless

assailant has been arrested, waiting, however, as has been the case

with similar incidents in southern Persia, to be sooner or later released

under the pressure of bribery and intimidation sedulously exercised by

an impenitent enemy.
|P7

Dearest friends! Any measure of publicity the concerted efforts of

the Bahá'í Spiritual Assemblies of the West, on whom almighty

Providence has conferred the inestimable benefits of religious toleration

and freedom, can accord to this latest manifestation of unbridled

barbarism in Persia will be most opportune and valuable. It will, I am

certain, confer abiding solace to those disconsolate sufferers who with

sublime heroism continue to uphold the traditions of their beloved

Faith. Our one weapon lies in our prayerful efforts, intelligently and

persistently pursued, to arouse by every means at our disposal the

[\P70]

conscience of unheeding humanity, and to direct the attention of men

of vision and authority to these incredibly odious acts which in their

ferocity and frequency cannot but constitute in the eyes of every fair-minded

observer the gravest challenge to all that is sacred and precious

in our present day civilisation.
|P8
Your true brother,
Shoghi
|N52|P0
29 April 1927
|P1

MAY DELIBERATIONS FIRST BRITISH Bahá'í CONVENTION BE

I thank you on behalf of our dear Guardian for your welcome

letter of the 2nd.
|P3

It was with unbounded joy and great hopes for the future that

we learnt of the success of your first National Convention. May

it prove to be the beginning of a new era of achievement and

expansion in the field of service. Time was when individually

we had to drink deep from the all-satisfying teachings of the

Bahá'í Faith, and although this is far from being accomplished

yet it is time for us to share with many others what we firmly

believe....
|P4

Miss Rosenberg left only a few days ago and I suppose she will

arrive back home earlier than this letter.
|P5

As she will have plenty of news to give you I hardly need add

any....
|P6
[From the Guardian:]
My dear and valued co-worker:
|P7

Although I rejoice at your appointment as member of the National

and local Assemblies, I fully sympathise with you in your arduous

work and responsibilities, for all of which you are so distinctly equipped

and qualified. I feel that next year, the number of members should be

strictly confined to nine, and a second ballot is quite proper and

[\P71]
justified.+F1

{As there were two believers with an equal number of votes for the ninth

place it had been decided to have all ten on the National Assembly!}

I trust that the choice of Rev. Biggs signifies his unreserved

acceptance of the Faith in its entirety--a condition that we must

increasingly stress in the years that come. Please assure the elected

members of my love, my best wishes and of my ardent prayers for them

all individually and collectively that the Beloved may guide them, and

reinforce their efforts for the spread of our beloved Cause.

I thank you on behalf of Shoghi Effendi for your short letter

of the 8th giving the name of the occupants of the various offices.

|P3

He is glad to see the well chosen members each undertaking

his suitable task with the chairman shining amongst them.

However he trusts that the coming year may be one of renewed

activity and greater accomplishment. Let us not be loiterers in a

fast-flying world especially when we know to what grave and

universal ills this Cause is a divine remedy....
|P4
[From the Guardian:]

With loving greetings and apologies for inability to write more due to

8 October 1927 } Referred to in Minutes; no text available.

|N57|P0

17 October 1927 } Referred to in Minutes; no text available.

[\P72]
|N58|P0
15 November 1927
|P1
LOVING APPRECIATION REMEMBRANCE.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N59|P0
28 November 1927
|P1
LOVING APPRECIATION TENDEREST REMEMBRANCE.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N60|P0
5 January 1928
|P1

"...Nothing should be attempted that would, in the least and however

indirectly, interfere with the unqualified freedom of local and national

I am instructed by our dear Shoghi Effendi to thank you for

your letter of Dec. 31st with enclosures all of which he was very

glad and interested to read.
|P3

With regard to Miss Pinchon's+ book, Shoghi Effendi feels

that if she herself and the Assembly in London feel that the

arrangement with the London branch of Brentano's is really to

her advantage, he would then be glad to endorse it. The

arguments you had brought were really very favourable and

that might help the success of the book in America. Moreover,

he would wish you to thank Asgarzadeh for his commitment in

helping the Assembly to promise a sum of fifty pounds. Shoghi

Effendi has liked the book immensely and trusts that it may

render great services and fulfil all our hopes.
|P4

He has taken notice of your solicitor's answer with regard to

official recognition by the Board of Trade and thinks your view

of the subject perfectly sound. Will the answer of the Board of

Trade prove a stimulus to the friends in England and help to

multiply their numbers and establish the Faith?...

[\P73]
|P5
[From the Guardian:]
My dear and valued co-worker:
|P6

I am so glad to have the opportunity of reaffirming in person my

deep affection for, and unshaken confidence in, you as well as my

growing appreciation of your ability and constancy in service. I am

delighted at the prospect of the joint publication of Miss Pinchon's

admirable book in London and in New York, and I would leave all

subsidiary matters in this connexion to the National Assembly and

Miss Pinchon herself. I wish to order beforehand 50 copies of her book

at whatever price the publishers will fix the rate of its sale, and will

gladly send through you the amount whenever seems to you the most

suitable time. Kindly assure the friends of my continued prayers at the

Holy Shrines for their welfare and the success of their arduous yet

I am instructed by our dear Guardian to thank you for your

letter of Jan. 29th with the minutes of the regular meeting of the

English N.S.A. enclosed.
|P3

He has read both your letter and the minutes with interest and

pleasure. He trusts that your next list of electors will show

marked progress and your weekly meetings at Lindsay Hall will

attract new and enlightened people. It is strange that the English

Bahá'ís have really contributed a great deal to the Cause, and in

the form of books and publications given us works of real and

permanent value--perhaps proportionately more than America,

and yet it is such a Herculean affair to bring in new fellow-workers.

Perhaps just that difficulty is a sign of their merit--

staunch and unflinching adherence once they believe in

something.
|P4

In connection with the form in which new electors are to be

admitted into the Cause, our Guardian will personally append

his suggestions if any. You would do well to see what the

American system is.
|P5

Shoghi Effendi hopes very much that Miss Pinchon's book

will prove a "good-seller" in England also. Perhaps in being less

scholarly it might prove more popular and widely read....

[\P74]
|P6
[From the Guardian:]
My very dear and valued co-worker:
|P7

Pressure of cares and anxieties, most of them sudden and unforeseen,

has caused the delay in mailing this letter to you. Although immersed

in an ocean of preoccupations and work, I can always find the time to

turn my heart in prayer at the Holy Shrines and supplicate for you as

well as for your fellow-workers in that land the Beloved's unfailing

Guidance, sustaining strength and imperishable blessings. May He

assist you to persevere in your task, and enable you to achieve in the

various fields of your activity your heart's desire.

I am glad to learn of your sustained activity, your undiminished

enthusiasm and vigour in the service of our beloved Cause. I will, on

my part, continue to pray for you from the very depths of my heart,

that the Beloved may guide you in every step you take, help you to

remove misunderstandings and difficulties amongst the friends and

grant you strength and long life to consolidate and extend the bounds

of the splendid pioneer work you are engaged in at present.

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY TENDERLY REMEMBERED HOLY SHRINES.

|P2
SHOGHI
[\P75]
|N67|P0
13 November 1928
|P1
CONVEY NATIONAL ASSEMBLY LOVING APPRECIATION.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N68|P0
29 November 1928
|P1
LOVING REMEMBRANCE.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N69|P0
6 December 1928+F1
{Printed also in "Bahá'í Administration".}
|P1

To the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful

throughout the West.

Dearly-beloved brothers and sisters in `Abdu'l-Bahá,

|P2

Events of a startling character and of the utmost significance to the

Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, have recently transpired throughout the Near

and Middle East in such rapid succession, that I feel moved to write

about them to those who, in distant lands and with eager hearts, are

waiting to witness the fulfilment of the prophecies of Bahá'u'lláh. You

will, I am certain, rejoice with me to learn that the quickening forces

of internal reform are swiftly awakening from their age-long slumber

of negligence those lands which, trodden by the feet of Bahá'u'lláh and

wherein are enshrined the memorable scenes of His birth, His ministry,

His exiles, His banishments, His suffering and His ascension, are

destined in the fullness of time to play a pre-eminent role in the

regeneration of the East--nay of all mankind.
|P3

From Persia, the cradle of our Faith and the object of our tenderest

affections, there breaks upon us the news of the first stirrings of that

social and political Reformation which, as we firmly believe, is but the

direct and unavoidable consequence of that great spiritual Revival

ushered in by the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh. These social and political

forces now released by the Source of such a tremendous Revival are

bound in their turn to demolish one by one the barriers that have so

long impeded its flow, sapped its vitality and obscured its radiance.

[\P76]
|P4

From a communication addressed to me recently by the National

Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Persia, as well as from reliable

reports submitted by the local representatives of the Persian believers,

and confirmed by the vivid narrative of visiting pilgrims, it is becoming

increasingly manifest that the glowing promises so many times uttered

by our departed Master are, with extraordinary exactitude and

remarkable swiftness, being successively fulfilled. Reforms of a

revolutionary character are, without bloodshed and with negligible

resistance, gradually transforming the very basis and structure of

Persia's primitive society. The essentials of public security and order

are being energetically provided throughout the length and breadth of

the Shah's domain, and are hailed with particular gratification by that

much harassed section of the population--our long-suffering brethren

of that land. The rapidity, the incredible ease, with which the

enlightened proposals of its government, in matters of education, trade

and finance, means of transportation and travel, and the development

of the country's internal resources, are receiving the unqualified

sanction of a hitherto reactionary Legislature, and are overcoming the

resistance and apathy of the masses, have undoubtedly tended to hasten

the emancipation of our Persian brethren from the remaining fetters

of a once despotic and blood-stained regime. The severely repressive

and humiliating measures undertaken on the initiative of progressive

provincial Governors, and with the connivance of State officials in the

Capital, aiming at the scattering and ultimate extinction of a rapidly

waning clergy, such as degradation, detainment, deportation and in

some cases pitiless execution, are paving the way for the entire removal

of the shackles imposed by an ignorant and fanatical priesthood upon

the administration of State affairs. In matters of dress; in the obligatory

enforcement of a uniform style of national head-gear; in the strict

limitation of the number, the rights and the prerogatives of high

ecclesiastical officials; in the growing unpopularity of the veil among

almost every section of society; in the marked distinction which

unofficially and in various phases of public life is being made by an

enlightened and pressing minority between the tottering forms of a

discredited Ecclesiasticism and the civil rights and duties of civilised

society; in the general laxity in religious observances and ceremonies;

in the slow and hidden process of secularisation invading many a

Government department under the courageous guidance of the

Governors of outlying provinces--in all of these a discerning eye can

easily discover the symptoms that augur well for a future that is sure

to witness the formal and complete separation of Church and State.

[\P77]
|P5

To this uplifting movement, various external factors are being

added that are tending to hasten and stimulate this process of internal

regeneration so significant in the life of renascent Persia. The

multiplicity and increasing facilities in the means of transportation

and travel; the State visit of energetic and enlightened reformers to

Persia's capital; the forthcoming and widely-advertised journey of the

Shah himself to the progressive capitals of Western Europe; the

repercussion of Turkey's astounding reforms among an essentially

sensitive and receptive people; the loud and persistent clamour of a

revolting order in Russia against the evil domination and dark

plottings of all forms of religious sectarianism; the relentless vigour

with which Afghanistan's ambitious Ruler, reinforced by the example

of his gracious Consort, is pursuing his campaign of repression against

a similar order of a corrupted clergy at home--all tend to lend their

force in fostering and fashioning that public opinion which can alone

provide an enduring basis for the reform Movement destined to usher

in that golden Era craved for by the followers of the Faith in

Bahá'u'lláh's native land.
|P6

As a direct consequence of the birth of this new consciousness in the

life of the nation, as evidenced by these early stirrings in the minds of

the people, both high and low, meetings of an elaborate character,

unprecedented in the number of their attendants, in the tone of the

public addresses, in the undisturbed atmosphere of their proceedings,

and the general impressiveness of their organisation, have been

publicly held in Tihran, under the auspices of the National Spiritual

Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Persia. Particularly significant and

impressive were those that were held in the Haziratu'l-Quds, the

administrative and spiritual centre of the Faith in the Capital, on

the occasion of the twin Festivals commemorating the declaration of

The Báb and the birth of `Abdu'l-Bahá, at the chief of which no less

than two thousand representative Bahá'ís and non-Bahá'ís, leaders of

public opinion, State officials and foreign representatives were officially

invited. The addresses stressing the universality of the Teachings of

the Cause, the formal and ordered character of the proceedings so

unusual a feature to a gathering of such proportions, the mingling of

the Bahá'ís with the recognised representatives of progressive thought

in the Capital who, by virtue of their high office and stately

appearance, lent colour and weight to the concourse of attending

believers, have all contributed to enhance the brilliance and spiritual

significance of that gathering on that memorable occasion.

|P7

Moreover, reports of a highly encouraging nature are being

[\P78]

continually received from local Assemblies and individual believers,

giving the names and stating the numbers of influential Persians who,

hitherto reluctant to declare openly their faith in Bahá'u'lláh, are as a

result of this reassuring and promising state of affairs emerging from

the obscurity of their concealment and enlisting under the erected

banner of Bahá'u'lláh. This has served to embolden the followers of the

Faith to take the necessary steps, under the direction of their local

Assemblies, for the institution of Bahá'í schools, for the holding of

public gatherings, for the establishment of Bahá'í hostels, libraries and

public baths, for the construction of official headquarters for their

administrative work, and for the gradual execution among themselves,

within the limits imposed upon them by the State, of the laws and

ordinances revealed in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. Words fail me to describe

the feelings of those patiently suffering brethren of ours in that land,

who, with eyes dim with tears and hearts overflowing with

thanksgiving and praise, are witnessing on every side and with

increasing force the unfoldment of a Faith which they have served so

well and love so dearly. Accounts pathetic and inspiring in their tone

are being received from that steadfast and cheerful band of exultant

believers, and are being shared with the resident friends in the Holy

Land who, having had the privilege of close and continued association

with the person of `Abdu'l-Bahá, cannot but marvel at the range, the

potency and accuracy of the prophecies of their departed Master.

|P8

From Turkey, on whose soil, for well nigh three score years and ten,

were enacted some of the sublimest and most tragic scenes in the annals

of the Cause; Turkey, under whose rule Bahá'u'lláh twice proclaimed

Himself, was thrice exiled and banished, and finally ascended to the

Abhá Kingdom, and where `Abdu'l-Bahá spent more than fifty years

of His Life, in incarceration and suffering; has of late been rudely

awakened to a Call which it has so long obstinately despised and

ignored. Following on the overthrow of that effete theocracy, resting

on the twin institutions of the Caliphate and Sultanate--those two

sinister forces that have combined to inflict the deadliest blows to our

beloved Faith in the earliest stages of its infancy and growth--an

uncompromising policy aiming at the secularisation of the State and

the disestablishment of Islam was initiated and carried out with

exemplary vigour. Religious institutions and monastic orders which

under the guise of religious propaganda were converted into hotbeds of

political intrigue and sedition were peremptorily closed, their adherents

scattered and banished, their funds confiscated, their privileges and

[\P79]

prerogatives abolished. None, save the little band of Bahá'u'lláh's

devoted followers, escaped the trenchant axe of the pitiless reformer;

all, without fear or favour, had to submit to his searching investigations,

his dictatorial edicts, his severe and irrevocable judgment. Lately,

however, the Turkish Government, faithful to its policy of ceaseless

vigilance, and fearful of the growing activities of the Bahá'ís under its

rule, decided to order the Police in the town of Smyrna to conduct a

close investigation into the purpose, the character and the effects of

Bahá'í activity in that town. No sooner were the representative Bahá'ís

in that locality arrested and conducted to the Law Courts for purposes

of investigation, than the President of the Bahá'í Spiritual Assembly

of Constantinople who, having read in the morning papers the report

of the Smyrna incident, had resolved unsummoned to offer the

necessary explanations to the authorities concerned, was in his turn

arrested and taken to the Police Headquarters where he soon afterwards

was joined by the other members of the Assembly. The official

searching of their homes, the seizure of whatever Bahá'í literature they

had in their possession, their twenty-four hours' detention at the Police

station, the searching severity of the cross-examination to which they

were subjected--all proved powerless to alarm and shake the faith of

those intrepid champions of the Cause, or to evince anything

detrimental to the best interests of the State. On the contrary, they

served to deeply impress upon the minds and hearts of the officials

concerned the sublimity, the innocence, and the dynamic force of the

Faith of Bahá'u'lláh. So much so that their books were returned, a

genuine desire to deepen their knowledge of the Cause was expressed

by their examiners, and widespread publicity, as reflected in the articles

of about a dozen leading newspapers of Turkey, was accorded by the

Government, proclaiming the innocence of the Cause and lifting up

the ban that now so oppressively weighs upon religious institutions in

Turkey.
|P9

From Constantinople in European Turkey to the eastern confines

of Anatolia, on the banks of the river Euphrates, where a small and

flourishing Bahá'í Community has been recently established, a wave

of public interest, criticism and inquiry has been sweeping over the

surface of the land, as witnessed by the character and number of the

leading articles, the illustrations and caricatures that have appeared in

the most prominent newspapers of the capital and the provincial towns

of Asiatic Turkey. Not only Turkey, but its neighbouring countries

of the East and the West, have lifted up their voice in the vindication

[\P80]

of the Bahá'í truth. From information thus far gathered we learn that

in Hungary, in Iraq, Egypt and Syria, and as far west as France and

England, newspapers have, of their own accord, with varying degree

of accuracy, and in more or less detail, reported this incident in their

columns, and have given, unasked and unaware, such publicity to our

beloved Faith which no campaign of teaching, however elaborately

organised by the believers themselves, could ever hope to achieve at the

present time. Surely the invincible arm of Bahá'u'lláh, working

through strange and mysterious ways, will continue to guard and

uphold, to steer the course, to consolidate, and eventually to achieve the

world-wide recognition and triumph of His holy Faith.

|P10

And while the East, through suffering and turmoil, is moving on in

its slow and toilsome march towards the acceptance of God's holy

Faith, let us turn for a moment our gaze to the Western Hemisphere,

and particularly to the American continent, and attempt to visualise

the possibilities of the future spread of the Cause, and to estimate afresh

those golden yet swiftly passing opportunities which Bahá'u'lláh in

those far-away lands has accorded to His chosen people. I feel

thoroughly convinced, and am moved to share this firm conviction

within me with that great company of western believers, that in the

speedy resumption of the sorely-neglected construction of the

Mashriqu'l-Adhkar at Wilmette lies our undoubted privilege, our

primary obligation, our most vital opportunity to lend an unprecedented

impetus to the advancement of the Cause, not only throughout the

West but in every country of the world. I would not stress at this

moment the prestige and good name of the Cause, much as they are

involved in this most pressing issue, I would not dwell upon the eager

expectancy with which the unnumbered followers of the Faith as well

as the vast number of the non-believers in almost every section of

society throughout the East are awaiting to behold that noble structure

rear its head in the heart of that far-western continent; nor would I

expatiate on the ineffable beauty of this holy Edifice, its towering

glory, its artistic design, its unique character, or its functions in the

organic life of the Bahá'í community of the future. But I would with

all the strength of my conviction emphasise the immeasurable spiritual

significance of an Edifice, so beauteous, so holy, erected solely by the

concerted efforts, strained to the utmost degree of self-sacrifice, of the

entire body of the believers who are fully conscious of the significance

of the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh. In this vast endeavour, unparalleled

in modern times, its world-wide range, its spontaneity, its heroic and

[\P81]

holy character, the American believers, on the soil of whose country

Bahá'u'lláh's first universal House of Worship is to be built, must, if

they be faithful to their trust, claim and fulfil a pre-eminent share in

the collective contributions offered by the Bahá'ís of the world.

|P11

For this reason do I feel impelled to direct my incessant plea in

particular to the followers of the Faith in the United States and

Canada to arise and play their part, while there is yet time, and not

to allow their earnest strivings to be swamped and superseded by the

self-sacrificing heroism of the multitude of their brethren in Persia.

Again I feel the urge to remind you one and all of the necessity of

keeping ever in mind this fundamental verity that the efficacy of the

spiritual forces centering in, and radiating from, the first

Mashriqu'l-Adhkar in the West will in a great measure depend upon the

extent to which we, the pioneer workers in that land will with clear vision,

unquenchable faith, and inflexible determination, resolve to voluntarily

abnegate temporal advantages in our support of so meritorious an

endeavour. The higher the degree of our renunciation and self-sacrifice,

the wider the range of the contributing believers, the more apparent

will become the vitalising forces that are to emanate from this unique

and sacred Edifice; and the greater, in consequence, the stimulating

effect it will exert upon the propagation of the Faith in the days to

come. Not by the abundance of our donations, not even by the

spontaneity of our efforts, but rather by the degree of self-abnegation

which our contributions will entail, can we effectively promote the

speedy realisation of `Abdu'l-Bahá'í cherished desire. How great our

responsibility, how immense our task, how priceless the advantages

that we can reap!
|P12

I cannot refrain, however, from giving expression to my gratification

and appreciation of the substantial and continued support already

accorded, and in particular during the past year by the believers in the

United States and Canada, under the wise and judicious direction of

their elected national representatives, to the Plan of Unified Action,

whose declared purpose is to insure, ere the present Bahá'í year comes

to a close, the raising of the funds required for the building of the first

Unit of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar. The vigilance and fidelity with which

the National Assembly of the United States and Canada has observed

its pledge in connection with the limitation of the current administrative

expenses of the Cause, and the zeal and ready response manifested by

local Assemblies and individual believers to curtail their local and

personal expenditures in order to concentrate on the Temple Fund, are

[\P82]

worthy of the highest praise, and will deservedly attract the manifold

blessings of a loving and bountiful Master. Much indeed has been

accomplished during this past year of concentrated and consecrated

self-sacrifice for so glorious a purpose. Much more still remains unachieved

if we are to vindicate, in the eyes of an expectant world, the honourable

name, the inexhaustible and miraculous vitality of the Revelation of

Bahá'u'lláh.
|P13

In the mid-watches of the night, commemorating the passing of

Him Who with His own hands laid the head-cornerstone of His

Father's House of Worship in that land, seated within the hallowed

precincts of His shrine, and keeping vigil in the company of His closest

companions, I have more than once in the midst of my devotions

prayerfully remembered those chosen ones of God on whose shoulders

has fallen so weighty a responsibility, whose destiny is to bring to full

fruition so excellent a heritage. I have recalled on that peaceful and

moonlit night, with much emotion and gratitude, the inestimable

bounties He lavished while on earth upon you. I have revived in my

memory the glowing promises that His unfailing guidance and

gracious assistance would continue from His station on high to be

showered upon you. I have pictured in my mind that beauteous vision

of a Cause unfolded in all its glory which in His immortal writings

He has revealed unto you. And with my head upon His threshold, I

have prayed and prayed again that we may all prove ourselves worthy

disciples of so gracious a Master, that we may, when called unto Him,

transmit, undiminished and unimpaired, our share of the immeasurably

precious heritage bequeathed by Him to us all.
|P14

And in closing, dearly-beloved friends, what more appropriate

thought with which to conclude my fervent plea than these pregnant

words fallen from the lips of Bahá'u'lláh: "O My friends! I bear

witness that the Divine Bounty has been vouchsafed unto you, His

Argument has been made manifest, His Proof has been revealed and

His Guidance has shone forth upon you. Let it now be seen what your

endeavours in the path of renunciation can reveal."

|P15
Your true brother,
Shoghi
|N70|P0
6 December 1928+F1
{Printed also in "Bahá'í Administration".}
|P1

To the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful

throughout the East and West.
[\P83]
Dear fellow-workers,
|P2

I desire to convey to you in a few words my impressions of the

recently published "Bahá'í World", copies of which I understand,

have already, thanks to the assiduous care and indefatigable efforts

displayed by the Publishing Committee of the American National

Spiritual Assembly, been widely distributed among the Baha'i

countries of East and West.
|P3

This unique record of world-wide Bahá'í activity attempts to present

to the general public, as well as to the student and scholar, those

historical facts and fundamental principles that constitute the

distinguishing features of the Message of Bahá'u'lláh to this age. I

have ever since its inception taken a keen and sustained interest in its

development, have personally participated in the collection of its

material, the arrangement of its contents, and the close scrutiny of

whatever data it contains.
|P4

I confidently and emphatically recommend it to every thoughtful

and eager follower of the Faith, whether in the East or in the West,

whose desire is to place in the hands of the critical and intelligent

inquirer, of whatever class, creed or colour, a work that can truly

witness to the high purpose, the moving history, the enduring

achievements, the resistless march and infinite prospects of the

Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh. Eminently readable and attractive in its

features, reliable and authoritative in the material it contains, up-to-date,

comprehensive and accurate in the mass of information it gives,

concise and persuasive in its treatment of the fundamental aspects of

the Cause, thoroughly representative in the illustrations and

photographs it reveals--it stands unexcelled and unapproached by any

publication of its kind in the varied literature of our beloved Cause. It

will, without the slightest doubt, if generously and vigorously

supported, arouse unprecedented interest among all classes of civilised

society.
|P5

I earnestly request you, dearly-beloved friends, to exert the utmost

effort for the prompt and widespread circulation of a book that so

faithfully and vividly portrays, in all its essential features, its

far-reaching ramifications and most arresting aspects, the all-encompassing

Faith of Bahá'u'lláh. Whatever assistance, financial or moral, extended

by Bahá'í Spiritual Assemblies and individual believers, to those who

have been responsible for such a highly valuable and representative

production will, it should be remembered, be directly utilised to advance

the interests and reinforce the funds that are being raised in behalf of

[\P84]

the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, and will indirectly serve to exert a most

powerful stimulus in removing the malicious misrepresentations and

unfortunate misunderstandings that have so long and so grievously

clouded the luminous Faith of Bahá'u'lláh.
|P6
Your true brother,
Shoghi
|N71|P0
21 December 1928+F1
{Printed also in "Bahá'í Administration".}
|P1

To the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful

throughout the West.

Dearly-beloved brothers and sisters in `Abdu'l-Bahá!

|P2

With feelings of profound sorrow I am moved to address you these

few lines mourning the loss which the Cause has undoubtedly

sustained by the passing of one who, for many years and in

circumstances of exceptional significance, rendered the sacred Threshold

distinctive and inestimable services. The hand of Divine Decree has

removed, by the death of our talented and dearly-beloved friend, Mr.

Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney, yet another outstanding figure in the

Cause of Bahá'u'lláh, who, by his brilliant gifts of mind and heart as

well as by the divers achievements of his life, has truly enriched the

annals of God's immortal Faith.
|P3

A pioneer of the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh ever since its celestial light

first warmed and illuminated the West, he has, by his close association

with the person of `Abdu'l-Bahá, by his contact with all sections of

society, by his scholarly presentation of the history and fundamentals

of the Faith, and lastly by his unforgettable share in the settlement of

the complex and pressing issues that called for expert assistance in the

days following `Abdu'l-Bahá'í passing, achieved a standing which few

have as yet attained.
|P4

The days of his spiritual communion with `Abdu'l-Bahá and His

household within the walls of the prison-city of Akka, wherein he

imbibed the principles which he later so ably expounded to the peoples

of the West; his pre-eminent role on his return to Paris in kindling the

torch which is destined to shed eternal illumination upon his native

land and its people; the links of abiding fellowship which he forged

with our Persian brethren in the course of the historic mission entrusted

[\P85]

to his charge by our Beloved; the seeds which he scattered far and wide

during his subsequent travels to the heart of Asia, throughout India,

beyond the remotest villages of Burma and as far as the eastern

confines of Indo-China; the able support he lent in its initial and

intermediary stages to the case of Bahá'u'lláh's house in Baghdad; his

unhesitating intervention with State officials in paving the way for

the ultimate emancipation of our Egyptian brethren from the yoke of

orthodox Islam; the stimulating encouragement his visit caused to the

Bahá'í community of Tunis on the northern shores of Africa; and last

but not least the ability and diligence with which he applied himself

to the solution of the delicate and vexing problems of the Holy Land

in the critical years following `Abdu'l-Bahá'í ascension--all stand out

as memorable landmarks in a life that was as varied in its international

aspects as it was rich in its spiritual experience.

|P5

His gifts of unfailing sympathy and penetrating insight, his wide

knowledge and mature experience, all of which he utilised for the glory

and propagation of the Message of Bahá'u'lláh, will be gratefully

remembered by future generations who, as the days go by, will better

estimate the abiding value of the responsibilities he shouldered for the

introduction and consolidation of the Bahá'í Faith in the Western

world.
|P6

Suffering as he did in his last days from the effects of a slow and

painful illness, he bore heroically his share of the afflictions of the

world, and is now in the realms of blissful deliverance partaking his

full share of the goodly reward which he certainly deserved. To me, and

particularly amid the storm and stress that have agitated my life after

Abdu'l-Bahá'í passing, he was a sustaining and comforting

companion, a most valued counsellor, an intimate and trusted friend.

|P7

With much emotion and the deepest sense of gratitude I supplicate

at the holy Threshold--and request you to join with me in my

prayers--for the spiritual advancement in the realms above of a soul

who by the sheer merit of the signal services he rendered already

deserves to rank highly among the departed faithful.

|P8
May he forever rest in peace.
Shoghi
|N72|P0
31 December 1928
|P1

Not until harmony and concord are firmly established among the

friends of London and Manchester will the Cause advance along

sound and progressive lines.
[\P86]
|P2

May they be guided and inspired to do His Will and achieve His

I write on behalf of the Guardian with reference to a subject

that has lately been raised by the N.S.A. of America, and referred

to him--the publication of a revised edition of the "Hidden

Words" in England.
|P3

Shoghi Effendi has asked me to write to America that in view

of the alterations that were lately introduced through the

assistance of Miss Rosenberg and Canon Townshend, a new

edition of the "Hidden Words" is fully justified and he approves

of it. However he does advise that such a publication should not

be taken up privately but wholly undertaken by the English

N.S.A. and in view of the large stock which the American

N.S.A. now holds of the present edition, he would urge that the

new edition should be deferred until the American N.S.A. has

sold off the bulk of its present stock. In general he would greatly

desire and keenly advise better co-operation and co-ordination

in the work of the American and English N.S.A. with regard to

publication. London, despite its small group has done great work

in Bahá'í publications but they must never forget that their

market lies unfortunately mainly across the Atlantic....

|P4

...I hope you have been able to go to Geneva with Mr. Mills.

Yours will be an Englishman's sober and matter of fact talk....

|N74|P0
27 September 1929+F1

{On the occasion of the opening of the new Bahá'í Centre on 19 September,

at Walmer House, Regent St., London.}
|P1

GUARDIAN WIRES DEEPLY REGRETS INABILITY PARTICIPATE PERSONALLY

[\P87]
DEDICATION GATHERING OVERJOYED BRIGHT PROSPECTS
LOVING GOOD WISHES, SHOGHI.
|P2
BAHA'IYYIH

(taken from National Spiritual Assembly Minutes of 16

November.)
|N75|P0
29 November 1929
|P1
My dear Mr. Simpson,
|P2

Thank you so much for your letter of Sept. 19th and for the

copy of the "Hidden Words" you sent me later.
|P3

Evidently enough I kept them until our Guardian's arrival

and I now hasten to reply.
|P4

While he is well pleased with the booklet as it is now

produced, Shoghi Effendi wishes me to express his regret that by

appearing so soon, it has rendered the sale of a few thousand

copies now in the hands of the American Publications Committee,

extremely difficult, if not impossible.
|P5

Of course the Guardian appreciates your efforts and understands

perfectly your desire to have a more correct and a better

printed copy of the work on hand. It is with that view that he is

sending enclosed a cheque to the value of 19 for which kindly

send him leather bound copies exactly like the specimen you

sent.
|P6

Shoghi Effendi has returned much refreshed and has again

taken up his work with renewed strength. He is much hopeful

of your new centre in Regent Street or thereabouts, and he trusts

that it will mark a turning point in the history of the Cause in

England--from happy tea-parties at individual homes, into a

group of less personal but eager, active and thoughtful workers

co-operating in a common service. It is a basis upon which

healthy progress is possible....
|N76|P0
26 December 1929
|P1

EARNESTLY APPEAL ENGLISH FRIENDS REINFORCE HEROIC EXERTIONS

"...I am delighted with your new centre, and will pray at the

Holy Shrines from the depths of my heart for its progress. Kindly

assure my dear English friends of my heartfelt appreciation of their

staunchness, their renewed activity, their self-sacrificing endeavours.

I will continue to pray for their individual, as well as their collective

efforts, from the bottom of my heart."
|P3
Shoghi
Through Miss Challis+:--
|P4

"I rejoice to hear of the new centre in London. I will pray for its

extension and growth and for the success of your manifold

activities...."
|P5
Shoghi
Through his Secretary to Sister Challis:--
|P6

"Now that the London centre has been transferred to a better

locality we hope it will attract more attention and add to the

number of attendants at the meetings. We should however, bear

in mind that no matter how important the hall may be--the

talks given and the unity manifested are of far greater

significance."
|P7

"Shoghi Effendi has a special affection for the English friends,

for he has been in their midst and knows most of them

personally. He therefore wishes and prays fervently that their

number may increase, and that they may render distinguished

services to the Cause. Please assure them all of his prayers and

extend to them his loving greetings."

(Taken from National Spiritual Assembly Minutes of 8 January

1930)
|N78|P0
31 January 1930
|P1

With regard to change in the official title of the N.S.A. he is

pleased that the matter has been definitely decided.

[\P89]

(i.e.--"National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the British

Isles.")
|P2

In connection with the important question of collating and

editing the Master's Tablets to the friends in the British Isles ...

Shoghi Effendi has already wired his reply.
(i.e.--Cablegram Haifa February 3 1930--
|P3

"WELCOME TOWNSHEND'S SPLENDID SUGGESTION REGARDING

COLLECTION TABLETS, ADVISE SEND ORIGINALS TO HIM FOR

PRESENT.")
|P4

Shoghi Effendi wants me to express his pleasure over such an

undertaking, and he sincerely trusts that it will result into a

splendid achievement for posterity--a mine of endless knowledge,

illumination, and insight into Bahá'í teachings and

outlook.
|P5

He wishes me to add that whereas he welcomes the work on

the Tablets the friends have received from the Master he does

not wish anything done on notes taken or personal accounts of

visits.
|P6

The reason for this is the fear that a set of conflicting accounts

of the same topic may crop up in various parts of the world from

friends who have drawn largely from their memory, or have

based their understanding of the Master's opinion or words,

upon the imperfect, not to say faulty, renderings of the interpreters

of those days.
|P7

Such accounts are not only impossible to verify but may lead

to much perplexity and constitute a set of traditions that may not

prove healthy....
|N79|P0
29 April 1930
|P1
CONVEY CONVENTION DELEGATES AND FRIENDS ASSEMBLED

FEAST OF Ridvan LOVING APPRECIATION REMEMBRANCE HOLY

SHRINES.
|P2
SHOGHI
[\P90]
|N80|P0
20 September 1930
|P1

The work of collecting and publishing the Tablets is one of

the most important tasks that this generation has undertaken, for

upon it depends our true understanding of the Cause and its

principles. The more we put it off, the more we are apt to lose

some of the original writings. Yet important as this task may be,

it is fraught with difficulties. The early translations are far from

being accurate, no matter who the translator may be. Shoghi

Effendi firmly believes that only Tablets with the Master's

signature and in the original tongue should be recognised. Any

translations or copies of them fail from having real authority.

This shows the importance of collecting the original Tablets that

bear the Master's signature.
|N81|P0
November 1930
|P1

(on the death of Miss Ethel J. Rosenberg, 17 November 1930)

|P2

DEEPLY GRIEVED PASSING ROSENBERG ENGLAND'S OUTSTANDING

Bahá'í PIONEER WORKER. MEMORY HER GLORIOUS SERVICE WILL

NEVER DIE `Abdu'l-Bahá'í FAMILY JOIN ME IN EXPRESSING

HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES HER BROTHER RELATIVES URGE FRIENDS

HOLD BEFITTING MEMORIAL SERVICE.
|P3
SHOGHI
Editor's Note:
|P4

From the end of 1930 until early 1934 there are no records of cables or

letters from the Guardian. Indeed there are very few references to the

Guardian in the scanty Minutes of the National Assembly of that period. These

brief Minutes indicate that only five or six short meetings were held each

year.
|P5

At the meeting of the National Assembly on 12 June, 1932 it was reported

that a reply had been received from Shoghi Effendi in answer to a request from

a Mr Wren for some confirmation of the Lambeth Resolution on Peace.

Another letter from the Guardian was read during the September 11 meeting

and it was recorded that the Assembly endorsed Resolution 26 of the Lambeth

Conference, 1930 "with the full sanction of Shoghi Effendi".

[\P91]
|N82|P0
24 January 1934+F1
{Addressed to Mrs. Slade.}
|P1
Dear Bahá'í Friend,
|P2

At the request of the Guardian I am sending you enclosed the

programme of "The New Commonwealth", a society for the

promotion of international law and order, having its headquarters

in London, and which seems to have a wide and well selected

membership. The Guardian wishes the British N.S.A. to consider

the possibility of their joining this organisation, and to carefully

investigate whether any affiliation with that body involves any

political allegiance or may indirectly and eventually lead to

participation in any form of political activity. In the contrary

case, he strongly advises the N.S.A. to join that organisation, as

he feels that in this way the friends can give a wide and effective

publicity to the teachings of the Cause. Membership in non-political

organisations of this type is, indeed, the best method of

teaching indirectly the Message by making useful and frequent

contacts with well-known and influential persons who, if not

completely won to the Faith, can at least become of some

effective use to it.
|P3

Trusting that you are in the best of health, and with the

assurance of Shoghi Effendi's ardent prayers on your behalf and

Shoghi Effendi wishes me to acknowledge on his behalf the

receipt of your letters dated Jan. 20th and Feb. 2nd, 1934, all of

which he read with deep interest. He has also received the text

of the High Commissioner's reply to your petition.

|P3

With regard to the "New Commonwealth" society he would

advise the N.S.A. to join it as soon as possible after having

carefully ascertained that affiliation with such a body does not

involve any political allegiance to any doctrine or group. As you

have already stated this organisation is run on non-party lines. It

would be, however, advisable that you should find out the real

[\P92]

aims and objectives of the society and specially the methods it

advocates for the carrying out of its ideals before definitely

joining it.
|P4

The Guardian hopes that this will give the friends a further

opportunity to make new contacts, and to draw more competent

and sincere people to the Cause. He is fully alive to the difficulties

facing the friends at the present time. But he would urge each

and all to work harder than ever, and to persevere in order that

the Faith may be better appreciated and understood by the

public.
|P5

He will continue to supplicate on behalf of you all at the Holy

Shrines, so that Bahá'u'lláh may sustain you in your efforts to

spread His message.
|P6
With best wishes for Mr. Slade and yourself,
Yours in His Service,
|P7
[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty bless richly your continued and self-sacrificing

endeavours, restore your health, cheer your heart, and enable you to

promote effectively the vital interests of our beloved Faith.

I wish to thank you in the name of the Guardian for your

deeply appreciated letter of April 24th, as well as for the article

on Jerusalem which appeared in "Time and Tide", all of which

he greatly enjoyed reading.
|P3
In regard to Mr. Townshend's book+F1
{"Promise of All Ages"}
he wishes me to renew

his request that your N.S.A. should seriously consider the ways

and means for the speedy publication of this highly valuable

work, the spread of which cannot but give an unprecedented

publicity to the Faith. He values the efforts that have thus far

been exerted to this end and particularly appreciates the careful

attention you have given the matter and hopes that as a result of

these combined efforts something truly substantial will be

achieved.
[\P93]
|P4

Shoghi Effendi feels rather surprised that no acknowledgment

has thus far been made of his last general letter, Feb. 8+F1

{Published under the title, "The Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh".}

, to the

believers of the West, a copy of which was forwarded to you as

secretary of the N.S.A. Will you please be kind enough to inform

him whether the said document has reached you safely.

|P5

With the renewed assurance of his best wishes and of his

continued supplications for the speedy development of the Cause

in your country.
|P6
Yours in His Service,
|P7
[From the Guardian:]
|P8

With the assurance of my continued prayers for the extension of

the range of your splendid activities and for the success of your constant

The Guardian has received and deeply appreciated your

message dated May 7th, and was gratified to learn of the results

of your national Bahá'í elections. He wishes me to convey to

you, and to the remaining officers of the N.S.A. his hearty

greetings, and his best wishes for the success and continued

expansion of your Bahá'í activities in this year. He is fervently

praying for your guidance and assistance in all the various and

historic steps you are taking for the spread and the consolidation

of the Movement throughout Great Britain.
|P3

What the Guardian would strongly urge your National

Assembly to do in the next few months is a renewed and decisive

effort for the speedy publication of Mr. Townshend's recent

book on the Cause. Through the reading of such a challenging

and scholarly work many will, undoubtedly, be awakened and

stimulated, while others will be infuriated to the extent of

virulently attacking the Faith. The unprecedented publicity

which the Cause will be thus receiving will in itself constitute an

important step towards a wider and fuller recognition of the

Movement by distinguished personalities, in both intellectual

and social circles. Mr. Townshend's book is, indeed, very timely,

[\P94]

and through it the friends and the non-believers will be given a

new vision of the Cause. Shoghi Effendi is hoping that, as a result

of his repeated requests, your N.S.A. will be stimulated to renew

and persevere in their efforts in this vitally important matter.

|P4

With the renewed assurance of his prayers on your behalf and

on behalf of the friends in London.
|P5
Yours in His Service,
|P6
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-worker,
|P7

I will fervently pray that the obstacles that stand in your way and

which hinder the publication of Canon Townshend's splendid work

will be completely and speedily surmounted. I anticipate an outburst

of interest and an unprecedented revival of activity as a direct result of

the circulation of this notable work--a work which I trust will prove

a landmark in the history of the Faith in your land.

Shoghi Effendi is pleased to learn, from your letters of June

11th and 16th, of the new possibilities for the publication of

Canon Townshend's book. Realising the number and force of

the difficulties which have thus far stood in your way, he cannot

indeed but feel gratified that you have at last been able to

overcome some of them. He hopes that through your

determination to have this valuable booklet published without

any further delay some valuable and permanent result will be

achieved, and that a few people of capacity and influence will be

attracted to the Faith.
|P3

In case no publishing firm accepts your offer for the printing

of the booklet, the Guardian approves that the N.S.A. should

undertake the publication.
|P4

Hoping to hear very soon some more definite and encouraging

news about this matter, and with the Guardian's best wishes for

you and for your collaborators in the N.S.A.
|P5
Yours in His Service,
[\P95]
|P6
[From the Guardian:]

With the renewed assurance of my loving and continued prayers

for the success of your unsparing efforts for the spread of His Faith and

On behalf of the Guardian I wish to acknowledge the receipt

of your letter, and to assure you once more of his deepfelt

appreciation of your highly-valued efforts for the publication of

Canon Townshend's booklet on the Cause. He hopes that the

believers the world over will co-operate with your N.S.A. for

giving the work the widest publicity possible, and by ordering

as many copies as they can for distribution in their own

communities. They will surely appreciate, and draw great benefit

from, this original and beautifully-written essay of Mr.

Townshend, and they will certainly do their best to make it

known by the outside world.
|P3

Shoghi Effendi wishes you to send him, as soon as the book is

published, 150 copies for his library. He will also place some of

them in Bahá'u'lláh's Mansion at Bahji for the benefit of the

Bahá'í as well as non-Bahá'í visitors.
|P4

With the renewed assurance of his best wishes and of his

continued prayers on your behalf.
|P5
Yours in His Service,
|P6
[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty bless your incessant and meritorious

endeavours and crown them with unprecedented success,

The Guardian has received and read with much interest your

letter of August 9th. It gives him pleasure to learn that the

[\P96]

agreement for the publication of Canon Townshend's book has

already been signed, and he is looking forward to see the book

out of the press within the next few weeks. He hopes that your

communications with the American N.S.A. for bringing out an

American edition of this same book are proceeding satisfactorily,

as he has every reason to believe that the friends in America will

do their best to secure for that important publication the widest

demand and publicity possible.
|P3

Shoghi Effendi would advise that you should also communicate

with the N.S.A. of the Bahá'ís of Australia and New Zealand,

and with other English speaking Assemblies, groups and

individuals, informing them of this new publication, and asking

for their assistance in creating for it as wide a demand as possible.

|P4

With his renewed greetings and best wishes to you and to all

the friends in London,
|P5
Yours in His Service,
|P6
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-worker,
|P7

I have read your letter of May 22 and Aug. 9 with joy and

thankfulness as both eloquently testify to your inflexible resolve to

promote by every means in your power the best interests of our beloved

Cause. I trust and pray that the effect of the publication of the

"Promise" will be such as to gladden your heart and reinforce the

constant efforts which you have so devotedly exerted in recent years for

the propagation of the Faith. I will soon send the cheque for the books

I have asked you to send me and which I will distribute as widely as

The Guardian has directed me to thank you for your welcome

letter dated September fifth. The news of the passing away of

Mr. Simpson has deeply grieved his heart. He hopes and fervently

prays that the Beloved may fully reward him for all the services

which he has rendered the Faith in Great Britain, and particularly

for the active part which he took during the early days of his

association with the Movement, in establishing the Cause of the

Administration in that land. May the Almighty enable his soul

to progress spiritually in the other world, and may the memory

[\P97]

of his earlier services to the Faith sustain and encourage the

friends in their labours for the propagation of the Cause in Great

Britain.
|P3

The Guardiahas already written Mr. ... concerning Mr. ...

gift to the Cause and has expressed his profound appreciation of

the suggestion made by him to have his property registered in

the name of your National Assembly. This step, he is convinced,

would be of great help to your Assembly, in that it would assist

in enabling it to obtain full legal recognition from the authorities

and thus become an effective and powerful organ for the

administration of Bahá'í affairs throughout the British Isles. But,

if your Assembly feels that such a step would be premature, he

suggests that you should have the property registered in the

name of the Palestine Branch of the American N.S.A., until such

time as your own Assembly would be in a position to acquire

full legal recognition from the British authorities, and will be

entitled to hold property in Palestine. In the meantime the

American N.S.A. can issue a statement testifying that this

property is registered only temporarily in their name, and that

as soon as the incorporation is effected they will have it

transferred to the name of the National Assembly of the British

Isles.
|P4

Concerning the material which your Assembly has been

requested to provide for the writing of a history of the Cause in

England, the Guardian feels the advisability o f making as few

references to individuals as possible. He further suggests that

emphasis be placed on two major events, the Master's visit to

England, and the publication of Dr. Esslemont's "New Era"

which, indeed, constitutes a real landmark in the history of the

Faith in that country.
|P5

There is another point to which the Guardian wishes to draw

the attention of your N.S.A. It is the importance which national

Bahá'í summer schools are acquiring in the development and

spread of the Cause. Two of these, as you know, have already

been established and are now regularly functioning, that of

America with its three branches in Green Acre, Lou-Helen

Ranch and Geyserville, and that of Esslingen in Germany which

in the last two years has considerably developed, and has attracted

the attention of non-German believers throughout the Baha'i

world. The Guardian suggests that pending the establishment of

[\P98]

a similar Bahá'í Summer School in England, your Assembly

should take into consideration the most effective way in which

it can co-operate with the German friends in furthering the

interests of their summer school at Esslingen. Meanwhile an

effort should be made by our English believers to take the

necessary steps for the formation of a similar institution in Great

Britain. Many Bahá'í travellers in Europe, mostly American,

have had this summer the opportunity of attending meetings

and classes of the friends in Esslingen. Mr. and Mrs. Greven, Mrs.

Collins, Mr. and Mrs. Bishop representing the Bahá'í Bureau at

Geneva. Bahá'ís from Austria and Persia attended. Miss Jack and

Mrs. Gregory came specially from the Balkans, and gave detailed

reports on the conditions of the Cause in the Balkans. In view of

this international importance which the Esslingen summer

school is thus acquiring, at least in Europe, the Guardian feels the

advisability of your National Assembly being represented at

these important gatherings.
|P6

In closing I wish to ask you to convey the Guardian's greetings

and love to Mr. Asgharzadeh who, as you write, seems to be

suffering from ill-health. Will you kindly assure him of Shoghi

Effendi's prayers for his complete recovery, and express his

appreciation of his continued labours for the Cause in London.

|P7

With warmest greetings to you and to all the friends,

|P8
Yours in His Service,
|P9
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-worker:
|P10

The utmost effort, I feel, should be exerted to ensure the

incorporation of the British National Assembly. Should the authorities

require a document setting forth the laws and principles governing the

activities of the community, the text of the Declaration of Trust and

By-laws now operating in America and adopted by the National

Assemblies of Egypt, India and Iraq should be presented to them. The

text is published in Vol. IV of the "Bahá'í World" and constitutes a

pattern for all national Bahá'í constitutions. I would also greatly

welcome close collaboration by the believers in England in the

development of the very useful and promising summer school recently

initiated in Esslingen and which has served this summer as a meeting

Your letters dated September 21st and November 16th have

been received and their contents carefully noted by the Guardian.

|P3

He has also received the one hundred and fifty copies of "The

Promise of All Ages" and wishes me to thank you for them, and

to renew his appreciation of your painstaking efforts for the

publication of this most timely and singularly penetrating book

on the Cause. He hopes and prays that your labours in this

connexion may be abundantly rewarded. He has already sent

Mr. Townshend a cheque of thirty-five pounds on account of

the 150 copies of his book. He hopes the sum will reach him

very soon. He would deeply appreciate if you kindly send him

copies of the letters of acknowledgment which you receive from

those to whom the book has been offered, as in this way he can

more or less know of the reaction which the book has produced

on the mind of the intellectual public in London and elsewhere.

|P4

With regard to Mr. Townshend's suggestion to procure the

Effendi fully approves the idea, and would advise you to write

the Paris Assembly about it and to try to enlist their co-operation

and help in this matter.
|P5

The Guardian also wishes to express his whole-hearted

approval of the steps your National Assembly is taking for

incorporating their Assembly as a duly recognised religious body

in England and throughout the British Isles. He would suggest

that in case the authorities refuse to recognise the N.S.A. as a

religious society you should insist on having it temporarily

registered as a commercial body or under any other designation.

He requests you to send him copies of the registration documents

as soon as they are ready, as he intends to take the necessary steps

for the establishment of a Palestine Branch of your National

Assembly similar to that which the American N.S.A. now

possesses in Palestine.
|P6

With his fervent prayers and loving greetings to you and to

all the friends in London,
|P7
Yours in His Service,
|P8
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-worker:
|P9

The books you have sent me are being widely distributed and I am

[\P100]

sure they will serve to stimulate genuine interest in the fundamentals

of the Faith. A special and sustained effort, I feel, should be exerted by

your National Assembly in order to ensure that copies of this brilliant

production may reach most, if not all the Bahá'í centres throughout the

East and West and may be made accessible to the most influential

leaders and organisations in every continent of the Globe. The success

it can achieve largely depends upon the publicity which the continued

and organised endeavours of your Assembly can now accord it.

The Guardian has directed me to thank you for your welcome

letter dated December 8th, and also for the undated one just

received.
|P3

In regard to his money order for the 150 copies of the

"Promise of All Ages", he wishes you to offer the remaining sum

to your National Assembly for the purposes of their national

fund.
|P4

He is pleased to learn that the editor of "The Times' Literary

Supplement" has accepted to have Canon Townshend's book

reviewed in his paper. He trusts that the result will be such as to

stimulate many people to buy this volume, and to carefully and

seriously study and meditate upon its contents.
|P5

With reference to Mr. ... property on Mt. Carmel, the

Guardian specially requests you to proceed quickly in the matter

of your National Assembly's incorporation so as to enable him

to establish a branch of that Assembly in Palestine and thus make

possible the registration of the land in question in the name of

the British N.S.A. The land is completely safe-guarded at present.

|P6

He would deeply appreciate if you send him photostatic copies

of the registration documents as soon as they will be ready.

|P7

In this connection, the Guardian wishes me to draw once

more your attention to the importance of following, in the

adoption of your Assembly's constitution, complete and exact

wording of the text of the Declaration of Trust and By-Laws of

[\P101]

the American N.S.A., with due consideration however to all

local conditions which may necessitate some minor departure

from the original American copy.
|P8

It will interest you to know that the N.S.A. of the Bahá'ís of

India and Burma have carefully followed the constitutions

adopted by the American believers, both in the local and the

national sphere, and have succeeded in registering their National

Assembly as a legal body empowered to administer the affairs of

the Cause throughout India and Burma. The Guardian is now

engaged in establishing a branch of the Indian N.S.A. in Palestine.

The National Assemblies of Egypt, Iraq and Persia have likewise

adopted without any alteration whatever the text of the

American constitution as a pattern for their local as well as

national regulations and by-laws.
|P9
Yours in His Service,
|P10
[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty enable you to surmount all the obstacles that

stand in your path and accomplish the great project which you are

initiating, and establish your manifold administrative activities on a

The Guardian has directed me to send you enclosed a copy of

the Declaration of Trust and By-Laws of the National Spiritual

Assembly of the Bahá'ís of India and Burma.
|P3

You will find, after going carefully over the text, that except

for Article VIII which is being amended, it is fully identical with

the constitution adopted by the American N.S.A., and as such is

in close conformity with the principles laid down by the

Guardian concerning national Bahá'í constitutions throughout

the world.
|P4

He feels it his duty, now that your N.S.A. is taking steps for

its formal registration in the Government, to earnestly request

you to adopt, in its entirety and without any alteration, the full

text of the constitution of the American N.S.A. so as to maintain

[\P102]

the necessary uniformity in the essential principles of the

Administrative Order. Whatever is not specified in the text of

this national constitution, the Guardian has already explained to

the National Assemblies of America, India, Egypt, Iraq and

Persia, is to be left to the discretion of these Assemblies. He does

not object if there be any differences in these secondary matters,

but he feels that he should insist on uniformity in essentials.

Diversity in unity--which is so vital and basic a principle of the

Movement--would thereby be maintained.
|P5

With heartiest greetings to you and to all the friends,

Yours in His Service,
|N93|P0
15 February 1935
|P1
Dear Mrs. Slade,
|P2

I am directed by the Guardian to thank you for your letters of

the fourth of January last and of the seventh of this month, all of

which he has read with deepest interest.
|P3

He was, however, grieved to learn of the slight indisposition

in your health, and particularly of the serious illness of Miss Elsie

Lea. He is praying for you both at the Holy Shrines that you may

be given the necessary strength to resume your work for the

Cause in London.
|P4

With regard to the situation in Persia, it is pretty bad indeed.

Conditions have not improved in the slightest degree, and the

friends are still suffering from the intolerable burden of

restrictions imposed upon them by the Authorities. The

Guardian does not advise your Assembly to enter into detailed

correspondence with any of the friends there, but sees no

objection if you send them copies of your News Letters....

|P5

The friends will no doubt appreciate the possibilities which

the admission of so distinguished a person as ... in their midst

will have for the Cause. This new development should, indeed,

encourage and stimulate them to persevere, nay to redouble

their efforts for the extension of their teaching activities

throughout Great Britain. The future of the Cause in that

country is, indeed, bright. But the friends should also exert their

utmost, lest through neglect and apathy its progress be impeded.

Now that such a wonderful opportunity has presented itself to

[\P103]

them, it is their responsibility to take their full chance and to

make a renewed attempt to extend and further consolidate their

teaching work in London and throughout the British Isles.

|P6

Shoghi Effendi is fervently praying that through the

confirmations and blessings of Bahá'u'lláh you may all be assisted

in effectively attaining this objective.
|P7
Yours in His Service,
|P8
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-worker:
|P9

I am so pleased to learn of the splendid response of ... to the call of

our Faith, and would urge you to make a special effort, in conjunction

with the friends and Assemblies in England, to aid him to deepen his

faith and extend the scope of his valued activities. I will pray for the

success of your efforts and the realisation of your highest hopes.

Shoghi Effendi has received your letters dated March 8th and

April 1st, and wishes me to thank you for them.
|P3

With regard to the incorporation of the British N.S.A., he is

sorry, indeed, that the authorities have definitely refused your

application. He is, nevertheless, confident that your Assembly's

efforts in this connection will, in due time, bear fruit, and that

the officials concerned will gradually come to alter their views

regarding the nature and significance of the Movement.

|P4

In the meantime, the Guardian can have ... property on Mt.

Carmel transferred to the name of the Palestine Branch of the

American N.S.A.
|P5

With the renewed expression of Shoghi Effendi's deepfelt

appreciation of your services, and with his loving greetings and

best wishes to you and to the friends in London....

|P6
[From the Guardian:]
Dear co-worker,
|P7

I grieve to learn of the refusal of the Board of Trade to incorporate

the National Assembly, but I feel certain that the friends will not

allow this setback to damp their zeal or to weaken their determination

[\P104]

to prosecute the work they have so devotedly undertaken. It may

indeed prove a blessing in disguise, and I would urge the friends to

persevere and not to lose heart and to rest assured that our beloved

The Guardian has just received letters from Sir Herbert

Samuel and Sir Francis Younghusband inviting him to attend

and present a paper on the subject: How to promote the spirit of

World Fellowship through religion at the projected conference

of the "World Fellowship Through Religion" to be held in

London this coming July.
|P3

As he is unable to be present at this meeting, he has thought

best to ask the British N.S.A. to act as his representatives, and to

appoint someone to read this paper which he is asking Mr.

Townshend to prepare for that occasion. He is specially writing

Mr. Townshend about it, and urging him to have the statement

ready by the end of January, when it has to be handed by your

N.S.A. to Sir Francis Younghusband according to his request

from the Guardian.
|P4

He also thinks it necessary for your Assembly to communicate

as promptly as you can with Sir F. Younghusband, and to express

your readiness and pleasure to participate in the activities and

deliberations of the World Fellowship conference.
|P5

In view of the vital importance of this gathering, at which

representatives of various religious organisations will be present,

and specially as Sir Herbert Samuel has himself expressed the

desire that the Cause should be authoritatively and adequately

represented there, Shoghi Effendi would urge the British N.S.A.

to make every effort to fully avail themselves of this splendid

opportunity for giving the Faith in England a fresh and

unprecedented impetus.
|P6

Wishing you complete success in your labours in this

connection, and awaiting the news of the progress of the action

This letter is to confirm the one I wrote you nearly two weeks

ago at the direction of the Guardian regarding the projected

World Congress of Faiths to be held in London next summer.

|P3

As stated in that letter, the Guardian has whole-heartedly

accepted the Committee's invitation, as expressed through both

Sir Herbert Samuel and Sir Francis Younghusband, to have the

Cause authoritatively represented at the above-mentioned

Congress.
|P4

He now wishes to urge again your N.S.A. to speed up the

matter of preparing the address which he has requested Mr.

Townshend to prepare for that occasion. He is also urging

Mr. Townshend to have the address ready for presentation to

the Committee towards the end of next January.
|P5

The Guardian hopes that the N.S.A. will do its very best to

speed up this matter.
|P6

With his renewed thanks to you and to the friends,

The Guardian has just sent you a cable asking you to send him,

as soon as you can, two copies of the photograph of the N.S.A.

of the British Isles of the year 1935-36 for publication in Volume

Six of the "Bahá'í World". He hopes there will be no delay in

The Guardian has been very pleased to learn, from the report

you have submitted for the next issue of the "Bahá'í World"

regarding the activities of the Cause in England, that the centre

[\P106]

in London has been given by the authorities the status of a place

of worship, and that the Movement has been registered as a

definite religious community.
|P3

If there are any documents or any letters you have obtained

from the Government in connection with such a registration

will you kindly send him reproductions of them as promptly as

you can for publication in the next issue of the "Bahá'í World"

The National Teaching Committee of the N.S.A. of the British

Isles.
Dear Bahá'í Friends,
|P2

The Guardian has read with profoundest interest the second

number of the "Teaching Bulletin" issued by the N.S.A. of the

Bahá'ís of the British Isles, and feels highly gratified at the steps

your committee is taking for the inauguration of a new teaching

campaign throughout England. This is surely a clear evidence of

the new spirit animating the friends in that country, and a

further revelation of their intense desire to give the cause of

teaching a fresh and unprecedented stimulus. There is undoubtedly

no higher call than that of bringing the Message to a world

tormented and torn on every side by the forces of destructive

materialism. It is for us to realise the full measure of responsibility

that has been laid upon our shoulders in this matter, and having

attained full consciousness of our responsibility to unitedly arise

to contribute all that we can towards its discharge.

|P3

It is Shoghi Effendi's hope that under the guidance and

encouragement of the N.S.A. your committee's work will

steadily progress, and that the results achieved will be such as to

create further confidence and arouse fresh hopes in your activities

among all the friends throughout the British Isles. He is looking

eagerly forward to learn more of your activities, and to witness

further signs of the effectiveness, unity and power with which

[\P107]

you are striving to diffuse the Teachings and principles of the

Cause.
|P4

May the Almighty ever bless and sustain you in your

labours....
|N100|P0
27 April 1936 (Convention)
|P1

DEEPLY APPRECIATE MESSAGE FERVENTLY PRAYING SUCCESS

DELIBERATIONS LOVE.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N101|P0
3 May 1936
|P1

The National Teaching Committee of the N.S.A. of the British

Isles.
Dear friends and co-workers,
|P2

The Guardian has instructed me to convey to you his deep

gratitude for your welcome message of April 21st. He has been

made truly happy by its perusal and wishes me to express once

more his genuine appreciation of the remarkable work which

your committee is accomplishing for the spread of the Message

throughout England. He wishes you full success in your labours,

and is praying to Bahá'u'lláh to guide and assist you in every step

you are taking for the dissemination of His Teachings and the

establishment of His Faith in your country.
|P3

His chief advice to you is perseverance without which, he

strongly feels, no success is attainable. The difficulties in your

way are undoubtedly manifold and not always easy to overcome.

But provided you persevere, and face with courage, full faith and

confidence such obstacles you can be sure of attaining the goal

you have set yourselves to achieve.
|P4

Now is the beginning of your work. And as in the beginning

of every task you are bound to meet all sorts of difficulties. The

more you strive to overcome these, the greater will be your

reward, and the nearer you will get to that glorious success

[\P108]

which, as repeatedly promised by Bahá'u'lláh, must needs crown

the efforts of all those who, whole-heartedly and with pure

detachment, strive to work for the spread and establishment of

His Cause.
|P5
With cordial greetings and every good wish....
|P6
[From the Guardian:]

With the renewed assurance of my loving and constant prayers for

the extension of your meritorious activities and services,

The Guardian has duly received your letter of April 29th

written at the direction of the N.S.A. of the British Isles, and he

wishes me to thank you for it.
|P3

He has learned with deep satisfaction of the result of your

national elections, and has instructed me to convey to each and

every member of your newly elected assembly his hearty

congratulations and sincere good wishes. He hopes that the

officers of the N.S.A. will be fully guided in the discharge of

their manifold and heavy responsibilities, and that through their

collective and sustained efforts the Cause will receive a fresh and

unprecedented impetus throughout England. He is praying from

the very depth of his heart on behalf of you all, entreating

Bahá'u'lláh to ever bless, sustain and guide you in your labours.

|P4

The Guardian would deeply appreciate receiving the minutes

of the N.S.A. meetings, and hopes that you will send these to him

as regularly as you can.
|P5

With his renewed and most loving greetings, also to the

members of the N.S.A....
|P6
[From the Guardian:]

Wishing you the fullest success in your high and deeply appreciated

Your welcome letter of August 7th together with the enclosed

programme of the English Bahá'í Summer School and Mrs.

Bishop's notes on the Bahá'í session of the World Fellowship of

Faiths Congress have all duly arrived and been read with

sustained interest and deepest appreciation by our beloved

Guardian.
|P3

He has been particularly pleased to read Mrs. Bishop's report

which is truly illuminating and highly encouraging. The Cause

has no doubt been well represented at the Congress, and the

attendants must have surely been deeply impressed by the

manner in which the Message was introduced and presented by

both the Bahá'í and non-Bahá'í speakers.
|P4

The Guardian feels particularly grateful for the share which

your N.S.A., as well as your distinguished and able co-workers

Mrs. Bishop and Madame Orlova have contributed towards the

success of the Bahá'í meeting. May the noble efforts which you

all have so unitedly and so successfully exerted in this connection

serve to attract, even as a magnet, the blessings of God and His

favours upon the entire community of the believers throughout

the British Isles.
|P5

With every good wish and hearty greetings to you, and to

your fellow-members in the N.S.A....
|P6
[From the Guardian:]
Dearest co-workers,
|P7

I rejoice to learn of the splendid work that has recently been

achieved. Your accomplishments should spur you on to achieve still

greater results in both the teaching and administrative spheres of

Bahá'í service. My prayers will be offered on your behalf. The work

in which you are so devotedly engaged is near and dear to my heart.

I am directed by our beloved Guardian to acknowledge with

thanks the receipt of your letter dated August 25th with the

[\P110]

enclosed minutes of the British N.S.A.'s last meeting. He has read

them all with utmost care and profoundest appreciation.

|P3

Regarding your Summer School; he is indeed grateful to your

Assembly for the great success that has attended your efforts for

the formation of this institution, the teaching value of which for

England cannot be overestimated. He wishes, in particular, to

offer his most sincere thanks to the Bahá'í youth group in London

for their remarkable share in making the school such an

outstanding success this year. This has been certainly a bold

undertaking, considering the limited number and resources of

the believers in England. But the results obtained are highly

encouraging and augur well for the future of this first English

Bahá'í Summer School. The unity, courage and whole-hearted

loyalty of the friends have enabled them to boldly face and

successfully overcome the difficulties and obstacles which may

have first appeared, to many at least, to be quite unsurmountable.

The Guardian would, therefore, urge all the believers to

persevere in their efforts for raising the standard, both intellectual

and spiritual, of their Summer School and to heighten its prestige

in the eyes of the friends, and of the general non-Bahá'í public

outside. The institution of the Summer School constitutes a vital

and inseparable part of any teaching campaign, and as such ought

to be given the full importance it deserves in the teaching plans

and activities of the believers. It should be organised in such a

way as to attract the attention of the non-believers to the Cause

and thus become an effective medium for teaching. Also it should

afford the believers themselves an opportunity to deepen their

knowledge of the Teachings, through lectures and discussions

and by means of close and intense community life.
|P4

As regards the N.S.A.'s request concerning Mrs. Bishop's

teaching services in England, the Guardian wishes you to assure

your fellow-members of his hearty approval of their suggestion

that she should extend her stay in your country for another year.

He is advising her to visit Geneva for a brief period and then

return immediately back to England....
|P5
[From the Guardian:]
Dearest co-worker,
|P6

I wish to congratulate in person the English believers, and

particularly the members of the youth group, on their splendid

achievements. The activities they have initiated, the perseverance, zeal

[\P111]

and fidelity they have increasingly manifested, the plans they have

conceived and the obstacles they have already overcome, rejoice my

heart and arouse fresh hopes and expectations within me. I will

continue to pray for their success. Rest assured and persevere.

Your kind letter of November 22nd with enclosures have

been read with deep interest and profound gratitude by our

beloved Guardian, and their contents have imparted fresh

encouragement to his heart. He has also received your

communication of the 28th September with the accompanying

minutes of the British N.S.A. and the report of your Summer

School, and is indeed sorry for the long delay in thanking you

for them.
|P3

Regarding Mr. Townshend, the Guardian is pleased to hear

that he has written you, and offered a method whereby he could

be freed to serve the Faith. He is confident that your N.S.A. will

give this matter their most careful and sympathetic consideration,

and fervently hopes that they will, as a result, be able to find

some way that would relieve Mr. Townshend of his many

domestic cares and troubles which, as you know only too well,

seriously impede the progress and expansion of his activities for

the Faith.
|P4

It is a matter of deep regret, indeed, that our dear friend's

material position is such as to make it quite impossible for him

to devote his full time and energies to the Cause. The friends in

Great Britain, who are in special need of his able assistance in

their teaching work, should, therefore, consider it their

responsibility to find some solution to this urgent problem facing

one of their most distinguished and competent fellow-workers.

|P5

Any suggestion which your N.S.A. could offer would

certainly be deeply appreciated by Mr. Townshend, and the

Guardian would be only too pleased to assist your Assembly in

insuring the success of any plan you may propose and decide

upon in this matter.
[\P112]
|P6

Wishing you full and continued success in your work, and

assuring you again of Shoghi Effendi's fervent prayers on your

behalf and on behalf of your fellow-members in the N.S.A....

|P7
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and prized co-worker,
|P8

Your splendid collaboration with the English believers is, as I am

gradually and increasingly realising it, infusing a new life and a fresh

determination into individuals and assemblies which will prove of the

utmost benefit to our beloved Cause. Persevere in your remarkable

efforts and historic achievements. With the aid of Mrs. Bishop an

unprecedented and most powerful impetus will I am sure be given to

the onward march of the Cause of God. I am deeply grateful to you.

The Guardian has instructed me to inform you of the receipt

of your communications of the 6th and 24th December and of

the 1st January, all of which he has read, together with their

enclosures, with sustained interest. Kindly convey to your

fellow-members in the N.S.A. his appreciation and gratitude for

the truly valuable work they are accomplishing for the

promotion of the Faith in Great Britain. He is continually and

fervently praying for the guidance and success of the plans they

have recently initiated for the extension of the teaching work

and for the consolidation of the administrative institutions of the

Cause in their land.
|P3

The Guardian is specially praying for the success of your

N.S.A.'s project in connection with Mr. Townshend's problem.

Much as he realises the financial difficulties involved in such a

plan, he is nevertheless convinced that if every individual

believer, no matter how limited his resources, pledges himself to

give it his whole-hearted and continued support it will

eventually, though after considerable effort and self-sacrifice,

become effective and successful. The opportunity has now come

for the friends in Great Britain to demonstrate the measure of

their devotion to the Cause, as well as their capacity to maintain,

consolidate and extend its nascent administrative institutions in

[\P113]

that land. The occasion calls for a tremendous amount of

sacrifice, of perseverance and united labour on the part of the

friends, and for the self-same devotion that characterised the

nation-wide efforts of the American believers for the building

up of their beloved Temple at Wilmette. May the friends in

Great Britain, despite their limited numbers and resources, be

guided and assisted to successfully meet this challenge. Their

triumph will assuredly draw upon them the blessings and

confirmations of Bahá'u'lláh, and may prove to be the signal for

fresh conquests and unprecedented developments in the Cause

throughout the British Isles.
|P4

Regarding the New Commonwealth Society, the Guardian

does not wish the friends, whether individually or collectively,

to affiliate themselves with this and other kindred organisations,

in view of the fact that the aims and ideals upheld by such bodies

do not entirely conform to the Teachings, and hence there is

always the possibility of creating complications for the Cause by

accepting membership in them.
|P5

However, as the New Commonwealth Society is nearer to

the Cause than perhaps any other organisation of its kind, the

Guardian would advise the friends to participate, occasionally

and in an informal manner, in its activities, to attend some of its

meetings, and to contribute articles to its publications. Association,

as you certainly realise, is quite different from affiliation,

and it is the latter which the Guardian wishes the friends to

strictly avoid.
|P6

With his warmest greetings and sincere good wishes to you

and your fellow-members in the N.S.A....
|P7
[From the Guardian:]

With the renewed assurance of my continued, my loving and ardent

prayers for the expansion and the consolidation of the splendid work

which the English believers are unitedly accomplishing for the

I am directed by the Guardian to acknowledge the receipt of

[\P114]

your welcome communications of the 19th January and the

enclosed latest number of the "Bahá'í Journal" issued by the

British N.S.A., and to transmit to you, and through you to your

distinguished collaborators in that body, his admiration and

gratitude for the quick action you have been prompted to take

in connection with the formation of a Publishing Company

under the direction of your National Assembly.
|P3

The plan you have conceived is certainly bold, knowing how

limited are the number and resources of the believers in England.

But it nevertheless offers great possibilities of development and

success, provided your Assembly gives it full moral and financial

support, and succeeds in stimulating the interest and obtaining

the assistance of the believers outside Great Britain for its

immediate and effective prosecution.
|P4

In this connection, he wishes you to assure the N.S.A. of his

whole-hearted and full approval of their suggestion to solicit

subscriptions from the Bahá'ís of those countries who normally

order literature from them. He feels it, indeed, to be the duty of

every believer who has the means, and has also the interest of the

Cause at heart, to assist in any capacity, and to any extent he can,

in carrying out the British N.S.A.'s project. Nothing can

demonstrate more effectively the spirit of solidarity and self-sacrifice

which should animate the friends than their response to

this call. Aside from the fact that London is the heart of the

British Empire, and as such commands an importance which

few other centres in the world can equal and should consequently

be raised to the status of one of the leading outposts of the Faith,

it should be stated that now that the Administrative Order has

at last been firmly established and is being increasingly

consolidated in that centre, it is the supreme obligation of all the

believers, both in Great Britain and other European countries, to

assist by every means in hastening this internal development and

growth. And it is quite evident that the formation of a Publishing

Company along the lines suggested by the British N.S.A. is the

greatest asset to such a development and expansion of the Cause

in London and throughout England as a whole.
|P5

It is the Guardian's hope that the response which the friends

will make to this project will be such as to mark the inauguration

of a new era of expansion of the Cause throughout the British

Isles, and the rest of the far-flung British Empire. He would

[\P115]

appeal to every believer to carefully ponder upon the responsibilities

which he is called upon to shoulder in order to meet this

supreme and vital obligation.
|N108|P0
5 March 1937+F1
{Added as footnote to letter of February 24th.}
|P1
Dear and prized co-worker,
|P2

Your subsequent letters dated Jan. 29th enclosing the minutes of the

National Assembly meeting, and February 26th enclosing copy of the

Bahá'í Journal No. 5 have also reached me and have filled my heart

with joy and gratitude for the splendid services of your Assembly and

the efforts they are systematically and vigorously exerting for the

initiation, the expansion and consolidation of Bahá'í administrative

activities and enterprises at this auspicious stage in the evolution of the

Faith in your country. I fully approve the publication in your Journal

of the passages quoted in your letter of February 26th. I am enclosing

the sum of 50 as my contribution towards the Fund which is being

raised for the establishment of the Publishing Company for the success

of which I cherish the brightest hopes. I will especially pray for the

removal of every obstacle that may impede its formation and

development, and for the realisation of your highest hopes in this

connection. Persevere in your great enterprise, and rest assured that the

almighty power of Bahá'u'lláh will, if you remain steadfast in your

purpose, enable you to attain your goal.
|P3
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
|N109|P0
25 March 1937
|P1

ANNOUNCE ASSEMBLIES CELEBRATION MARRIAGE BELOVED GUARDIAN

I am charged by our beloved Guardian to acknowledge the

receipt of your communications of March 21st, 31st and of

April 22nd with enclosures.
|P3

He has received and read with particular interest the latest

issue of the Journal issued by the British N.S.A. and is indeed

happy to realise that the teaching work, now so ably reinforced

by the valuable support extended to it by dear Mrs. Bishop, is

steadily progressing in England. He is most pleased over the

progress of the Devonshire Group, and wishes you to assure its

members, and particularly Mrs. Stevens+, of his deep appreciation

of their efforts for the propagation of the Message in that highly

promising centre from which, he hopes, the light of the Cause

will radiate throughout South Western England which has

heretofore remained closed to the Faith. He would urge your

N.S.A. to continue giving your attention to the problem of

finding ways and means to further widen the interest that has

been aroused, and is fervently praying that your efforts in this

connection may bear the richest and most satisfactory results.

|P4

Concerning the N.S.A.'s Publishing Fund; the Guardian has

learned with satisfaction that the friends are gradually awakening

to the realisation that it constitutes an invaluable support to the

extension of the teaching work throughout the British Isles. He

hopes that the flow of contributions will steadily increase, so as

to enable your Assembly to carry out its important project. He

is rejoiced to hear that you have taken the necessary steps to have

the Company legally established--which step, he hopes, will

pave the way for the registration of the N.S.A. as an independent

religious organisation....
|P5
[From the Guardian:]

With the assurance of my continued prayers for the realisation of

your highest hopes, and for the uninterrupted progress and consolidation

of your teaching and administrative activities,
|P6
Your true brother,
Shoghi
[\P117]
|N112|P0
3 May 1937 (Convention)
|P1

ASSURE DELEGATES FRIENDS LOVING APPRECIATION REMEMBRANCE

HOLY SHRINES SUPPLICATING UNPRECEDENTED SUCCESS TEACHING

I am charged by our beloved Guardian to acknowledge the

receipt of your communications of May 3rd and 29th written

on behalf of the British N.S.A.
|P3

The enclosed copy of the Annual Report, as well as the minutes

of the N.S.A. meeting of the 13th May have also reached him

and he has read their contents with deepest satisfaction.

|P4

With regard to your Assembly's request for permission to

publish in the "Bahá'í Journal" an extract from his letter of April

24th addressed to Miss Baxter+, he wishes you to assure your

fellow members of his approval of their request.
|P5

With his loving Bahá'í greetings and with his renewed and

abiding appreciation of your labours for the Cause....

|P6
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-worker,
|P7

Your letter of June 24th has also been received. I feel the urge to add

these few words in person in order to assure you afresh of my deep

appreciation of the remarkable spirit of constancy, devotion and loyalty

which you and your fellow workers, in both the teaching and

administrative spheres of Bahá'í service are ably and continually

manifesting. My heart overflows with unspeakable gratitude. I will

continue to pray for all of you from the depths of my heart.

On behalf of our beloved Guardian I acknowledge with

thanks the receipt of your letter of the 17th August enclosing the

[\P118]

minutes of the meeting of the British N.S.A. held at the Summer

School on August 8th....
|P3
[From the Guardian:]

May the Beloved bless your persistent efforts and enable you to

consolidate still further the manifold interests of the Faith of God.

I am charged by the Guardian to acknowledge the receipt of

your communications of September 26th and November 6th

with enclosures, all of which he has read with deepest interest

and appreciation.
|P3

He very much regrets indeed the departure of Mrs. Bishop

and Madame Orlova from England, as the services they rendered

all through their stay in that country have been truly outstanding.

The teaching force, in particular, will feel the loss of these two

of its most capable and promising supporters. Every effort should

now be exerted by the N.S.A. however, to carry on the teaching

work through every means possible, and every believer should

be made to realise that he has an added and most grave

responsibility to shoulder in this matter.
|P4

The Guardian has also learned with deep regret of ...

resignation from the membership of the N.S.A. and trusts that

the new member who will be elected to replace her will be able

to contribute as much as she did to the growth and further

consolidations of the National Assembly.
|P5

He will continue to pray for the confirmation and guidance

of all the members, that they may befittingly discharge their

manifold and weighty obligations toward the Faith throughout

the British Isles.
|P6

With his loving greetings and deepest appreciation of your

efforts....
|P7
[From the Guardian:]

Wishing you the fullest success in the efforts which you are exerting

in conjunction with the believers for the protection, the promotion, and

the consolidation of the Cause of God.
|P8
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
[\P119]
|N116|P0
22 April 1938 (Convention)
|P1

DEEPEST LOVING APPRECIATION FERVENT SUPPLICATION SUCCESS

DELIBERATIONS.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N117|P0
24 April 1938 (Convention)
|P1

DELIGHTED URGE INCOMING NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PERSEVERANCE

SUBORDINATE ALL ACTIVITIES TEACHING OBJECTIVE.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N118|P0
28 April 1938
|P1

Bahá'í WORLD MOURNS LOSS HOLY MOTHER Munírih Khánum

STOP Ridvan FESTIVITIES SUSPENDED. ADVISE ALL CENTRES HOLD

MEMORIAL GATHERINGS COMMEMORATE HER OUTSTANDING

SERVICES RENDERED DURING ONE OF MOST CRITICAL STAGES IN

I am instructed to acknowledge the receipt of your communications

addressed to our beloved Guardian dated December

24th, January 10th, February 13th and March 22nd together

with the enclosed minutes of the meetings of the British N.S.A.,

as well as the copies of the "Bahá'í Journal", all of which he has

read with closest attention and keenest interest.
|P3

He has noted with gratification that the Teaching Conference

held in Manchester during last December was successful, and

that the meetings were all pervaded with a spirit of unity and of

fellowship. He has read with deep satisfaction the report of the

above Conference which you had sent, and indeed trusts that the

decision and plans that have been adopted will, through their

faithful application in the course of this year, serve to greatly

accelerate the expansion of the teaching work throughout the

British Isles....
[\P120]
|P4

P.S. Shoghi Effendi has just received your letter of May 16th

and wishes your Assembly to make strenuous efforts in

connection with the incorporation of the N.S.A. He would

advise you to approach Lady Blomfield, Major Tudor-Pole and

Lord Lamington.
|P5

The Guardian wishes me to inform you that you have been

appointed by him a member of the International staff of editors

of the "Bahá'í World". He wishes you to start from now

collecting the necessary material for the next edition and to send

them gradually and directly to Mrs. French.
|P6
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-worker,
|P7

I greatly welcome the determination of the English believers to

concentrate their energies on the teaching work, and I pray from all

my heart for the success of their high endeavours in this all-important

field of Bahá'í service. Individuals as well as local Assemblies must

arise and co-operate and persevere and refuse to allow any obstacle,

however formidable, to dim their hopes or to deflect them from the

course they have so spontaneously chosen to pursue. Kindly assure

I am instructed by the Guardian to acknowledge the receipt

of your communication dated May 31st, enclosing two copies of

the newly published booklet prepared by the British N.S.A. for

teaching purposes, and also the latest issue of the "Bahá'í Journal",

and the report of the Convention proceedings for this year.

|P3

He has read with keenest interest and with deep gratification

the Annual Report of your Assembly and has been very much

impressed indeed by its comprehensiveness, and by your ability

in presenting the facts in such a lucid and effective language. He

has sent the text to Mr. Holley for reproduction in the next

"Bahá'í World", as an appendix to the International Survey of

activities.
|P4

Although the range of Bahá'í activities throughout Great

Britain during this past year has been considerably restricted as

[\P121]

a result of the departure of many travelling and visiting Baha'i

teachers, yet the fact that the friends were, in spite of that and

other handicaps, able to maintain the course of their activities

constitutes a clear evidence that the English Bahá'í Community

is at last able to stand on its own feet, and has sufficient resources,

both moral and material, to enable it to carry on, without any

external help, the heavy task that has been committed to its

charge.
|P5

The Guardian wishes you to assure your fellow members on

the N.S.A. and through them the friends throughout Great

Britain, of his fervent prayers that throughout the course of this

new year they may evince such a unity, zeal and renewed

consecration to their task as to further demonstrate the strength

of their position as a self-supporting and ever-growing national

Bahá'í community....
|P6
[From the Guardian:]

Wishing you and your dear co-workers the utmost success in your

high and meritorious endeavours,
|P7
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
|N121|P0
October 1938 (Third Summer School)

ASSURE YOU PRAYERS HEARTILY RECIPROCATE GREETINGS.

Your communications written on behalf of the British N.S.A.

and dated June 23rd, July 8th and September 15th with their

enclosures have all been duly received and their contents noted

with interest and satisfaction by our beloved Guardian.

|P3

Regarding the papers you had enclosed in your last letter

relating to the N.S.A.'s application for incorporation, he has read

these with the closest attention, and has already communicated

to you his approval by cable, and wishes me now to urge your

Assembly to proceed with this matter without delay and to

[\P122]

make every effort to have the whole thing completed in the

course of the next few months, preferably before the termination

of your Assembly's term of office next April....
|P4

The Guardian has read with considerable interest Mr.

Balyuzi's+ booklet on "Bahá'u'lláh", and hopes that the two

companion essays on The Báb and the Master on which he is

working will be soon completed and ready for distribution, as

he feels they can be of a valuable help to the friends in their

teaching work.
|P5

With the renewed assurances of his prayers for the confirmation

of your services, and reciprocating your greetings....

|P6
[From the Guardian:]
Dear co-worker,
|P7

The energy, loyalty and resourcefulness with which your Assembly

is conducting and extending the manifold activities of the Faith in

these days of stress and trial deserve the highest praise. Your

achievements constitute indeed a landmark in the history of the Faith

in that land. I urge you, with all earnestness and with feelings of

abounding gratitude, to redouble your efforts and to persevere until

your highest hopes and plans in both the spiritual and administrative

spheres are realised and fulfilled. My prayers are always with you.

I am directed by our beloved Guardian to express his thanks

for your letter of the 2nd inst. written on behalf of the N.S.A.

|P3

He has noted your Assembly's request for his advice as to what

forms of national service friends may volunteer for in times of

emergency. While the believers, he feels, should exert every

effort to obtain from the authorities a permit exempting them

from active military service in a combatant capacity, it is their

duty at the same time, as loyal and devoted citizens, to offer their

services to their country in any field of national service which is

not specifically aggressive or directly military. Such forms of

national work as air raid precaution service, ambulance corps,

and other humanitarian work or activity of a non-combatant

nature, are the most suitable types of service the friends can

[\P123]

render, and which they should gladly volunteer for, since in

addition to the fact that they do not involve any violation of the

spirit or principle of the Teachings, they constitute a form of

social and humanitarian service which the Cause holds sacred

and emphatically enjoins.
|P4

The Guardian has noted with genuine satisfaction what you

had written about your recent visit to ... and his earnest desire

to become of increasing service to the Faith. We will certainly

pray that he may fully avail himself of the manifold opportunities

that now lie before him of spreading the knowledge of the Cause

in hitherto closed and conservative circles, and of thus drawing

to it the attention of thoughtful and responsible people

throughout Britain.
|P5

With the renewed assurances of his prayers for you and for

your dear fellow members of the N.S.A....
|P6
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and trusted co-worker,
|P7

The marvellous zeal, unity, understanding and devotion exemplified

by the English believers in recent months, individually as well as

through their concentrated efforts, constitute a landmark in the

progressive development of the Faith in that land. They who have

risen to the height of their present opportunities stand at the threshold

of unprecedented achievements. They must labour continually, exercise

the utmost vigilance, proclaim courageously, and cling tenaciously to

the principles of their Faith, spiritual as well as administrative, and

resolve to endure every sacrifice and hardship, however severe, for the

vindication, the consolidation and recognition of the Faith they profess

and are now so admirably serving.
|P8

With a heart filled with pride and gratitude I pray continually for

their triumph.
|P9
Shoghi
|N124|P0
29 November 1938
|P1

RAHMATU'LLAH ALA'I OUTSTANDING PROMOTER FAITH IRAN SOON

ARRIVING LONDON FOR TREATMENT EXTEND CORDIAL WELCOME

EVERY POSSIBLE ASSISTANCE.
|P2
SHOGHI
[\P124]
|N125|P0
15 January 1939
|P1

URGE ALA'I FOLLOW WHATEVER TREATMENT PRESCRIBED DOCTOR

At the direction of our beloved Guardian I acknowledge with

thanks the receipt of your communications dated November

28th, December 5th, January 5th and 14th written on behalf of

the British N.S.A., all of which he has read, together with their

enclosures, with earnest and fullest attention.
|P3

Regarding the matter of the N.S.A.'s incorporation, he has

noted with real satisfaction that in spite of the difficulties raised

by the officials in the Board of Trade in connection with your

application, the contacts you have formed with these officials

have been of such a friendly nature as to give your Assembly an

opportunity to further press your case, and also to impress the

authorities concerned with the true nature and significance of

the Faith.
|P4

The Guardian would urge your Assembly to strain every

nerve to bring this task to speedy completion, and wishes me to

reassure you and your fellow-members that he will continually

and most fervently pray that your renewed efforts in this

connection may be crowned with full success.
|P5

He also wishes me to express his feelings of deep satisfaction

at the efforts of your Assembly in connection with the

publication of "New World Order", which paper, he hopes, will

prove of increasing value as a medium for the spread of the

Cause throughout England.
|P6

In closing I feel I must also convey his loving thanks to your

Assembly for the very cordial welcome and warm hospitality

which you have, in response to his telegram, kindly extended to

our well beloved and highly esteemed brother Mr. Ala'i. The

love and consideration he has been shown by the friends, and by

the members of your Assembly in particular, will, he feels

certain, help to a marked degree in counter-acting the painful

[\P125]

effects of the insidious disease from which he is so severely, yet

so uncomplainingly suffering. The spirit of courage and fortitude

which he is displaying surely cannot but create a profound

impression upon all those friends, doctors and patients who come

in contact with him. May his presence in your midst, however

temporary, serve as an opportunity of further spreading the

knowledge of the Faith, and also be the means of encouragement

and inspiration to the believers....
|P7
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P8

I am delighted with the work which is being so energetically

conducted, and so faithfully extended and consolidated by the English

believers, and particularly by their national elected representatives

whose magnificent efforts, courage and perseverance deserve the highest

praise. A splendid beginning has been made. A firm foundation has

been established. Perseverance is now required to bring these devoted,

painstaking and concerted efforts to full and speedy fruition. The path

you are treading is beset with formidable obstacles, but the invincible

power of the Faith will, if you remain faithful and steadfast, enable

you to surmount them. My prayers will continue to be offered on your

behalf. May Bahá'u'lláh fulfil every hope you cherish in the service of

His Faith.
|P9
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
|N127|P0
22 March 1939
|P1

LOVING APPRECIATION PRAYING UNPRECEDENTED TRIUMPHS.

|P2
SHOGHI
|N128|P0
March 1939
|P1

"...Under no circumstances should any local Assembly be given

the right to criticise and much less oppose, the policy duly

adopted and approved by the N.S.A."
(Bahá'í Journal 17--cited in an article).
[\P126]
|N129|P0
30 April 1939 (Convention)
|P1
DELIGHTED NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS+F1

{In reply to the Convention's cable stating that two new Assemblies--

Bradford and Torquay--were represented, and the incorporation documents

were completed.}
, GRATEFUL PRAYING RICHEST
BLESSINGS DELIBERATIONS DEEPEST LOVE.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N130|P0
31 May 1939
|P1
Dear Bahá'í Brother,
|P2

At our beloved Guardian's direction I gratefully acknowledge

the receipt of your communications dated February 19th, March

7th and 27th, May 3rd with enclosures, written on behalf of the

British N.S.A.
|P3

He has noted with considerable satisfaction the report of the

progress recently achieved in Bradford and Torquay where,

he is most delighted to know, the friends, and particularly the

newly enrolled young believers, are displaying great enthusiasm

in their activities and have obtained many openings of presenting

the Cause.
|P4

The news of the confirmation of Mr. Frank Hurst+ is specially

gratifying and should prove of deep encouragement to all the

friends who should indeed avail themselves of the opportunity

of his presence in the community to give intensive publicity to

the Faith.
|P5

Regarding the new prayer book which the N.S.A. is proposing

to publish; the manuscript has already been returned to your

address and the suggestions and recommendations of the

Guardian on the matter duly conveyed to your Assembly in a

recent letter. He would advise that on the inside cover mention

should be made only of the British Reviewing Committee's

approval, as it is invariably done in the case of all official Baha'i

publications.
|P6

In connection with the problem of Bahá'í refugees, the

Guardian feels this is a matter which concerns the N.S.A., who

would be justified in taking any action they deem appropriate,

[\P127]

provided the state of the National Fund permits it, and only after

the particular case of each individual applicant has been

thoroughly investigated, and his status as a believer duly

ascertained.
|P7

With reference to your suggestion as to the advisability of

your approaching Mr. Eden, and through him possibly Lord

Halifax, with the view to obtaining from them statements for

the "Bahá'í World", Shoghi Effendi would approve of your

seeing Mr. Eden only, and would leave it to the N.S.A.'s

discretion whether you should approach him as his representative

or as the representative of the British National Assembly.

|P8

Concerning Mrs. Basil Hall's+ paper which she had prepared

for last year's Summer School; the N.S.A.'s approval sanctioning

its publication would be sufficient. You need not, therefore, send

the manuscript to Haifa. But as to the passages she had quoted

from Myron Phelps' book, the Guardian does not advise that

these quotations be included in the pamphlet, as Phelps' book is

full of inaccuracies that are misleading, and for this reason should

be ignored by the believers.
|P9

The Guardian is inexpressibly delighted at the news of the

completion of the N.S.A.'s incorporation certificate, and would

appreciate your sending him three photostat reproductions of

the original, one of which he will arrange to be placed in the

Mansion at Bahji, and the second he will include in the next issue

of "Bahá'í World", and the third he will keep in his own files.

|P10

The Guardian wishes me in closing to urge your Assembly to

make a special effort during this year to concentrate on furthering

the teaching work in Birmingham, Leeds, Newcastle, Brighton,

Sheffield and Bournemouth, in view of the teaching opportunities

that these centres, as indicated in your letter, seem to offer at

present. He welcomes the recommendation made to this effect

at the last Annual Convention and would urge the newly elected

N.S.A. to give this task its continued and fullest attention.

However stupendous the plan now confronting your Assembly

may be, you should resolutely and relentlessly endeavour to

carry it through, ever confident in the promised assistance and

unfailing guidance of Bahá'u'lláh.
|P11

To you and your distinguished fellow-members I beg to

convey the assurances of his profound and loving appreciation of

your loyal and affectionate greetings....
[\P128]
|P12
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P13

The extension, along sound lines and with such memorable

swiftness and harmony, of the activities in which the believers of the

United Kingdom are so earnestly and devotedly engaged, merits the

highest praise and is a source of constant encouragement and

satisfaction to me in my arduous work. They are taking a momentous

step forward and are launching enterprises that will no doubt shed

fresh lustre on their beloved Faith and leave a distinct mark on Baha'i

history. I will continue to pray on their behalf, and feel certain that if

they persevere the Beloved will richly bless their concentrated and

I am charged by our beloved Guardian to inform you of the

receipt of your letter of May 9th written on behalf of the British

N.S.A. on the subject of the Bahá'í attitude towards war.

|P3

His instructions on this matter, conveyed in a letter addressed

to your Assembly during last November, were not intended for

that particular occasion, but were meant for present conditions,

and for any such emergency as may arise in the immediate

future.
|P4

It is still his firm conviction that the believers, while expressing

their readiness to unreservedly obey any directions that the

authorities may issue concerning national service in time of war,

should also, and while there is yet no outbreak of hostilities,

appeal to the government for exemption from active military

service in a combatant capacity, stressing the fact that in doing

so they are not prompted by any selfish considerations but by the

sole and supreme motive of upholding the Teachings of their

Faith, which make it a moral obligation for them to desist from

any act that would involve them in direct warfare with their

fellow-humans of any other race or nation. The Bahá'í Teachings,

indeed, condemn, emphatically and unequivocally, any form of

physical violence, and warfare in the battlefield is obviously a

form, and perhaps the worst form which such violence can

assume.
[\P129]
|P5

There are many other avenues through which the believers

can assist in times of war by enlisting in services of a non-combatant

nature--services that do not involve the direct

shedding of blood--such as ambulance work, anti-air raid

precaution service, office and administrative works, and it is for

such types of national service that they should volunteer.

|P6

It is immaterial whether such activities would still expose

them to dangers, either at home or in the front, since their desire

is not to protect their lives, but to desist from any acts of wilful

murder.
|P7

The friends should consider it their conscientious duty, as

loyal members of the Faith, to apply for such exemption, even

though there may be slight prospect of their obtaining the

consent and approval of the authorities to their petition. It is

most essential that in times of such national excitement and

emergency as those through which so many countries in the

world are now passing that the believers should not allow

themselves to be carried away by the passions agitating the

masses, and act in a manner that would make them deviate from

the path of wisdom and moderation, and lead them to violate,

however reluctantly and indirectly, the spirit as well as the letter

of the Teachings.
|P8

The N.S.A., in this and similar issues that may arise in future,

should act with firmness and vigilance and with such wisdom

and tact as would make them an example worthy of the

confidence and admiration of all the believers....

|P9
[From the Guardian:]

May the beloved bless and guide you in collaboration with your

fellow members, to uphold the integrity, vindicate the truth,

demonstrate the power, and promote the spirit of the exalted teachings

On behalf of our beloved Guardian I beg to acknowledge

with grateful thanks the receipt of your Assembly's communications

[\P130]

of May 26th and June 1st, together with the accompanying

copy of the minutes of your meeting held on May

20th-21st, and the latest issue of the "Bahá'í Journal" containing

your Annual Report and the account of the Convention

proceedings for this year.
|P3

He found the Annual Report published in the Journal so

encouraging that he decided to have certain sections of it

translated into Persian, and sent through the Haifa Assembly's

newsletter, to different Bahá'í centres throughout the East.

|P4

In response to your request for one copy of each of the printed

translations of Dr. Esslemont's book which the N.S.A. wishes to

include as part of the Bahá'í exhibit at the forthcoming "Sunday

Times" Book Exhibition to be held in London during next

Autumn, the Guardian has directed me to mail to your address

thirty-one printed translations of that book, which are the only

ones available at present. There are a few more translations in

process of publication, among which, it will surely interest the

friends to know, is the Icelandic version which, it is hoped, will

be off the press sometime in the course of this Summer. The new

revised edition of the German translation, which is being

published under the auspices of the International Bahá'í Bureau

in Geneva, will be soon ready, and you can obtain a copy of that

new edition by applying to Mrs. Lynch.
|P5

The Guardian does not want these books to be returned to

Haifa after the closing of the Exhibition, but wishes you to

accept them as his gift to the National Bahá'í Library at the

Centre in London, and would suggest that you keep them for

any future Bahá'í exhibit which the N.S.A. may propose to hold

in other parts of England.
|P6

He wishes me, in this connection, to express the hope that the

exhibition you have arranged for this coming Autumn will

prove highly successful and a most useful and effective medium

of teaching the Cause. The idea of a Bahá'í display, chiefly of

publications, he feels, is indeed excellent, and he will specially

pray therefore that the one you are now preparing will achieve

such results as to encourage and stimulate the N.S.A. to arrange

for similar exhibits in the future.
|P7

Regarding the originals of Tablets revealed in honour of the

late Miss Rosenberg, there are only one or two of them, here in

Haifa, and these were sent by Miss Rosenberg herself. The

[\P131]

Guardian is keeping them for the present as they contain

important references concerning the practice of monogamy in

the Cause.
|P8

To you and your dear fellow-members I seize this opportunity

of renewing the assurances of his abiding and loving gratitude,

and of wishing you continued guidance for the further

promotion of the Faith in England....
|P9
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P10

The determination of the English believers to extend rapidly and

systematically the range of their teaching and administrative activities

is a welcome evidence of the genuineness of their faith, the nobility of

their purpose and the depth of their devotion. That such a determination

may yield the richest fruit is my special and constant prayer. What

they have already achieved fortifies my hopes and confidence in them.

They have laid a firm and unassailable basis for their future work.

Perseverance, co-ordination, fearlessness, vigour and wisdom will

enable them to gradually rear on this basis the majestic structure of

Bahá'u'lláh's administrative order, which in the fulness of time must

yield, on the soil of their country a harvest unexampled in its

abundance and glory. May His Spirit guide and sustain them to

Enclosed please find a draft for fifteen English pounds issued

in your name which the Guardian has directed me to forward to

you with the request that you send him for that sum copies of

Mr. Townshend's "Heart of the Gospel", which he understands

will be off the press in the course of this month.

|P3

May I take this opportunity of expressing his hope that this

little volume may fulfil the author's purpose, namely to attract

the attention of the orthodox Christian element in England to

the Cause, and stimulate many thoughtful and spiritually minded

individuals to seriously investigate the Teachings....

[\P132]
|N134|P0
26 July 1939 (Summer School)
|P1

CONGRATULATE ATTENDANTS NOTABLE PROGRESS GRATEFUL PRAYING

OVERJOYED THANKFUL PERSEVERANCE ENGLISH BELIEVERS ATTESTED

RECENT COMMUNICATIONS ASSURE THEM SPECIAL PRAYERS
ABIDING APPRECIATION.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI+F1

{The Guardian only used his full name in cables when the censorship

regulations during states of emergency made it obligatory.}

|N137|P0
20 November 1939
|P1
Dear Bahá'í Brother,
|P2

On behalf of our beloved Guardian I beg to acknowledge

with grateful thanks the receipt of your communications dated

July 11th, 20th, August 14th (2 letters) and October 19th with

enclosures written on behalf of the British N.S.A.

|P3

He also wishes me to inform you that the photostatic

reproductions of the incorporation papers of your Assembly

have safely reached him, and he has placed one copy in

Bahá'u'lláh's Mansion in Bahji, and is keeping the other for

inclusion in the next issue of the "Bahá'í World".

|P4

The copies of Mr. Townshend's latest book, "The Heart of the

Gospel", which you have forwarded at his request have likewise

been received and a number of volumes distributed among the

[\P133]

various Bahá'í libraries established in the Holy Land. He feels

confident the N.S.A. is sparing no effort to bring this valuable

production to the attention of leading personalities throughout

the British Isles, and will pray that the interest aroused may be

such as to lead to the full spiritual awakening and confirmation

of a number of thoughtful individuals in various parts of the

country.
|P5

As regards the projected prayer book; he does not know

whether the N.S.A. has been able to proceed with the printing

of this work. But in case it is published, he would like you to

mail to him twenty copies, some of which he needs for

distribution among various Bahá'í libraries here.
|P6

The Guardian feels most truly delighted to know that the

outbreak of war has, in general, stimulated the friends to greater

teaching effort, and that the newly established communities such

as those of Bradford and Torquay are showing particular

enthusiasm in carrying on the teaching work in their respective

centres. He will earnestly supplicate the Almighty that He may

bless and reinforce these steadfast and self-sacrificing exertions of

the English believers, and that He may, in these days of storm

and stress, vouchsafe unto them all an increasing measure of His

unfailing protection and guidance....
|P7
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-worker,
|P8

I wish to reaffirm clearly and emphatically my deep sense of

gratification and gratitude for the recent and truly remarkable evidences

of the devotion, courage and perseverance of the English Baha'i

community in the face of the perils that now confront it. Its members

have abundantly demonstrated their profound attachment to their

Cause, their unshakable resolution to uphold its truth and defend its

interests, and their unfailing solicitude for whatever may promote and

safeguard its institutions. However great and sinister the forces with

which they may have to battle in future, I feel confident that they will

befittingly uphold the torch of Divine Guidance that has been

entrusted to their hands and will discharge their responsibilities with

still greater tenacity, fidelity, vigour and devotion.

|P9
Shoghi
[\P134]
|N138|P0
5 December 1939
|P1

REMAINS PUREST BRANCH AND `Abdu'l-Bahá'í MOTHER PERMANENTLY

LAID REST CLOSE NEIGHBOURHOOD SHRINE GREATEST HOLY

The Guardian has just received your letter of the 20th

November last, and feels indeed deeply encouraged at the report

of the teaching activities of our dear English believers. He is

unspeakably grateful to you all, and in particular to the members

of your Assembly, for the determination, resourcefulness and the

spirit of absolute consecration with which you are prosecuting

the teaching campaign throughout England, and he will ardently

pray that, in spite of the smallness of your numbers and means,

and notwithstanding the various obstacles you may encounter in

the course of your future activities for the Faith, you may,

individually and collectively, receive such confirmations from

Bahá'u'lláh as would enable you each and all to befittingly and

completely acquit yourselves of this high task you have

undertaken to accomplish in service of His Faith.
|P3

In connection with your application for exemption from

active military service, the Guardian trusts that the authorities

will give careful consideration to this matter, and will find it

possible to relieve the Bahá'í friends from the necessity of serving

in the army in a combatant capacity. Should they, however,

refuse to grant such exemption, the believers should unhesitatingly

assure them of their unqualified obedience and of their

readiness to join and serve in the army in whatever manner the

government deems best.
|P4

Renewing to you and to all the friends his warmest good

wishes and greetings....
|P5
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P6

The various and compelling evidences of the unquenchable

enthusiasm, the unbreakable resolution and the inflexible purpose of

[\P135]

the English believers, in these days of stress, of turmoil and danger,

have cheered my heart and fortified me in the discharge of my arduous

and multitudinous duties and responsibilities. I feel truly proud of

them all, and will, with increasing gratitude and redoubled fervour,

supplicate the Beloved whose Cause they are so valiantly serving, to

bless, sustain, guide and protect them under all circumstances, and aid

them to establish firmly the institutions of His Faith throughout the

I am instructed by our beloved Guardian to acknowledge

with thanks the receipt of your communication of the 19th

December, sent through the care of our very dear brother Dr.

Ali, and of the twenty copies of the newly-published prayer

book, as well as the last copy of the "Bahá'í Journal" and the

Christmas number of "New World Order".
|P3

He has also received and read with deep satisfaction the

statement on `Bahá'ís and War' recently issued by the N.S.A.,

together with the teaching report prepared by your Assembly,

both of which he will consider for incorporation in the next

issue of the "Bahá'í World", the manuscript of which he hopes to

receive in the course of January or February next....

|P4

The Guardian welcomes the plan suggested by Mr. Townshend

to republish "The Promise of All Ages" under his own

name, and trusts this will serve to attract wider publicity to the

Cause, and in particular to fully awaken the church officials to

the significance of such direct and vigorous presentation of the

Faith by so well-known and long-standing a Christian divine.

|P5

Renewing to you and your dear fellow-members and to all

the friends in London, the assurances of his prayers for your

welfare and protection in these perilous days, and with his

warmest greetings to you all....
|P6
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P7

The news of your persistent activities, your safety and protection,

and above all of your unyielding resolve and undisturbed confidence in

[\P136]

the face of the uncertainties and perils that face and surround you, have

greatly cheered and heartened me in my duties and responsibilities

which are now heavily pressing upon me. You are often in my

thoughts and prayers at this grave hour. I cherish the brightest hopes

for you, and will continue to supplicate the Almighty on your behalf.

|P8
Be assured, persevere and be happy,
|P9
Shoghi
|N141|P0
1 January 1940+F1
{Lady Blomfield passed away 31 December 1939.}
|P1

PROFOUNDLY GRIEVE PASSING DEARLY BELOVED OUTSTANDING CO-WORKER

SITARIH KHANUM MEMORY HER GLORIOUS SERVICES

IMPERISHABLE ADVISE ENGLISH COMMUNITY HOLD BEFITTING

MEMORIAL GATHERINGS ASSURE RELATIVES MY HEARTFELT SYMPATHY

LOVING FERVENT PRAYERS.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
|N142|P0
2 January 1940 (Teaching Conference)
|P1

WELCOME NOBLE RESOLVE PROSECUTE ENERGETICALLY TEACHING

The Guardian wishes me to write and thank you for your

welcome communication of January 29th with its various

enclosures, all of which he was indeed most gratified and

encouraged to read.
|P3

As you have not mentioned having received his general letter

of December 21st written in connection with the transfer of the

sacred remains of the Purest Branch and of `Abdu'l-Bahá's

mother to Mt. Carmel, I am taking the liberty of sending you on

his behalf another copy which, I trust, will reach you safely....

|P4

The Guardian welcomes your suggestions to send a memorial

of the late Lady Blomfield for publication in the next issue of the

[\P137]

"Bahá'í World", Vol. VIII, and wishes you to send him in

addition a good photograph of her for reproduction in the same

volume.
|P5

Also he would appreciate your sending him a brief account of

Mrs. Thornburgh-Cropper's Bahá'í life and services together

with her photograph for publication in the same issue of the

Biennial.
|P6

The passing away of these two long-standing believers has

indeed robbed the Cause in England of two of its most

distinguished members, and the English Bahá'í Community is

certainly the poorer now that it has been deprived of their ready

and invaluable support.
|P7

The departure of Sitarih Khanum in particular is to be deeply

mourned, not only by the members of the Faith throughout

England, but by so many of her fellow-believers abroad, and the

Guardian himself feels most keenly the loss of so precious and

faithful a co-worker, who, in the early days following `Abdu'l-Bahá's

ascension, had proved of such invaluable assistance to him

in the discharge of his heavy duties and responsibilities....

|P8
[From the Guardian:]
Dear co-workers,
|P9

I wish to reaffirm my deep sense of gratitude and admiration for the

splendid manner in which the English believers are discharging their

duties and responsibilities in these days of increasing peril, anxiety

and stress. Their tenacity, courage, faith and noble exertions will as a

magnet attract the undoubted and promised blessing of Bahá'u'lláh.

They have, at a time when the basis of ordered society itself is rocking

and trembling, laid an unassailable foundation for the Administrative

Order of their Faith. Upon this basis the rising generation will erect

a noble structure that will excite the admiration of their fellow

countrymen. My prayers for them will continually be offered at the

Your letter dated March 13th has safely reached our beloved

Guardian together with the following enclosures:
[\P138]
|P3
In Memoriam: Lady Blomfield.
Minutes N.S.A. March 2nd and 3rd.
"Bahá'í Journal" No. 21.
Introduction to "The Chosen Highway".
Preface to "The Chosen Highway".

He has also received by registered post the photographs of Lady

Blomfield and Mrs. Thornburgh-Cropper which you had kindly

sent at his request for reproduction in the "Bahá'í World"....

|P4

The Guardian has noted with satisfaction that the arrangements

for the publication of "The Chosen Highway" are complete, and

hopes that by the time you receive this letter it will be well on

the way to printing.
|P5

Concerning the question you have asked as to whether in

elections for Spiritual Assemblies the electors should cast exactly

nine votes, or may cast less than this number. Inasmuch as

Spiritual Assembly membership, according to the principles of

Bahá'í Administration, has been limited for the present to nine

members, it follows that no electoral vote can be effective unless

it is cast for exactly that number. It is, therefore, the sacred duty

of every Bahá'í elector to cast nine votes, neither more nor less,

except under special circumstances, so as to ensure that the results

of the elections for the Spiritual Assembly will be effective and

on as wide a basis of representation as possible....

|P6

P.S. The Guardian has noted with surprise in reading over the

Minutes of your N.S.A. that the British Annual Convention is

to be held this year on the 12th May. He wishes you from now

on to hold that gathering on any day during the period of

Ridvan (21 April-2 May)
|P7
[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty bless, sustain and protect the English believers,

who in these days of unprecedented turmoil, stress and danger, are

holding aloft so courageously the banner of the Faith, and who will,

in the days to come, contribute, through His grace and power, a notable

share to its establishment and recognition in the West.

|P8
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
[\P139]
|N145|P0
12 May 1940 (Convention)
|P1
GREATLY ADMIRE DEEPLY THANKFUL UNDAUNTED COURAGE

INFLEXIBLE RESOLUTION ENGLISH BELIEVERS REPRESENTED CONVENTION

INTENSIFY EFFORTS EXTEND ACTIVITIES NOTWITHSTANDING

GRAVITY HOUR PRAYING ARDENTLY PROTECTION SUCCESS.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
|N146|P0
14 August 1940
|P1

DELIGHTED NEWS SAFETY ENGLISH BELIEVERS PROGRESS TEACHING

WORK ASSURE THEM EACH ALL LOVING CONTINUED PRAYERS.

I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of May 7th

addressed to our beloved Guardian, and of the enclosed memoir

of Lady Blomfield which you have condensed at his request for

use in the "Bahá'í World", Vol. VIII.
|P3

The size of the memoir in question makes it now quite suitable

for reproduction in the Biennial, and it will be forwarded to the

U.S.A. for incorporation in the manuscript, as the latter has been

already mailed to America for printing.
|P4

The material regarding the Bahá'í wedding recently held in

London has been also received and noted with interest and

appreciation by our beloved Guardian. He is keeping it for

possible use in the forthcoming or future editions of the "Baha'i

World".
|P5

Renewing to you and your dear co-workers the assurances of

his prayers, and of his deep gratitude for your painstaking and

devoted exertions in service to the Cause in England, and with

greetings....
|P6
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-worker,
|P7

Our anxiety for the safety of the English believers is deepening

every day, as it is fully realised how dangerous the situation has

[\P140]

become in recent months, and how manifold and pressing are the

problems that confront them in the faithful discharge of their sacred

and vital responsibilities. The perusal of the reports, minutes and

periodicals received lately from that country has served to deepen my

sense of admiration and my feelings of gratitude for the wisdom, the

staunchness and fidelity with which the elected representatives of the

English believers are conducting in these critical times the activities of

their Faith. My fervent and constant prayer is that Bahá'u'lláh may

ever keep them safe and protected under the shadow of His wings and

aid them to play a worthy and memorable part in these tragic days of

the Formative Period of our beloved Cause.
|P8
Shoghi
|N148|P0
19 October 1940
|P1

ANXIOUS WELFARE ENGLISH BELIEVERS PRAYING PROTECTION

On behalf of the Guardian I beg to acknowledge the receipt

of your communications dated May 28th, June 20th, July 5th

and August 30th with enclosures, written at the direction of the

British N.S.A.
|P3

He has noted with satisfaction the results of the elections for

the new N.S.A. and wishes you to convey to your fellow

members the assurances of his prayers for the success of their

work during this year. Notwithstanding the storm and stress

raging around them, the friends in England should more than

ever, firmly united behind their National Assembly, and

strengthened by an unshakable conviction in the ultimate

triumph of their Faith, earnestly and resolutely endeavour to

foster the cause of teaching. The trials and tribulations facing

them should but serve to steel their resolve to leave no stone

unturned until their goal has been fully accomplished. The

[\P141]

Guardian's prayers are being ardently offered that whatever the

immediate repercussions of the war may be on the British Baha'i

Community, its members may, through the Divine aid and

protection of Bahá'u'lláh, receive such guidance and strength as

would enable them to face confidently and courageously the

sufferings and vicissitudes of the present hour, and to arise as one

body for the promulgation and wider establishment of the Faith

throughout Great Britain.
|P4

Concerning your Assembly's request for lantern slides of the

Shrines on Mt. Carmel which you propose to use in your

teaching campaign, the Guardian much regrets that no such

slides are at present available here.
|P5

As regards the question of what procedure the Baha'i

Assemblies should adopt when dissatisfied with the services of

any of their officers, should such dissatisfaction involve the

loyalty of an Assembly officer to the Faith, he should, following

a majority vote be dismissed. But in case the dissatisfaction is due

to the incompetence of a member, or simply to a neglect on his

part to discharge his duties, this does not constitute sufficient

justification to force his resignation or dismissal from the

Assembly. He should be kept in office until new elections are

held.
|P6

The Guardian fully approves that, in view of the National

Secretary's key position in the Cause at the present time, he

should apply for complete exemption. He hopes that the

representations the N.S.A. will make will meet with success.

|P7

In closing he wishes me to acknowledge with thanks the

receipt of two copies of Lady Blomfield's book presented to him

by the N.S.A., one of which he has already placed in the Library

of Bahá'u'lláh's Mansion in Bahji....
|P8
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-worker,
|P9

I was greatly relieved to learn of the safety of the English believers

and was filled with admiration through the assurance you have given

me of their steadfastness, their unwavering determination to labour for

the spread of our beloved Faith and the defence and protection of its

interests in spite of the unprecedented calamities and confusion that

now afflict their country. Bahá'u'lláh from His station on high is

watching over them, is pleased with them, and will, I feel certain,

[\P142]

guide their steps, cheer their hearts, bless their efforts, protect their

WIRE SAFETY LONDON MANCHESTER FRIENDS CONSTANTLY PRAYING

LOVING ADMIRATION.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
|N151|P0
24 February 1941
|P1

LETTERS JUNE JULY AUGUST ENCLOSING MINUTES ARRIVED ANSWER

MAILED NOVEMBER LETTER DECEMBER NINTH JUST RECEIVED ALSO

BLOMFIELD'S BOOKS CABLING HUNDRED POUNDS MY CONTRIBUTION

RELIEF BELIEVERS INCESSANTLY PRAYING DEEPEST LOVE.

|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
|N152|P0
19 April 1941
|P1

REJOICE SAFETY ADMIRE DAUNTLESS COURAGE MARVEL UNQUENCHABLE

SPIRIT ENGLISH BELIEVERS SHARING JOYFUL NEWS NOBLE

PERSEVERANCE WITH PILGRIMS ARRIVING IN INCREASING NUMBERS

FROM NEAR AND MIDDLE EAST ALL PRAYING CONTINUED SAFETY

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES SORE TRIED EXEMPLARY SERVANTS FAITH

Bahá'u'lláh THROUGHOUT BRITISH ISLES URGE PERSISTENT EFFORTS

UTILISE UTMOST LIMIT PRICELESS SPIRITUAL OPPORTUNITIES

PRESENT HOUR.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
|N153|P0
30 April 1941 (Convention)
|P1

EXHILARATED RESOLUTION INTENSIFY TEACHING ADMIRATION

HEIGHTENED PRAYING REDOUBLED FERVOUR.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
[\P143]
|N154|P0
30 April 1941+F1

{This was the first letter received by the British N.S.A. in which the

secretarial part was written by, and signed, "R. Rabbani" (Amatu'l-Baha

Ruhiyyih Khanum).}
|P1
Dear Bahá'í Friends,
|P2

Shoghi Effendi has instructed me to answer your letter to him

of December 9th, 1940.
|P3

He was greatly relieved to hear from your letter and cables

that all the dear friends in the British Isles are well and safe, as his

thoughts have been so constantly with them during these

dangerous and tragic days.
|P4

The extreme devotion to the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh which the

English friends are evincing at such a time of trial and suffering

not only sets a truly heroic example to their fellow Bahá'ís the

world over, but greatly cheers and encourages the Guardian

himself, at a time when he has every reason to long to see the

Bahá'ís stand out as luminous examples to their fellow-men--

thus leading them out of the valley of spiritual death into the

glorious plains of the future World Order of Mankind.

|P5

The recently received news of the Convention's resolve to

teach the Faith as never before in those islands, and to achieve

new victories in this all-important field, meets not only with

Shoghi Effendi's whole-hearted approval, but also evokes his

profound gratitude and admiration. His ardent and loving

prayers continually surround you all and all the sorely tried

Bahá'ís, who with you are toiling for the triumph of our Faith.

|P6

He was deeply touched at the spirit which impelled Lord

Lamington to wish to place in the hands of the Guardian that

ring which he had for so long treasured as a gift of the beloved

Master. He feels that it is only befitting that this historic relic

should be the property of the British Bahá'ís and wishes it to be

kept in your National Archives. If you could send a copy of Lady

Lamington's letter the Guardian would very much like to have

it. Assuring you of the Guardian's ardent love and prayers....

|P7
[From the Guardian:]
Dearly beloved co-workers,
|P8

The message I have recently received, with the assurance it gives me

and the spirit it conveys, merits indeed the highest praise. The English

believers in these days of increasing peril and stress, are manifesting

[\P144]

those qualities which only those who have deeply imbibed the

transforming spirit and the ennobling principles of the Cause of God

are able to reveal. They are by their very acts, their sufferings and

exertions, and above all by the superb staunchness of their faith, laying

a magnificent foundation for the spiritual edifice their hands are

destined to raise in their native land. My prayers for them all will

surround them wherever they labour and in every sphere of their

meritorious activities.
|P9
Gratefully and affectionately,
Shoghi
|N155|P0
15 May 1941+F1

{In reply to cable sent to the Guardian 13 May 1941 FU'AD AFNAN FIRST

Bahá'í AIR RAID VICTIM ENGLAND KILLED EARLY SUNDAY MORNING GRATEFUL IF

YOU INFORM MOTHER.}
|P1

INFORMING MOTHER PRAYING HIS SOUL FERVENTLY SUPPLICATING

Shoghi Effendi instructs me to answer your letter to him of

March 10th, 1941 together with the minutes of your meeting

held March 1st, 2nd and 3rd, and your Feb. "Bahá'í Journal" and

the "World Congress of Faiths" programme, all of which he was

very pleased indeed to receive.
|P3

I cannot adequately express to you all the warm love and

profound admiration for the Bahá'ís of those islands which

Shoghi Effendi feels. At such a time of personal danger and

anguish the spirit of pure love and devotion to the Faith and

Order of Bahá'u'lláh which they manifest, and which is so

typified by the zeal and wisdom with which your National

Spiritual Assembly is handling the affairs of the Cause in that

country, is a source of great comfort to the Guardian himself.

|P4

Indeed he feels that the N.S.A. members are bearing their load

of responsibility in a manner which lifts partially the weight of

cares from his own shoulders, and sets a noble example to all

Bahá'í administrative bodies.
[\P145]
|P5

In reference to your question contained in minute 208+F1

{This Minute recorded that: "Personal problems should not be referred to

the Guardian without the advice or direction of the National Spiritual

Assembly...."}
of the

recent N.S.A. meeting: Shoghi Effendi feels that while all Bahá'ís

should be encouraged to turn to their Assembly for the solution

of their various problems, thus enabling the Spiritual Assembly

to fulfil one of its most important functions, yet they are quite

free to write to him if they feel the urge to do so....

|P6

He was also very pleased to note the teaching plans undertaken

by your body at this time, particularly in respect to Manchester.

He hopes the believers there are all well and safe, and will pray

for the confirmations of Bahá'u'lláh in their contemplated

teaching campaign.
|P7

Indeed, dear friends, his thoughts and prayers are constantly

with you and the beloved flock of English believers over whom

you are so faithfully watching through these dark days.

|P8

He wishes you at all times to turn to him for any advice or

help you may need.
|P9
With assurances of his abiding love...
|P10
[From the Guardian:]
Dearly beloved co-workers,
|P11

As the dangers confronting the believers in the British Isles increase

in number and gravity, my admiration, as well as the admiration of

the Bahá'ís in East and West, for the spirit that animates those who

face them, grows deeper and acquires added intensity and fervour.

Though their numbers be small, and their activities restricted, and

their trials and anxieties manifold and oppressive, yet their spiritual

contribution through their fortitude, valour and self-sacrifice, to the

progressive unfoldment of the Faith's latent potentialities in the

Western World is both notable and constantly increasing. As

the clouds of war dissipate, and the horrors of this universal carnage

fade away, it will become increasingly evident, to both the friends and

foes of the Faith, how solid has been the foundation which their

indomitable spirit has laid, and how rich the harvest which their

incessant labours have yielded.
|P12

With a heart brimful with love and gratitude, I will, when visiting

the Holy Shrines, recall their signal acts, and supplicate increasing

blessings on the historic work, which, in their hour of trial, they are

so magnificently achieving, for the glory, for the honour, the extension

and the establishment of the invincible Faith of Bahá'u'lláh.

|P13
Shoghi
[\P146]
|N157|P0
30 May 1941
|P1

PRAYING FERVENTLY GUIDANCE ASSEMBLY'S DELIBERATIONS PROTECTION

BELIEVERS SUCCESS ACTIVITIES FAITH LOVING
APPRECIATION.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
|N158|P0
9 July 1941
|P1

ASSURE JOSEPHS+ APPROVAL PROFOUND APPRECIATION BUILDING

SCHEME. THESE FURTHER EVIDENCES GROWING VITALITY CONTINUALLY

AFFLICTED BELIEVERS BRITISH ISLES ENHANCE PRESTIGE

CAUSE Bahá'u'lláh HEIGHTEN ADMIRATION INCREASE DEBT

GRATITUDE HIS FOLLOWERS OWE VALIANT BRITISH COMMUNITY

The Guardian has instructed me to answer your letter to him

of May 6th, and to acknowledge the receipt of the minutes of the

N.S.A. meetings held on April 25th and 27th.
|P3

He was very happy to receive your letter, and his heart

rejoiced at the good news which it conveyed. The holding of a

successful Bahá'í Convention during days of such stress and strain

as the English believers are passing through, he considers as a

triumph of the spirit of their faith in Bahá'u'lláh. They are

increasingly demonstrating their right to be called champions of

the Cause of God, and manifesting their ability to follow in the

footsteps of the early heroes of their religion. The Guardian feels

truly proud of them.
|P4

In accordance with the request you made in connection with

the generous proposal of ..., Shoghi Effendi cabled your

Assembly his approval of their plan for establishing a building

fund for a future Bahá'í property to be built in.... He feels that

this demonstrates a most notable donation to the Cause of God

on their parts, and wishes you to convey to them both the

[\P147]

expression of his profound gratitude for this service they are

rendering the Faith in England.
|P5

These evidences of growth, in spite of the universal destruction

that is holding the planet in its grip at the present time, should

greatly hearten the believers. They bear witness to the future

harvests which their increasing labours are sure to reap, and

demonstrate the great and God-given strength which flows and

will flow ever more abundantly from the springs which

Bahá'u'lláh has unsealed in these days.
|P6

Shoghi Effendi assures you all of his unceasing prayers on your

behalf, that God may strengthen, bless, and guide you in your

great work for His Faith.
|P7

He wishes you to please convey his love to all the British

believers and to assure them of his prayers for their protection

and for the triumph of their labours....
|P8
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and prized co-workers,
|P9

I am thrilled by the recent evidences of the noble determination of

the English believers to extend the range of their activities in these

days of grave danger and widespread and ever deepening anxiety and

stress. The report of your Convention sessions, of your teaching

activities and of your Bahá'í publications, and other administrative

undertakings, enhances my admiration and deepens my gratitude for

the historic work you are achieving in these days. This feeling is

shared by all those of your co-workers, both in the East and the West,

who follow the progress of your work despite the formidable obstacles

in your path. We all pray for your safety, for the realisation of all your

hopes, and the fulfilment of the plans you have so boldly conceived and

are so energetically carrying out.
|P10
Your true brother,
Shoghi
|N160|P0
1941 (Summer School)
|P1

OVERJOYED SUCCESS ATTENDING EVER EXPANDING INSTITUTIONS

FAITH. CONTINUALLY SUPPLICATING UNFAILING PROTECTION EVER-INCREASING

The Guardian has instructed me to answer your letters to him

dated June 6th and 30th respectively, also the minutes of the

N.S.A. meetings of May 24th and 25th and June 14th were

safely received.
|P3

He is happy to see that, in spite of the great physical and

nervous strain which the believers of England are at present

being subjected to--especially in centres like London--they yet

persevere with the work of the Cause and the attraction of new

souls.
|P4

The Guardian does not feel that the friends should for a

moment feel discouraged if they do not succeed in having large

meetings or the public do not regularly attend, this is easily

understandable in view of the severe ordeal which their present

sufferings subject them to. However, the importance of

broadcasting the seeds of the Cause far and wide can never be

sufficiently stressed. It is the right and privilege of organised

humanity to hear of the Faith and the Plan of Bahá'u'lláh in these

days, and in this holy duty to their fellow men the Bahá'ís must

not fail whatever may be the sadness of their personal plight, for

they alone can truly see the future in the tragic present, and

possess hope and strength to go on with the spiritual battle for

the victory of the New Day.
|P5

Regarding the question you have put to the Guardian

concerning minute No. 259, whatever is not laid down in "Baha'i

Administration" is left to the judgement of the National Spiritual

Assembly to decide. These are purely secondary details and as the

Guardian wishes to avoid introducing into the administration a

labyrinth of rules and regulations he leaves the friends in

authority to decide such matters as they arise.
|P6

He hopes the Summer School will be a success. In all your

undertakings you may rest assured of his constant and most

loving prayers, not only for the National Assembly members,

but for each and every member of the flock they are watching

over and guiding....
|P7
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P8

The report of your continued activities, conducted amid the turmoil

[\P149]

that oppresses and afflicts the English believers, is a source of continual

joy and inspiration to me, as well as those who, in distant parts of the

Bahá'í world are made to realise the unwavering constancy with

which you are all upholding the vital interests of the Faith of God.

That the teaching work is speedily expanding, that the institutions of

the Faith are functioning with vigour and in accordance with the

principles of the Administrative Order, testify to the solidity of the

foundations that have been established. On this foundation you will

as the present hindrances are removed, and the tremendous reactions

of this conflict are made apparent, rear an edifice worthy of the name,

and attesting the glory of the Faith, of Bahá'u'lláh. Persevere in your

present labours and be ever confident.
|P9
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
|N162|P0
3 November 1941
|P1

RUHI AFNAN'S SISTER MARRIED SECRETLY COVENANT BREAKER HER

MOTHER AND BROTHERS ALL CONCURRED ALL MANNER COMMUNICATION

WITH THEM ACCORDING MASTER'S WILL FORBIDDEN.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
|N163|P0
29 December 1941
|P1

SISTER MEHRANGIS FOLLOWED EXAMPLE RUHI'S SISTER JUSTICE

The Guardian has instructed me to answer your letters dated

June 30th, Aug. 20th, Sept. 5th, Oct. 20th and 28th (duplicates

of both received) and December 23rd and to acknowledge the

receipt of the various minutes, programmes, etc., which they

enclosed.
|P3

Regarding ..., Shoghi Effendi is writing him direct, advising

[\P150]

him to sever his membership in the Synagogue, but to continue

to maintain friendly association with the members of its

community.
|P4

The Guardian was very happy indeed to hear of the success of

the Summer School and the enthusiasm that prevailed. He has

received news of it from some of the friends, as well as the

N.S.A., and feels that the English Bahá'ís have every reason to

feel encouraged and proud of the way their tireless efforts are

being rewarded.
|P5

The good news of the increase in Bahá'í membership is yet

another evidence of the vitality of the community and the

activity of the friends, in spite of the gloom of the times, which

increasingly prevails. Indeed as material affairs go from bad to

worse in the world, the confidence, optimism, love and hope of

the believers will, by force of contrast, shine out as an ever

brighter beacon, leading the people to the Path of Truth, the

way laid down by God, which alone can guide them to the

promise of the future.
|P6

Now that the British Isles have a respite from intense aerial

warfare, no doubt the friends, especially in London and other

cities, find themselves more refreshed and consequently better

able to carry on the work of the Cause. They should not lose any

time in consolidating the teaching work, reinforcing new

centres, and enlarging their numbers.
|P7

The Guardian is urging the American friends, also, to redouble

their efforts and not lose their precious opportunities. The value

of work accomplished at present is inestimable, and opportunities

lost are in a way quite irretrievable, as the agony of mankind

moves forward to a climax....
|P8

The many activities undertaken by the English friends, their

determined efforts to bring the Cause before a wider public and

reach people of outstanding importance, their new centres and

study groups, are all signs which should greatly encourage them

and demonstrate to them that the Holy Spirit is ever ready to

sustain and reinforce the believers in all work for the good of our

precious Faith.
|P9

The Guardian assures the members of the National Assembly

of his most loving prayers on their behalf and his deep and

abiding appreciation of their tireless services. They are helping

the friends to build an edifice which neither time nor tide shall

[\P151]

undermine and which needs must become the sole refuge for

their sorely tried countrymen....
|P10
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P11

I wish to assure you again of my feelings of profound gratitude for

the manner in which you are performing your sacred task and

discharging, individually and collectively, your pressing and manifold

responsibilities. I rejoice and am deeply thankful to learn that the trials

and tribulations that so fiercely assailed you in the past have lessened

and have failed to interfere with the progress of your activities.

Bahá'u'lláh will no doubt continue to guide, sustain and protect you

in the days to come and is well pleased with the marvellous evidences

of your perseverance, unity, loyalty and devotion. I will continue to

supplicate His abundant blessing for you all, that your numbers may

steadily increase, your community life be continually enriched, your

institutions flourish and multiply, and the foundation of your

individual spiritual lives be strengthened. Persevere in your high

labours.
|P12
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
|N165|P0
27 April 1942 (Convention)
|P1

MAGNIFICENT SPIRIT ENGLISH BELIEVERS CHEERS STRENGTHENS ME

ARDUOUS TASK THANKFUL THEIR MESSAGE ADMIRE THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS

The Guardian has instructed me to answer your letters written

on behalf of the National Assembly, and dated Feb. 6th, March

17th and April 6th, and to acknowledge the receipt of the

minutes of the Jan. and March meetings of your Assembly

together with other enclosures.
|P3

In pursuance of your request the Guardian wrote to Mr. and

[\P152]

Mrs. Hill about the tragic and unexpected passing of their

daughter. He also felt moved to cable them his condolences and

the assurance of his prayers. This must have been for them a very

grievous blow; but he feels sure the deep assurances concerning

the future life, which have been given us by Bahá'u'lláh, have

comforted and sustained them throughout.
|P4

He was pleased to read the sympathetic letter you received

from ex-President Benes of Czechoslovakia, as well as that of Sir

Ronald Storrs. Many men in high positions are aware now of the

existence and aims of our Faith, but they do not yet reckon it to

be a movement worthy of more profound interest on their part.

As time goes by, however, we may rest assured their interest will

grow.
|P5

That is perhaps what is most glorious about our present

activities all over the world, that we, a band not large in

numbers, not possessing financial backing or the prestige of great

names, should, in the name of our beloved Faith, be forging

ahead at such a pace, and demonstrating to future and present

generations that it is the God-given qualities of our religion that

are raising it up and not the transient support of worldly fame

and power. All that will come later, when it has been made clear

beyond the shadow of a doubt that what raised aloft the banner

of Bahá'u'lláh was the love, sacrifice and devotion of His humble

followers and the change that His teachings wrought in their

hearts and lives.
|P6

It is just such exemplary devotion and perseverance that the

British Bahá'ís are showing at present, and their reward cannot

but be great and lasting. The laying of the foundation is a slow

process, but the most important one in the erection of any

structure. The Guardian feels that your Assembly, as well as the

friends in England, have every reason to feel proud of, and

encouraged by, the way the work is progressing there.

|P7

He hopes that your Summer School this year will be even

more successful than last year, in spite of being held in two parts.

You may be sure he will pray for its success.
|P8

He fully realises the difficulties you are undergoing enhanced

by the war and its hardships, yet he sees, perhaps even more

clearly than you yourselves can, that these very difficulties and

the surmounting of them are deepening and strengthening the

ties that bind you all to our beloved Faith, and enabling you to

[\P153]

do a work which only future generations of your countrymen

will be able to properly appreciate and assess.
|P9

Please convey to all the dear friends the assurances of his love

and his prayers for their service in these days, and his high hopes

for the future that awaits them in the days to come, when the

Cause of God begins to emerge above the waves of the old order

and shines forth in all its strength and beauty.
|P10

Assuring you and all your fellow-members of his deep

appreciation of your tireless work and his ardent prayers for

your guidance and strength....
|P11
[From the Guardian:]
Dearly beloved co-worker,
|P12

The steady progress and extension of Bahá'í activities in the British

Isles is, no doubt, the direct consequence of the unswerving loyalty, the

high courage, the incorruptible spirit and the exemplary devotion and

steadfastness of the British believers, who have, simply and strikingly,

demonstrated the quality of their faith and the soundness of their

institutions in these days of unprecedented commotion, stress and peril.

I feel proud of their record of service and of the evidence of their noble

faith. The Beloved watches over them from the Abhá Kingdom. The

Concourse on High extols their achievements and will reinforce their

endeavours. They should confidently, gratefully, joyously and unitedly

redouble their efforts, extend the range of their activities, rededicate

themselves to their historic task and anticipate a renewed outpouring

of Bahá'u'lláh's promised blessings and favours.
|P13
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
|N167|P0
28 July 1942
|P1

MAGNIFICENT SPIRIT ANIMATING STEADFAST ENGLISH BELIEVERS

NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS TEACHING FIELD PROMPT ME CONTRIBUTE

TWO HUNDRED POUNDS FURTHERANCE THEIR HISTORIC

TEACHING ACTIVITIES URGE REDOUBLE EFFORTS PRAYING SIGNAL

VICTORIES LOVING GRATITUDE.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
[\P154]
|N168|P0
8 August 1942 (Summer School)
|P1

DELIGHTED SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL APPRECIATE SPIRIT BELIEVERS

Your letters of May 14th and June 10th together with their

enclosures reached the Guardian safely, and he has instructed me

to answer you on his behalf.
|P3

He has been very gratified to hear of the successful Summer

School sessions, news of the Buxton one having just recently

reached him in your latest cable. He feels that you must all be

very encouraged that this new way of holding them in different

places, which circumstances made imperative, has proved so

successful in the end. It presages the day when the friends in

England will see the institutions of their Faith rising from various

flourishing centres.
|P4

Regarding minute No. 507, the Guardian feels that it would

be better for either the mothers of Bahá'í children--or some

committee your Assembly might delegate the task to--to choose

excerpts from the Sacred Words to be used by the child rather

than just something made up. Of course prayer can be purely

spontaneous, but many of the sentences and thoughts combined

in Bahá'í writings of a devotional nature are easy to grasp, and

the revealed Word is endowed with a power of its own....

|P5

Shoghi Effendi fully realises the strain which those who are so

actively bearing the weight of Bahá'í responsibility are subjected

to in these days, when already, as private individuals, the events

of the world are affecting their lives and drawing on their

strength. It makes the quality of Bahá'í service so much finer,

that it should entail on the part of all definite self-sacrifice.

|P6

Though the friends may not be fully aware of it, their staunch

perseverance in carrying out their Bahá'í activities in the face of

war conditions, is really in itself of historic importance.

Convention, Summer Schools, meetings, all are not only

demonstrating the calibre of their faith, but also evincing marked

progress, all of which greatly cheers and delights the Guardian.

[\P155]
|P7

He assures you and your fellow-members of the National

Spiritual Assembly, of his continued prayers on your behalf, that

you may be guided, protected and sustained in your devoted

services to the Faith....
|P8

P.S.--Shoghi Effendi is deeply interested in the plans you are

developing to aid and attract more young people to the Faith. He

feels this is both praiseworthy and a valuable method of teaching

the Cause.
|P9
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-worker,
|P10

The work so splendidly initiated by the English believers and so

devotedly and energetically pursued and consolidated in these days of

peril, uncertainty and turmoil, establishes beyond any doubt their right

to claim to be the true upholders and custodians of the Faith of

Bahá'u'lláh. They have, ever since the outbreak of this world wide

conflict, abundantly demonstrated the high quality of their faith, the

soundness of their institutions, the intensity of their devotion, and

their capacity to defend and promote the interests of their beloved

Cause. Impelled by admiration and gratitude for the work they have

already accomplished, I have contributed a sum which I trust will

enable them to extend the range of their teaching activities throughout

the British Isles. May the Beloved graciously assist them to achieve

such victories in this field as shall truly befit the conclusion of the first

century of the Bahá'í Era.
|P11
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
|N170|P0
12 November 1942
|P1

CABLING TWO HUNDRED POUNDS CARE COOKS THANKSGIVING

PROTECTION COMMUNITY BELIEVERS BRITISH ISLES AND FURTHERANCE

ALL-IMPORTANT TEACHING ACTIVITIES PRAYING CONTINUALLY

EPOCH MAKING VICTORIES.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
|N171|P0
13 January 1943
|P1

CONVEY GLAD TIDINGS ENGLISH BELIEVERS COMPLETION EXTERIOR

[\P156]

EDIFICE MOTHER TEMPLE WEST ADVISE CABLE CONGRATULATIONS

REPRESENTATIVES AMERICAN Bahá'ís SUPERB ACHIEVEMENT AND

WIDE PUBLICITY BRITISH PRESS.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
|N172|P0
20 January 1943
|P1

ASSURE ATTENDANTS CONFERENCE LOVING APPRECIATION PRAYERS.

|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
|N173|P0
9 March 1943
Dear Bahá'í Sister,
|P1

Your letters dated July 19th 1942, Aug. 20th 1942, Sept. 15th

1942, and Dec. 8th 1942 have all reached the Guardian safely, as

well as their enclosures, and he has instructed me to answer them

on his behalf.
|P2

This last year he has been greatly overburdened with work,

and that is why he so frequently has to delay the answering of his

many letters.
|P3

The good news you conveyed of the marked success of the

various Summer Schools held last year pleased him greatly.

When the English friends remember that it is not many years

since they ventured on their first Summer School and now,

during war time, they have managed to hold four successful

ones, they should feel very encouraged and proud! It shows that

when the determination is strong and the faith firm, the friends

can work wonders and surprise even themselves!
|P4

He was also delighted to hear of the successful teaching work

and public meetings undertaken in Bradford and Manchester,

and that the advertisements and publicity which you are

sponsoring are meeting with a certain amount of response from

the public.
|P5

He hopes that some of the friends will find it possible to move,

at least temporarily, to centres where sufficient believers, or

interested enquirers exist to enable a Spiritual Assembly to be

formed by 1944. If such work is feasible it is, indeed, of great

importance and well worth the sacrifices involved. This policy

[\P157]

of settlement has been fruitful in both India and the United

States, and as soon as a determined and active Assembly is started

it is, of course, much easier to teach and carry on the work of the

Cause.
|P6

The burdens everyone has to bear these days are heavy, and

the way often seems long and hard which we and our fellow-men

in general, are called upon to tread; but we know where it

leads and what our work is and what that work must ultimately

mean to not only the Bahá'ís but the whole world. This

knowledge strengthens us and enables us to go on with a faith

and confidence which cannot but help and inspire others. We are

Bahá'u'lláh's army and we cannot fail, as He leads us on.

|P7

The Guardian assures you and all the N.S.A. members of his

most loving prayers. The English friends are increasingly dear to

him, and he has great hopes for their future achievements.

|P8
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P9

The evidences of renewed activity in the teaching field are most

encouraging and the spirit which animates the English believers in

these days of stress and peril is highly inspiring. As the first Baha'i

century draws to a close, a supreme effort should be exerted by the

believers in order to consummate befittingly the task they have arisen

to achieve. I will pray with all my heart that the hopes they cherish

may be realised, and their continued labours be crowned with glorious

success.
|P10
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
|N174|P0
Naw-Ruz, 1943
|P1

APPRECIATE MESSAGE RECIPROCATE LOVING GREETINGS THANKFUL

DIVINE PROTECTION PRAYING UNPRECEDENTED VICTORIES LAST

YEAR FIRST Bahá'í CENTURY.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
|N175|P0
21 April 1943 (Convention)
|P1

APPEAL DELEGATES ASSEMBLED CONVENTION DELIBERATE PROMPT

[\P158]
EFFECTUAL MEASURES ENSURE UNPRECEDENTED EXPANSION

PIONEER TEACHING ACTIVITIES LAST YEAR CENTURY AND BEFITTING

CELEBRATION MAY 1944 CENTENARY FAITH ADVISE PREPARE

SURVEY OUTSTANDING EVENTS FORTY-FIVE YEAR HISTORY FAITH

BRITISH ISLES ASSURE FRIENDS FERVENT CONTINUED PRAYERS

ABUNDANT BLESSINGS SUCCESS TWO-FOLD TASK CABLING THREE

HUNDRED POUNDS CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS FULFILMENT
PROJECTED UNDERTAKINGS DEEPEST LOVE.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
|N176|P0
26 April 1943
|P1

DELIGHTED RESPONSE HIGH RESOLVE ASSURE ASSEMBLY PRAYERS

MAGNIFICENT VICTORIES.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
|N177|P0
12 May 1943
|P1

KINDLY AIR MAIL IMMEDIATELY FULL LIST NAMES ALL LOCALITIES

BRITISH ISLES WHERE ONE OR MORE BELIEVERS RESIDE SPECIFYING

THOSE POSSESSING SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
|N178|P0
17 June 1943
|P1

CABLING TWO HUNDRED POUNDS THROUGH COOKS CONTRIBUTION

ASSIST YOUR ASSEMBLY CELEBRATE BEFITTINGLY CENTENARY

Your letters, written on behalf of the National Spiritual

Assembly, and dated Oct. 22nd 1942, Feb. 18th 1943 and April

12th and May 11th, have all been received, and the Guardian has

instructed me to answer them on his behalf.
[\P159]
|P3

He was very pleased to hear that the publicity you are giving

the Faith is meeting with a wider response than has hitherto been

the case, and he hopes that the N.S.A. and local Assemblies will

organise their efforts in such a way as to enable them to draw

enquirers closer to the Cause and, if possible, meet with them

and include them in suitable teaching classes.
|P4

Regarding the matter of Fuad Afnan's grave, the Guardian has

no objection to its being built.
|P5

He feels that Bahá'ís who, though still considering themselves

believers, omit attending the 19 Day Feasts for long periods,

should not be deprived of their voting rights; they should,

however, be encouraged to attend these Feasts as often as possible.

|P6

In less than a year the Bahá'ís the world over will be

celebrating the 100th anniversary of their Faith, and the

Guardian is very anxious that the British believers should

commemorate this historic occasion befittingly. He would,

therefore, suggest that your Assembly take up the following

points for deliberation as soon as possible:
|P7

1. The holding of a large and representative gathering, attended

by the Bahá'ís and the public alike, in a hired hall in London

on the 23rd May 1944. He feels that prominent friends and

sympathisers of the Faith should be invited to speak on this

occasion, as well as Bahá'ís, and that every effort should be

made to make the gathering both festive and dignified, as

befits so blessed and solemn an occasion.
|P8

2. The publication of a Centenary Pamphlet outlining the

important events of the Faith, and with a special emphasis

placed on the rise and development of the Cause in England,

its early history in that country, the achievements of the

friends in spreading the Teachings there and establishing the

administration, the formation of the Publishing Trust, and so

on.
|P9

3. He wishes your Assembly to call the annual Bahá'í Convention

for days that will include the 22nd May, so that all the

assembled friends may be present at a special Bahá'í meeting

to be held at 2 hours and 11 minutes after sunset on May

22nd as this is the exact time at which The Báb made His first

historic declaration of His mission to Mulla Husayn.

|P10

In order to aid the dear English believers in their befitting

[\P160]

celebration of so glorious an occasion the Guardian is forwarding

to your Assembly the sum of two hundred pounds sterling to be

used for the arrangements you deem fit to make, and the

publication of the above mentioned pamphlet. The Baha'i

communities all over the world--wherever free to do so--will

also be celebrating this memorable day, each according to its

capacity, and he is very anxious that the British Bahá'ís should,

as befits their increasingly prominent position in the Baha'i

World, demonstrate to the public and to their fellow believers,

the vitality of their community and the marked advancement it

has made of late. He leaves all details to the discretion of your

Assembly.
|P11

Mr. Yool of Manchester was recently able to spend his leave

in Haifa at the Western Pilgrim House, and the Guardian was so

happy to welcome one of the English friends here. He hopes that

after the war many will be able to make the pilgrimage. They

will be most welcome.
|P12

Assuring you and all the members of the N.S.A. of his loving

prayers and his ardent hopes for the success of this great

celebration which you will now be planning....
|P13

P.S. The Guardian recently cabled asking you to forward a

complete list of all Spiritual Assemblies in the British Isles and

the name of every locality where one or more believers reside.

|P14
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P15

I pray that the celebration of the Centenary of our beloved Faith by

the English believers may be a remarkable success. The committee that

will have to be appointed for this purpose must strain every nerve,

explore every avenue, and lose no time in order to ensure the

unqualified success of this undertaking. I will supplicate the Beloved

to guide every step you take, to aid you to surmount all obstacles, and

to inspire you to undertake the measures that are most conducive to the

proper discharge of your noble task. The widest possible publicity

should be given to the Faith by every means at your disposal.

Your letters, written on behalf of the National Spiritual

[\P161]

Assembly and dated May 14th and June 6th have been received,

together with the minutes of the April and May N.S.A. meetings,

and the Guardian has instructed me to answer them on his

behalf.
|P3

He was very encouraged to see the number of places where

there are now one or two registered Bahá'ís residing, as these are

beacons of the Faith--however lonely and however, as yet,

feeble the light they are able to radiate.
|P4

The Guardian feels that it would be an excellent plan if some

way could be found to raise Bournemouth and Torquay to

Assembly status; either through some self-sacrificing souls

moving to these places and thus giving them the required

number, or through the efforts of the local and visiting teachers.

With the Centenary of the Faith so rapidly approaching it seems

a great pity that England should be deprived of these two

Assemblies, when each one of them only requires one person to

bring it to Assembly status.
|P5

Regarding the questions you asked in connection with the

following minutes of the N.S.A. meetings:
|P6

753. The Guardian advises you to consult Canon Townshend,

and if he considers it advisable to compile a pamphlet for

distribution to the clergy you could get one out along the

lines he might suggest as suitable.
|P7

754. He would not advise any special contact being made with

the Swedenborgians as the Master's reference is not

sufficiently clear and emphatic to warrant it.
|P8

755. The Guardian does not believe you should ask the Russian

Embassy for help in locating Mde. Grinevskaya's play

about The Báb, as he believes they could be of no help in the

matter. You might ask the American N.S.A. if they have

this material available.
|P9

The Guardian's prayers are offered on behalf of the N.S.A.

members, that you, one and all, may be aided and guided in your

labours during the coming months, to prepare the way for a

befitting and glorious Centenary celebration of our beloved

Faith during May of 1944.
|P10
[From the Guardian:]
Dearly beloved friends,
|P11

I was so pleased and encouraged to witness the recent evidences of

[\P162]

the determination of the English believers to arise, as never before,

during this concluding year of the first Bahá'í century, and ensure the

extension of the teaching activities of the Faith, the consolidation of its

interests, and a better understanding and wider recognition of its aims,

its principles, and accomplishments. The efforts they must exert during

these remaining months must be unprecedented in their range and

character. The blessings that will be vouchsafed to them, if they

unitedly persevere and vigorously prosecute their urgent task, will

alike be unprecedented. The preparation for a befitting celebration of

the forthcoming Centenary must likewise be carefully and energetically

carried out. May the Almighty sustain and guide them in their vast

and meritorious endeavours.
|P12
Shoghi
|N181|P0
10 August 1943 (Summer School)
|P1

CONCENTRATION TEACHING AND CENTENARY PREPARATIONS MOST

VITAL MATTERS FERVENTLY PRAY ALL MAY BECOME RADIANTLY

ACTIVE GREETINGS DEEPLY APPRECIATED.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
|N182|P0
25 October 1943
|P1

ADVISE CONTACT HERBERT SAMUEL RONALD STORRS TUDOR POLE

AND OTHER SYMPATHISERS WHICH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY MAY

SUGGEST VIGOROUS ACTION NECESSARY SAFEGUARD INTERESTS

FAITH INSURE SUCCESS CELEBRATION.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
|N183|P0
2 November 1943
|P1

CABLING FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS TO BE EXPENDED DISCRETION

YOUR ASSEMBLY FURTHERANCE TEACHING ACTIVITIES AND BAHA'I

PUBLICATIONS DEEPEST LOVE ASSURANCE CONTINUED PRAYERS.

|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
[\P163]
|N184|P0
5 January 1944+F1

{The cabled reply was "First meeting thirteenth October, 1923."}

Your letters dated July 15th, Aug. 12th, Oct. 3rd, Nov. 1st

and 10th and Dec. 5th together with various enclosures have

been received, and the Guardian has instructed me to answer

them on his behalf.
|P3

Regarding the article by Mrs. Thornburgh-Cropper, the

Guardian does not place such material in the archives, but it

might possibly be either stored with past documents or have

been returned to the "Bahá'í World" Committee. He regrets his

inability to forward it to you in time to be of any use in

preparing the Centenary Pamphlet.
|P4

He would like you to assure Mr. St. Barbe Baker+ that the

Bahá'ís would be happy to avail themselves of his connections in

Africa and his assistance and advice in the future teaching work

there. Tremendous tasks lie ahead of the believers during the

opening years of the second Bahá'í century, and undoubtedly

spreading the Faith in Africa will be one of them.

|P5

He considered the Diary gotten out by the Publishing Trust

to be in excellent taste, and is very pleased it has proved a

medium of spreading the news of the existence of our beloved

Faith and its nature. He appreciated receiving the copies

forwarded to him. He is also very pleased to hear that the

publication of the Centenary Pamphlet is now assured.

|P6

He sees no objection to getting out a compilation of Tablets

of Bahá'u'lláh and `Abdu'l-Bahá (as per minute No. 906)

providing the source is authentic and the translations faithful and

presentable.
|P7

He was very pleased to see that new and better headquarters

for the Assembly and meetings in London have been found, and

trusts this foreshadows the development of a national administrative

headquarters there in England in the not too distant

future.
[\P164]
|P8

In spite of the burden the Bahá'ís, in common with their

countrymen, are bearing these days, they are showing marked

progress in their activities, and he feels confident that the friends,

so loyal and devoted to the beloved Faith, will arise unitedly, in

so important a country as England--one of the first to receive

the Divine Message in the West--and will ensure that the

Centenary is befittingly celebrated in spite of the many

difficulties to be overcome.
|P9

Assuring you one and all of his ardent prayers for the success

of your work, for your strength and protection....

|P10

P.S. Your letter of Jan. 18th has been received and the

Guardian wishes to state that in connection with the royalties on

"Paris Talks" that, as Mrs. Hall and her sister wish to turn them

over to the Cause, the Assembly should accept and the money in

future go to the National Fund there in England....

|P11

Any royalties on the works of the Master, as one of the

Central Figures of our Faith, are naturally the property of the

Cause and not of His heirs.
|P12
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P13

I am delighted to hear of the steps that have been taken by your

Assembly in preparation for the forthcoming celebration of the

centenary of our beloved Faith, and I pray that success may crown

your devoted efforts. The English believers are in every field of Baha'i

activity and service demonstrating the quality of their faith and the

keen sense of responsibility which animates them in their organised

and concerted endeavours for the promotion of the vital interests of the

Faith. I feel proud of their record of service, and will pray with

increasing fervour for their protection and success.

|P14
Shoghi
|N186|P0
Naw-Ruz, 1944
|P1

APPRECIATE GREETINGS PRAYING GREAT VICTORIES OPENING

CENTURY.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
[\P165]
|N187|P0
22 April 1944
|P1

CABLING ONE THOUSAND POUNDS MY LOVING CONTRIBUTION

FURTHER EXTENSION Bahá'í PUBLISHING ACTIVITIES AND INITIATION

ADDITIONAL MEASURES ENSURE BRILLIANT SUCCESS CENTENARY

CELEBRATIONS PRAYING ARDENTLY SUCCESS BOTH FIELDS.

{Printed also in "Messages to America (1932-1946)".}

|P1

ADVISE SHARE FOLLOWING FACTS WITH BELIEVERS AT CONVENTION

CELEBRATING HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY FAITH Bahá'u'lláh.

Bahá'ís ESTABLISHED RESIDENCE SEVENTY EIGHT COUNTRIES FIFTY

SIX OF WHICH ARE SOVEREIGN STATES. Bahá'í LITERATURE

TRANSLATED PUBLISHED FORTY ONE LANGUAGES. TRANSLATIONS

UNDERTAKEN TWELVE ADDITIONAL LANGUAGES. THIRTY ONE

RACES REPRESENTED Bahá'í WORLD COMMUNITY. FIVE NATIONAL

ASSEMBLIES AND SIXTY ONE LOCAL ASSEMBLIES BELONGING TEN

COUNTRIES INCORPORATED LEGALLY EMPOWERED HOLD PROPERTY.

Bahá'í INTERNATIONAL ENDOWMENTS HOLY LAND ESTIMATED

HALF MILLION POUNDS. NATIONAL Bahá'í ENDOWMENTS UNITED

STATES ESTIMATED ONE MILLION SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND

DOLLARS. AREA LAND JORDAN VALLEY DEDICATED Bahá'í SHRINES

OVER FIVE HUNDRED FIFTY ACRES. SITE PURCHASED FUTURE BAHA'I

TEMPLE PERSIA COMPRISES THREE AND HALF MILLION SQUARE

METERS. COST STRUCTURE FIRST Bahá'í TEMPLE WEST ONE MILLION

THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. IN EVERY STATE PROVINCE

NORTH AMERICA Bahá'í ASSEMBLIES FUNCTIONING. IN THIRTEEN

HUNDRED LOCALITIES UNITED STATES CANADA Bahá'ís RESIDING.

Bahá'í CENTRES ESTABLISHED EVERY REPUBLIC LATIN AMERICA

FIFTEEN OF WHICH POSSESS SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES. FAITH WESTERN

HEMISPHERE NOW STRETCHES FROM ANCHORAGE ALASKA TO
[\P166]

MAGALLANES WORLD'S SOUTHERN-MOST CITY. SIXTY TWO CENTRES

ESTABLISHED INDIA TWENTY SEVEN WITH SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES.

AMONG HISTORIC SITES PURCHASED PERSIA TIHRAN HOME

Bahá'u'lláh Báb'S SHOP BUSHIHR BURIAL PLACE QUDDUS PART

VILLAGE CHIHRIQ THREE GARDENS BADASHT PLACE CONFINEMENT

TAHIRIH. Bahá'í NATIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE HEADQUARTERS

FOUNDED TIHRAN DELHI CAIRO BAGHDAD WILMETTE SYDNEY.

Bahá'í ENDOWMENTS HOLY LAND AND UNITED STATES EXEMPTED

TAXES BY CIVIL AUTHORITIES. CIVIL RECOGNITION EXTENDED

Bahá'í ASSEMBLIES IN FIVE STATES UNITED STATES SOLEMNISE

Bahá'í MARRIAGES. SUGGEST UTILISE ABOVE INFORMATION PUBLICITY

PURPOSES WHEREVER ADVISABLE.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
|N190|P0
22 May 1944
|P1

REJOICE MAGNIFICENT SUCCESS CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

VALIANT LOYAL BELOVED COMMUNITY ENGLISH BELIEVERS.

CONVEY SIR RONALD STORRS LOVING APPRECIATION HIS NOBLE

ACT. ASSURE ALL ATTENDANTS CONVENTION PARTICIPANTS CELEBRATION

LOVING REMEMBRANCE FERVENT PRAYERS SHRINES Báb

Abdu'l-Bahá. CONFIDENT UNQUENCHABLE SPIRIT ANIMATING

WELL-TRIED STOUT-HEARTED FIRMLY KNIT FOLLOWERS

Bahá'u'lláh BRITISH ISLES WILL ENABLE THEM SURMOUNT ALL

OBSTACLES SCALE NOBLER HEIGHTS ACHIEVE GREATER VICTORIES

OPENING YEARS SECOND Bahá'í CENTURY.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
|N191|P0
23 May 1944
|P1

ANNOUNCE FRIENDS JOYFUL TIDINGS HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY

DECLARATION MISSION MARTYRED HERALD FAITH SIGNALISED BY

HISTORIC DECISION COMPLETE STRUCTURE HIS SEPULCHRE ERECTED

BY `Abdu'l-Bahá ON SITE CHOSEN BY Bahá'u'lláh. RECENTLY

DESIGNED MODEL DOME UNVEILED PRESENCE ASSEMBLED BELIEVERS.

PRAYING EARLY REMOVAL OBSTACLES CONSUMMATION STUPENDOUS

PLAN CONCEIVED BY FOUNDER FAITH AND HOPES CHERISHED

{In response to cable from Convention announcing adoption of a six year

plan and requesting the Guardian to set the goals.}

|P1

WELCOME SPONTANEOUS DECISION ADVISE FORMATION NINETEEN

SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES SPREAD OVER ENGLAND WALES SCOTLAND

NORTHERN IRELAND AND EIRE PRAYING SIGNAL VICTORY.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
|N2|P0
26 May 1944
|P1

OVERJOYED SUCCESS CELEBRATIONS. PRAYING EVER INCREASING

FLOW DIVINE OUTPOURINGS.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
|N3|P0
8 July 1944
|P1

PREPARE CONDENSED REPORT NOT EXCEEDING THIRTY PAGES

REGARDING ACTIVITIES ACHIEVEMENTS Bahá'í FAITH DURING PAST

FOUR YEARS. MAIL ONE COPY AMERICA ANOTHER HAIFA PROMPT

ACTION NECESSARY.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
|N4|P0
11 August 1944
|P1

APPRECIATE GREETINGS PRAYING BLESSINGS SUMMER SCHOOL AND

Your letters dated March 3rd and 25th, April 23rd, May 18th

[\P170]

and July 6th together with their enclosures have all been

received, and the beloved Guardian has instructed me to answer

them on his behalf.
|P3

He was most deeply gratified over the way the Centenary was

conducted in London and feels that it has adequately demonstrated

the vitality of the faith which animates the British Baha'i

community. They may well look upon this as their major

achievement since the visits to their shores of the beloved Master.

He was also very pleased to hear of the celebrations successfully

held by the Manchester and Torquay Bahá'ís in their respective

communities.
|P4

"The Centenary of a World Faith" he found most excellently

gotten out and not only well written but calculated to arouse the

interest of the reader and impress him with the true stature of

our World Faith. He has distributed copies among the friends

and placed some in the library of the Mansion, at Bahji. He was

also pleased with the programme of the London Meetings--so

you can see that the patient efforts and sacrifices of the members

of the N.S.A. and all those who contributed to the marked

success of the Centenary celebrations in England, have met not

only with his approval and admiration but brought happiness to

his often heavily over-burdened heart!
|P5

Regarding your question concerning minute No. 1050; this

is entirely a matter of conscience; if the individual feels for some

reason justified in voting for himself, he is free to do so.

Regarding your question of the proper time to celebrate or hold

our meetings of commemoration, the time should be fixed by

counting after sunset; the Master passed away one hour after

midnight, which falls a certain number of hours after sunset; so

His passing should be commemorated according to the sun and

regardless of daylight saving time. The same applies to the

ascension of Bahá'u'lláh who passed away about 8 hours after

sunset.
|P6

The Guardian has already cabled you regarding your Six Year

Teaching Plan, and he hopes that events in the future will be

more favourable to carrying it out than they are at present. He

often thinks of and prays for the English friends during these

days of ordeal they are again passing through and he feels

confident Bahá'u'lláh will strengthen their work and bless their

efforts for this Holy Cause....
[\P171]
|P7
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P8

The Six Year Plan which the national elected representatives of the

English believers have spontaneously launched is a further evidence of

their unquenchable faith and noble and unyielding determination to

prosecute energetically the teaching work in the British Isles and to

exploit to the full the notable advantages derived from the successful

celebrations of the Bahá'í Centenary in London. Attention should be

focussed in the course of the opening year of the second Bahá'í Century

on the needs and requirements of this Plan. The multiplication of

Bahá'í centres and the dissemination of Bahá'í literature should be

regarded as the chief objectives of the prosecutors of the Plan. Every

sacrifice should be made, every effort should be exerted and every

avenue should be explored to ensure the success of the Plan. The

English believers stand identified with this Plan. The immediate

destinies of the entire community depend upon it. I will pray for its

success, will watch its progress and pledge every assistance within my

power for its promotion. May the Beloved bless all those who have

embarked upon it and crown their enterprise with brilliant and total

APPRECIATE VERBATIM REPORTS ADDRESSES DELIVERED OPENING

CENTENARY EXHIBITION AND PUBLIC MEETING DENISON HOUSE.

|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
|N8|P0
27 January 1945
|P1

KINDLY CABLE ADDRESS TUDOR-POLE MAIL THREE COPIES EVERY

Your letters, written on behalf of the National Spiritual

Assembly, and dated Aug. 2nd, 21st and 31st (airgraph) and Oct.

9th, Nov. 16th (airgraph) and Nov. 23rd (duplicate copy also

received), Dec. 19th (duplicate copy also received) all of 1944,

and Jan. 25th 1945 (duplicate copy also received) have arrived

safely with any enclosures they contained, and the beloved

Guardian has instructed me to answer them.
|P3

He fully realises the many handicaps the English Bahá'ís are

labouring under, and appreciates all the more deeply their

perseverance and devotion shown in such activities as the

National Centenary in London and local exhibitions and

meetings held elsewhere, as well as the successful Summer

School, the various printing undertakings and the renewed

efforts to establish new centres and strengthen older ones. In this

connection he would like you to please convey to Miss Young+F1

{Miss Jessica Young+; Mrs. Kathleen Brown (later Lady Hornell)+; Miss

Ursula Newman (later Mrs. Samandari)+ were the first to arise to pioneer

in the British Isles.}

and all other pioneers the expression of his loving appreciation

of this historic service they have arisen to render the Faith in

England.
|P4

The tasks facing the believers everywhere are great, for they

see only too clearly that the only permanent remedy for the

many afflictions the world is suffering from, is a change of heart

and a new pattern of not only thought but personal conduct. The

impetus that has been given by the Manifestation of God for this

Age is the sole one that can regenerate humanity, and as we

Bahá'ís are the only ones yet aware of this new force in the

world, our obligation towards our fellow men is tremendous

and inescapable! Therefore he hopes that many more of the

friends there will arise to do pioneering work and help achieve

the important goals set by the Six Year Plan. When once a few

bold, self-sacrificing individuals have arisen to serve, their

example will no doubt encourage other timid would-be pioneers

to follow in their footsteps. The history of our Faith is full of

records of the remarkable things achieved by really very simple,

[\P173]

insignificant individuals, who became veritable beacons and

towers of strength through having placed their trust in God,

having arisen to proclaim His Message. The stamina and

fortitude shown by the people at large during all these hard and

bitter years of war should surely find a nobler example in the

deeds of the Bahá'ís who are connected with the Divine Source!

He urges your Assembly to do all in its power, through financial

and moral assistance, to get more pioneers into the field.

|P5

Mr. Hofman has just written him about his meeting with the

Paris believers, and he feels that as most of the friends there are

elderly people and have suffered many privations, the British

N.S.A. should keep in close touch with them and help and

inspire them all it can....
|P6

Also concerning your question about the prayers and changing

the pronouns: This cannot be done, even in the long Obligatory

Prayer or the healing prayers. Either we must ignore this mere

detail or say a prayer that applies to our sex or number....

|P7

You may be sure that you, and your fellow members of the

N.S.A., are very often in his thoughts and prayers. He deeply

appreciates your steadfast and persevering labours and hopes that

the believers of England will arise to fulfil their high duties and

discharge the debts they owe their countrymen through the

privilege of being the followers of Bahá'u'lláh in these dark yet

historic days....
|P8

P.S. The following is a copy of the cable the Guardian sent

you in answer to your request for his advice as to the Six Year

Plan the British believers resolved to undertake:
|P9

"WELCOME SPONTANEOUS DECISION. ADVISE FORMATION NINETEEN

Bahá'í SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES SPREAD OVER ENGLAND WALES

SCOTLAND NORTHERN IRELAND AND EIRE. PRAYING SIGNAL

VICTORY."
|P10

He will, you may be sure, do everything in his power to assist

the friends to achieve this objective.
|P11
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P12

The Six Year Plan which the English believers have conceived and

are now energetically prosecuting constitutes a landmark in the history

of the Faith in the British Isles. It is the first collective enterprise

undertaken by them for the spread of the Faith and the consolidation

[\P174]

of its divinely appointed institutions. The national elected representatives

of the Bahá'í community in those islands must watch carefully

every phase in its development, provide whatever is required for its

systematic and steady extension, encourage the believers to disperse, to

settle, to persevere, and to appeal more directly and effectively to the

masses who are waiting for this Divine Message, and on whose

ultimate response the triumph of the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh must depend.

Obstacles, however formidable, should be surmounted. Setbacks,

however discouraging at first, must not, under any circumstances,

cause them to deviate from the path they are so devotedly and

determinedly pursuing. That glorious success may eventually crown

their concerted and historic endeavours is my fervent and constant

prayer at the Holy Shrines. May the Beloved aid them to achieve their

noble end.
|P13
Shoghi
|N10|P0
11 April 1945
|P1

Bahá'í PERSIAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY EXPELLED ... FAMILY OWING

REPUDIATION VITAL PROVISIONS MASTER'S WILL AND LONG-STANDING

DISOBEDIENCE. POSITION ANY MEMBER THIS FAMILY IN
LONDON SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY ASCERTAINED BY YOUR

ASSEMBLY. CABLE RESULTS. UTMOST FIRMNESS VIGILANCE REQUIRED

OTHERWISE CONTACT BREAKERS COVENANT WILL ENDANGER
FAITH.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
|N11|P0
25 April 1945
|P1

APPRECIATE CABLE RECEIVED FROM.... FEEL HOWEVER OWING

DEFECTION HIS ENTIRE FAMILY NECESSITY FORMAL ASSURANCE

BEFORE YOUR ASSEMBLY HIS DETERMINATION CEASE COMMUNICATION

WITH HIS FAMILY AWAITING ASSEMBLY'S REPLY.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
|N12|P0
1 May 1945
|P1

LOVING APPRECIATION CONVENTION MESSAGE. ENGLISH BELIEVERS

LOVINGLY REMEMBERED SHRINES FERVENTLY SUPPLICATING

[\P175]

SUCCESS SIX YEAR PLAN URGE REDOUBLED EFFORTS CABLING FIVE

HUNDRED POUNDS MY CONTRIBUTION PLAN.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
|N13|P0
3 May 1945
|P1

ASSURE ... APPRECIATE RESPONSE. CONCERNING MEDIUM DO NOT

ADVISE ACCEPTANCE MEMBERSHIP.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
|N14|P0
9 May 1945+F1

{Printed also in "Messages to America (1932-1946)".}

|P1

FOLLOWERS Bahá'u'lláh THROUGHOUT FIVE CONTINENTS UNANIMOUSLY

REJOICE PARTIAL EMERGENCE WAR TORN HUMANITY FROM

TITANIC UPHEAVAL UNERRINGLY PREDICTED SEVENTY YEARS AGO

BY PEN AUTHOR THEIR FAITH. CESSATION HOSTILITIES EUROPEAN

CONTINENT SIGNALISES CLOSING YET ANOTHER CHAPTER TRAGIC

TALE FIERY TRIALS PROVIDENTIALLY DECREED BY INSCRUTABLE

WISDOM DESIGNED ULTIMATELY WELD MUTUALLY ANTAGONISTIC

ELEMENTS HUMAN SOCIETY INTO SINGLE ORGANICALLY UNITED

UNSHATTERABLE WORLD COMMONWEALTH. GRATEFULLY ACCLAIM

SIGNAL EVIDENCE INTERPOSITION DIVINE PROVIDENCE WHICH

DURING SUCH PERILOUS YEARS ENABLED WORLD CENTRE FAITH

ESCAPE WHAT POSTERITY WILL RECOGNISE AS ONE OF GRAVEST

DANGERS EVER CONFRONTED NERVE CENTRE ITS INSTITUTIONS.

PROFOUNDLY AWARE BOUNTIFUL GRACE VOUCHSAFED BY SAME

PROVIDENCE ENSURING UNLIKE PREVIOUS WORLD CONFLICT

UNINTERRUPTED INTERCOURSE BETWEEN SPIRITUAL CENTRE AND

VAST MAJORITY COMMUNITIES FUNCTIONING WITHIN ORBIT FAR

FLUNG FAITH. IMMEASURABLY THANKFUL MIRACULOUS PRESERVATION

INDIAN PERSIAN EGYPTIAN BRITISH IRAQI COMMUNITIES

LONG THREATENED DIRE PERILS OWING PROXIMITY THEATRE

MILITARY OPERATIONS. DEEPLY CONSCIOUS PROGRESS ACHIEVED

DESPITE SIX TEMPESTUOUS YEARS IN BOTH EASTERN WESTERN

HEMISPHERES THROUGH COLLECTIVE ENTERPRISES LAUNCHED BY

THESE COMMUNITIES OUTSHINES SUM TOTAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS

SINCE INCEPTION FORMATIVE AGE FAITH. SEVEN YEAR PLAN

[\P176]

INAUGURATED BY AMERICAN Bahá'í COMMUNITY UNDER LOWERING

CLOUDS APPROACHING CONFLICT VICTORIOUSLY COMPLETED

EXTERIOR ORNAMENTATION MOTHER TEMPLE WEST ESTABLISHED

STRUCTURAL BASIS FAITH EVERY STATE PROVINCE NORTH AMERICAN

CONTINENT AND HOISTED ITS BANNER EVERY REPUBLIC LATIN

AMERICA. INDIAN BELIEVERS SIX YEAR PLAN LAUNCHED EVE

HOSTILITIES MORE THAN QUADRUPLED CENTRES FUNCTIONING

WITHIN PALE ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER. EDIFICES CONSECRATED

ADMINISTRATIVE AFFAIRS EVER ADVANCING CAUSE INVOLVING

EXPENDITURE OVER HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ERECTED

PURCHASED OR COMPLETED CAPITAL CITIES INDIA IRAQ EGYPT AS

WELL AS SYDNEY AUSTRALIA. ACQUISITION NUMEROUS PROPERTIES

Bahá'u'lláh'S NATIVE LAND MT. CARMEL AND JORDAN VALLEY

AS WELL AS PURCHASE SEVERAL IMPORTANT HISTORIC SITES ASSOCIATED

LIVES BOTH HERALD AUTHOR FAITH SWELLED UNPRECEDENTED

DEGREE Bahá'í ENDOWMENTS. PRELIMINARY STEPS

COMPLETION Báb'S SEPULCHRE AND ESTABLISHMENT WORLD

ADMINISTRATIVE CENTRE THROUGH REMOVAL REMAINS BROTHER

MOTHER `Abdu'l-Bahá UNDERTAKEN. TERMINATION FIRST CENTURY

Bahá'í ERA SYNCHRONISING CLIMAX RAGING STORM PUBLICLY

BEFITTINGLY CELEBRATED DESPITE MULTIPLICATION RESTRICTIONS.

ABOVE ALL UNITY INTEGRITY INCORRUPTIBLE WORLD COMMUNITY

CONSISTENTLY SAFEGUARDED IN FACE INSIDIOUS OPPOSITION

AVOWED ENEMIES WITHOUT AND COVENANT BREAKERS WITHIN.

SUCH SPLENDID VICTORIES OVER SO VAST FIELD AMIDST SUCH

TRIBULATIONS DURING SO PROLONGED ORDEAL AUGUR WELL

COLOSSAL TASK DESTINED BE ACCOMPLISHED COURSE PEACEFUL

YEARS AHEAD BY BUILDERS EMBRYONIC WORLD ORDER

Bahá'u'lláh AMIDST WRECKAGE DISTRACTED DISRUPTED DISILLUSIONED

The beloved Guardian has instructed me to forward you the

enclosed copy of his message+F1
{Cable 9 May 1945.}
to the Bahá'ís of East and West on

the happy occasion of the termination of the European war.

[\P177]
|P3

He would appreciate your sharing it not only with all the

British friends but with the Paris believers too.
|P4

Please inform him of the safe receipt of this message as soon as

it reaches you.
|P5

We all send you our loving greetings and are greatly relieved

to know your lives will now assume a more normal course after

all these years of suffering....
|N16|P0
9 August 1945
|P1
Dear Bahá'í Sister,
|P2

Your letters dated March 8th and 12th, April 17th, May 10th

and 18th and July 8th and June 9th have been received, as well

as the various enclosures you mention in them, and the

photographs, sent under the separate cover. The beloved

Guardian has instructed me to answer them on his behalf.

|P3

He was very pleased to hear you are now in touch with the

French believers and able to help them morally, and also with

some physical assistance too! It is only right that England, the

first country whose Bahá'í community is in a position to reach

out a helping hand to its sister communities in Europe, should do

so, and should have this privilege and honour.
|P4

He realises the many difficulties that stand in the way of the

British Bahá'ís in regard to fulfilling the important Six Year

Teaching Plan they have undertaken. But he hopes that now the

European war is over, and conditions are returning to a more

normal way of life, that the friends, conscious of their very great

spiritual responsibility, will arise and, in spite of everything,

accomplish the work they have chosen for themselves and which

is of such great spiritual importance to their countrymen.

|P5

The more we study the present condition of the world, the

more deeply we become convinced that there just cannot be any

way out of its problems except the way of God, as given by Him,

through Bahá'u'lláh. The early Persian Bahá'ís gave their lives

for the Cause; the Western believers have been spared this

necessity, but their comfort, to some extent, they must sacrifice

if they are going to discharge their moral obligation to tortured

humanity, and bring to it the message of the Father. Once the

friends start out to win the goals set in their Plan, they will find

[\P178]

the Divine confirmation sustaining them and hastening its

consummation. This is what happened in the American Seven

Year Plan and the Indian Six Year Plan, and the same spiritual

assistance will certainly be vouchsafed the English believers, once

they arise with faith and confidence, to do their work.

Чем внимательнее мы изучаем нынешнее состояние мира, тем более мы убеждаемся в том, что нет никакого иного способа решить его проблемы, кроме способа, данного Богом через Бахауллу. Первые верующие в Персии жертвовали ради Дела своими жизнями; западные верующие освобождены от такой необходимости, однако они должны пожертвовать, в какой-то мере, своим комфортом, если они хотят выполнить свой нравственный долг по отношению к страдающему человечеству и донести до него послание Отца. Как только друзья начнут выполнять цели своего Плана, они обнаружат, что Божественные подтверждения поддерживают их и ускоряют его завершение.

|P6

In regard to the question you raise in your letter of June 9th

about the "Paris Talks", the Guardian does not advise your

putting the suggested footnote, as we cannot be absolutely sure,

unless we see the Persian text, that what you propose is really

what the Master means. The present translation cannot be

considered accurate in all its details, obviously, and as at the

moment the Persian text is not available, he suggests you either

put no footnote at all, or one stating that the meaning is obscure

and future re-translation will clear up such passages.

|P7

You may be sure that his ardent prayers will be offered on

behalf of all the British Bahá'ís, that Bahá'u'lláh may aid them to

fulfil His work and may open the doors of servitude and guide

them on their way. He will also pray for you and your fellow

N.S.A. members, for your strength, protection and guidance in

fulfilling your many important tasks.
|P8

P.S. Regarding Mr. ... financial affairs; there is naturally no

objection to his receiving his own money, but he should have no

communication with his family, and should arrange for your

N.S.A. to receive his money and deliver it to him. The Guardian

is very pleased that he has taken the right, courageous, Baha'i

course of action in his life, and will certainly pray for his

happiness and protection.
|P9

There is no ambiguity about the Master's attitude towards

psychic forces; He very strongly warned the believers against

using them.
|P10
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P11

I grieve to learn of the slow progress of the Six Year Plan which the

English believers have so nobly conceived, and which, I pray and hope,

will be triumphantly consummated. The Plan constitutes a direct and

grave challenge to the English Bahá'í community in its entirety. It

should be regarded as the greatest collective enterprise ever launched by

the followers of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh in the British Isles. It is thus

far one of the most significant undertakings embarked upon by the

members of Bahá'í National Assemblies during the opening years of

[\P179]

the second Bahá'í century. To it, as already observed, the immediate

destinies of the community of the English believers are linked, and on

it must depend the future orientation and evolution of the institutions

which the members of that community are labouring to erect for the

diffusion of the principles and the establishment of the Faith of

Bahá'u'lláh in their country. It must not, it cannot, fail. The attention

of the entire body of the believers must be continually focussed upon it.

No sacrifice can be deemed too great for its successful prosecution. All

must arise harmoniously, co-operate and lend their share of assistance.

May the spirit of Bahá'u'lláh enable them to achieve signal success.

The beloved Guardian has instructed me to acknowledge the

receipt of your two letters dated Aug. 11th and Nov. 9th and to

answer them on his behalf. Their enclosures were also

received....
|P3

He was very pleased to hear that you have had eight new

Bahá'ís since Convention and hopes that this is only a foretaste of

the conversion of souls in far greater numbers in the years lying

ahead of us.
|P4

The Six Year Plan is of the utmost importance, and he urges

your Assembly to continually keep reminding the friends of the

necessity for sustaining their efforts through arising personally

to serve and through giving generously that others may serve in

their place.
|P5

In this connection he hopes you will use the services of Marion

Holley, now Mrs. David Hofman+, to the full. She is a gifted

speaker and writer, and has had invaluable experience in America

as a member of the National Teaching Committee, during the

Seven Year Plan. Both she and Mr. Hofman are wholly dedicated

to the service of the Cause, and eager to do all in their power to

help accomplish the goals of your Six Year Plan.
|P6

He was happy to hear that the Summer School was held

successfully. Now that the war is over, and conditions gradually

returning to normal, he hopes that the British believers will

exert their utmost in serving the Cause and spreading its message.

[\P180]

Although from time to time they will receive the help of outside

Bahá'ís, the major responsibility is theirs, and the lion's share of

the work will naturally fall to them as both their privilege and

their duty.
|P7

He assures you one and all that his ardent prayers sustain you

in your labours for the Faith and he feels sure that with sufficient

effort on the part of all, and the Power of God which inevitably

sustains self-sacrificing service in His Path, the goals can be

gloriously achieved....
|P8

P.S. He was delighted to hear of the welfare of the German

believers. Reports of a similar nature had already reached him,

but no figures had been given.
|P9
[From the Guardian:]
Dearly beloved co-workers,
|P10

I am anxiously waiting for the news of the progress of the Six Year

Plan, upon which the future orientation of the collective activities of

the English believers depends, and with which the immediate destinies

of their Faith are interwoven. No sacrifice is too great to ensure its

success. The utmost effort, vigilance, perseverance and self-sacrifice are

required to carry it to a successful conclusion. If the friends, individually

and collectively, play their part and exert their utmost, the abundant

blessings of Bahá'u'lláh will be fully vouchsafed, and the strength of

the Plan will mark a glorious chapter in the history of the Faith. I

appeal to the entire community to dedicate itself to this sacred and

urgent task, the greatest collective enterprise ever undertaken by the

followers of Bahá'u'lláh in the British Isles.
|P11
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
|N18|P0
21 February 1946
|P1

ASSEMBLY SHOULD EXPLAIN TO ... OWING HIS BROTHER'S SECESSION

FAITH ADHERENCE ISLAM PARTICIPATION POLITICS AND ASSOCIATION

WITH HIS OTHER BROTHERS AND MOTHER WHO HAVE

FLAGRANTLY DISOBEYED MASTER'S WILL COMMUNICATION WITH

HIM AND THEM FORBIDDEN. ASSEMBLY SHOULD EXERCISE UTMOST

VIGILANCE THIS VITAL MATTER OTHERWISE AS MASTER REPEATEDLY

WARNED CONTAMINATING INFLUENCE WILL SPREAD AND IMPERIL

STRUCTURE FAITH. CABLE HIS RESPONSE SHOW UTMOST FIRMNESS.

|P2
SHOGHI
[\P181]
|N19|P0
5 March 1946
|P1

OVERJOYED RECENT DECISIONS TEACHING CONFERENCE ARDENTLY

PRAYING SPEEDY REALISATION CHERISHED HOPES URGE SUPREME

UNITED CONTINUOUS EFFORT CABLING ONE THOUSAND POUNDS

FURTHERANCE NOBLE AIMS SIX YEAR PLAN DEEPEST LOVE.

|P2
SHOGHI
|N20|P0
12 March 1946
|P1

INFORM ... APPRECIATE HIS ASSURANCE PRAYING STEADFASTNESS

Your letters dated Sep. 6th and Nov. 6th 1945 and Jan. 2nd,

Feb. 8th and 19th 1946, have been received together with their

enclosures, and the beloved Guardian has instructed me to

answer them on his behalf.
|P3

He has been delighted to see, through your letter and reports

sent by other Bahá'ís, that the Teaching Conference in

Manchester was such a success, and he feels this marks a turning

point in your Six Year Plan. Now that goal towns have been

chosen, the friends must concentrate all their forces and resources

on establishing Assemblies in them as soon as possible. He feels

sure that once the signs of success become evident all the

believers, tired and depressed after so many years of war and

privation, will become vitalised with optimism and enthusiasm

and drive forward unitedly towards the complete victory of

their plans.
|P4

He was delighted to hear that Miss Townshend+ and Mr.

Lee+ have arisen as pioneers, and he wishes you to please assure

them of his special prayers for the success of their devoted

labours.
|P5

He was also very happy to hear you have found a place to hold

your Summer School; this is such an important Bahá'í activity

[\P182]

that even if the expenses are such as to necessitate its being

subsidised by the National Fund it does not matter.

|P6

He advises you to send half of the Russian books in your

possession to the Bahá'í Bureau in Geneva. Mrs. Lynch can

distribute them from there, as required, to other centres.

|P7

He feels it would be an excellent means of serving the Cause

and enhancing the prestige of the British Bahá'ís if you can send

a delegate to the Spiritual World Congress to be held in Brussels.

|P8

We are sending ... the Haifa News Letter direct from here;

thank you for sending his address. The Guardian suggests if you

have not already done so, that you send the address of the Dutch

Bahá'í to Mrs. Lynch, so that travelling believers can be put in

touch with him.
|P9

He is eagerly awaiting more good news of the progress of

your Six Year Plan, and assures you all that he will ardently pray

for its speedy and complete success in the Holy Shrines.

|P10

Your Assembly's labours are very deeply appreciated....

|P11
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P12

The enterprise launched by the English Bahá'í community in the

opening years of the second Bahá'í Century is of tremendous

significance, and will, if successful, mark not only the inception of a

glorious chapter in the history of the Faith in the British Isles, but will

constitute a landmark in the spiritual awakening of its people. The

forces which such a consummation will release none can estimate

sufficiently at present. The task is colossal, but the reinforcing power

of Bahá'u'lláh, who is watching over it and is ready to bless and

sustain it if its prosecutors arise to play their part, is likewise

immeasurable. The recent Teaching Conference is but the initial stage

in this mighty, this collective, and indeed historic undertaking. The

goal towns which have been selected should be regarded as the chief

objectives requiring the immediate and concentrated attention of its

zealous promoters. Every consideration should be subordinated to the

paramount need of establishing at any cost and by every means

possible, vigorously functioning assemblies at these centres. No effort

should be wasted, all must arise to lend their assistance; no sacrifice is

too great to ensure the completion of the first stage of this noble

enterprise. Unity, perseverance, self-sacrifice, will guarantee its success.

Obstacles may arise, set-backs will no doubt occur, but the

[\P183]

unconquerable spirit animating the English believers must ultimately

triumph.
|P13
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
|N22|P0
24 April 1946
|P1

ADVISE NOT PURCHASE AT PRESENT. RENT IF POSSIBLE BEFITTING

ROOMS CENTRAL POSITION.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N23|P0
24 April 1946
|P1

KINDLY AIRMAIL TWO PHOTOGRAPHS NATIONAL ASSEMBLY FOR

"Bahá'í WORLD".
|P2
SHOGHI
|N24|P0
26 April 1946
|P1

URGE FOCUS ATTENTION SIX YEAR PLAN SUBORDINATE EVERY

ACTIVITY PARAMOUNT ISSUE TEACHING FACING ENGLISH BELIEVERS.

|P2
SHOGHI
|N25|P0
30 April 1946 (Convention)
|P1

DEARLY BELOVED ENGLISH BELIEVERS REMEMBERED SHRINES

PRAYING ARDENTLY SUCCESS DELIBERATIONS CONVENTION SUPREME

CONTINUOUS EFFORT REQUIRED ENSURE SUCCESS PLAN

CONCENTRATION ATTENTION RESOURCES ENTIRE COMMUNITY

PROMOTION PARAMOUNT AIM INDISPENSABLE GREATER SACRIFICES

DEMANDED ENSURE ULTIMATE VICTORY EAGERLY AWAITING NEWS

PROGRESS HISTORIC ENTERPRISE.
|P2
SHOGHI
[\P184]
|N26|P0
8 May 1946
|P1

WHATEVER NOT SPECIFIED ARTICLES ASSOCIATION LEFT DISCRETION

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY.+F1

{In answer to cabled request for guidance about tied vote at Convention.}

|P2
SHOGHI
|N27|P0
10 May 1946
|P1

APPRECIATE MAIL HAIFA PHOTOGRAPH ALL MEMBERS LAST YEAR'S

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY FOR Bahá'í WORLD.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N28|P0
22 May 1946
|P1

APPROVE DROP CARDIFF SUBSTITUTE ANY TOWN DEEMED ADVISABLE

Your letters (and those previously written by Mrs. Ferraby+

as secretary) dated March 19th and 21st; April 12th and 23rd;

and May 2nd and 11th, as well as their enclosures, have all been

received, and the Guardian has instructed me to answer them on

his behalf.
|P3

Regarding the various points which have been raised in these

letters.
|P4

As he already informed you by cable, he sees no objection to

substituting some other town for Cardiff if that has proved too

unpromising....
|P5

People who for years have ceased to either attend meetings or

show the slightest interest in the Cause can be dropped from the

voting list; but any who are unable to attend meetings, but still

[\P185]

consider themselves to be Bahá'ís and are desirous of keeping up

their contact with the Faith, should naturally be kept on the

voting list.
|P6

He feels at the present stage of the Cause's development in

England it is perhaps wiser not to make any hard and fast rules

about the boundaries of towns for assembly purposes. However,

you should bear in mind that in the future some proper

delineation will be necessary.
|P7

As to the question of the Publishing Trust about quoting

excerpts from some of the Meditations; there is no objection to

this at all.
|P8

He hopes you will be able to find some suitable quarters in

London for your Bahá'í Centre; he considers that at the present

time, with the heavy and essential teaching programme you

have undertaken, it is out of the question to purchase headquarters.

|P9

The Guardian takes the keenest interest in your Six Year Plan,

and he wishes me to point out to you certain things in this

connection: if the important goals of new Assemblies are to be

achieved, he feels you will have to organise the work on a new

basis. England now stands, one might say, on the brink of a new

phase of its Bahá'í life; the long years of war are over, the friends

are not only awakened to a sense of their responsibilities, but

have increased in numbers, in zeal, and in unity; there is a

growing number of people who are anxious to do pioneer work.

What is needed is a planned and consistent form of teaching and

administrative support of the activities your Assembly is

inaugurating.
|P10

He feels the time has come when the British Bahá'ís' resources

are sufficient to enable them to embark on their teaching

campaign in a manner similar to that already followed by the

American and Indian Bahá'ís. In other words pioneers who

volunteer for work, if they are not able to support themselves,

should be supported by the National Fund until they either find

work or their task is completed.
|P11

Likewise travelling teachers should be assisted financially to

carry out the "projects" assigned to them. The friends should not

for a moment confuse this type of support with the creation of

a paid clergy. Any Bahá'í can, at the discretion of the N.S.A.,

receive this necessary assistance and it is clearly understood it is

temporary and only to carry out a specific plan. Bahá'u'lláh

[\P186]

Himself has not only enjoined on everyone the duty of teaching

His Faith, but stated if you cannot go yourself, to send someone

in your stead. The National Assembly, through and with its

Teaching Committee, should take immediate steps to get

pioneers out into the goal towns and teachers circulating about,

to not only support and inaugurate the new work, but to

stimulate the existing Assemblies and groups, and help them to

expand.
|P12

He hopes that your Assembly, unitedly and with complete

dedication to the great work that lies ahead of you, will

concentrate all your forces on the teaching work. You may be

sure he will pray for your success in the Holy Shrines, and that

all the British Bahá'ís may realise to the full their historic

responsibilities and arise to discharge them....
|P13

P.S. Your letter of May 29th has since been received and the

extra photos of N.S.A. members will be forwarded to America.

|P14
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P15

The activities of the English Bahá'í community in pursuance of the

Plan, which in its scope and potentialities is wholly unprecedented in

the history of the Faith in the British Isles, are now approaching a

critical stage, and will, if not relentlessly expanded and consolidated,

fall far short of their ultimate objective. They have now entered the

third year of their Plan, and the work that still remains unaccomplished

is considerable, but not beyond what their united and sustained

endeavours can accomplish. The utmost support, if the Plan is to yield

its promise, should be continually and increasingly extended to every

pioneer, both moral and financial, who will arise to contribute his or

her share to its success. All the institutions of the Faith so laboriously

erected since the inception of the Formative Age, most of the financial

resources of the community that have been accumulated, the

deliberations of the elected representatives of the entire body of the

believers, both local and national, should henceforth be dedicated to the

vital requirements and noble aims of an enterprise which, if successful,

will pave the way, and provide the necessary agencies, for the

proclamation of the Faith to the masses throughout the British Isles.

|P16

The Faith is too circumscribed at present, its resources too limited,

its range too restricted, and the number of its active supporters too few,

to allow a systematic and nation-wide campaign designed to awaken

the masses, to be effectively inaugurated. The present Plan is but a

[\P187]

stepping stone that must lead eventually the English believers to

execute so tremendous and meritorious an undertaking. The duties

and responsibilities now facing them must, however, be fully

discharged. No time or effort should be wasted. All, young and old,

must be aroused to a new consciousness of their collective responsibilities.

A greater measure of self-sacrifice, a greater audacity, a greater reliance

on the sustaining grace of Bahá'u'lláh, are required to lend the

necessary impetus to the progressive unfoldment and ultimate fruition

of this dynamic process which the followers of Bahá'u'lláh, labouring

in the heart of a world encircling empire, have set in motion. May

Your letter dated May 16th and written on behalf of the

National Youth Committee, was received, and the beloved

Guardian has instructed me to answer it on his behalf.

|P4

He is very happy to see that the Bahá'í Youth of the British

Isles are now organised and working with enthusiasm for the

spread of the Faith there. He feels that they have a great and

important role to play during the next few years in fulfilling the

objectives of the Six Year Plan.
|P5

Young people, being, for the most part, freer than the older

believers, are in a position to arise as pioneers and move to new

towns as settlers. A great number of the pioneers in America,

who left their native cities, and often their native land, in order

to fulfil the Seven Year Plan, were young people--some of them

so young that the Spiritual Assemblies they helped to establish

they were themselves not yet old enough to be elected to!

|P6

The Guardian has enjoyed very much meeting Capt. Philip

Hainsworth+, who had the unique privilege of being in Haifa

for over a month, and he feels sure that upon his return to

England he will lend great impetus to both the Youth and

teaching work.
[\P188]
|P7

He heartily approves of your "Youth Bulletin" project and

urges you to place special emphasis on articles that are of

pertinent interest to young people, such as those dealing with the

economic, social and moral aspects of society.
|P8

Assuring you, and all the members of your Committee, of his

loving prayers for the success of your labours....

|P9
[From the Guardian:]

May the Beloved bless your meritorious endeavours, guide every

step you take in the path of service, aid you to extend the range of your

activities, and enable you to promote, by every means in your power,

and in a most effective manner, the vital interests of a Plan with which

the immediate destinies of the members of the English Baha'i

Community, both young and old, are so inextricably interwoven.

The beloved Guardian has instructed me to send you the

following copy of a cable he sent the N.S.A. on the 7th of

this month: "DELIGHTED LATEST REPORT TEACHING ACTIVITIES.

PRESENT YEAR CRUCIAL FORTUNES PLAN. CONCENTRATE 5 MOST

PROMISING GOAL TOWNS, ALSO EXERT UTMOST RE-ESTABLISH

TORQUAY, BOURNEMOUTH ASSEMBLIES. SUCCESS IMMEDIATE PLAN

WILL NECESSITATE INCREASE CONVENTION DELEGATES BRITISH ISLES

TO TWICE 19. UPON CONSUMMATION ENTIRE PLAN FURTHER

INCREASE TO THREE TIMES 19 WILL BECOME ESSENTIAL. CABLING

FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS FOR TRAVEL SETTLEMENT PIONEERS.

PROSPECTS BRIGHT, REDOUBLED EFFORTS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL,

EXERTION YOUTH VITAL. FORTHCOMING GATHERING SUMMER

SCHOOL SHOULD DEVOTE SPECIAL ATTENTION REQUIREMENTS PLAN.

ARDENTLY PRAYING TRIUMPHANT SUCCESS FIRST STAGE COLLECTIVE

EFFORT DEARLY BELOVED ENGLISH BELIEVERS".
|P3

In the first draft of this cable sent you a word was left out,

namely "twice" before the "19" in reference to the first increase

of the number of convention delegates. This was corrected the

same day by cable.
|P4

The Guardian has so far received no acknowledgment of the

[\P189]

receipt of this long cable and he is anxious to know if it reached

you safely? Also the five hundred pounds which was forwarded

by cable, through Barclays Bank, to your name?
|P5

Assuring you of his loving prayers on your behalf....

|P6

P.S. He was very happy to hear that the N.S.A. is now united,

and that sources of misunderstanding and uneasiness have been

entirely cleared up.
|N32|P0
6 July 1946
|P1

DELIGHTED BRIGHT PROSPECTS ACHIEVEMENT THIS YEAR'S GOAL

WILL CONSTITUTE TURNING POINT FORTUNES PLAN LANDMARK

BRITISH Bahá'í HISTORY SUSTAINED CONCENTRATION ESSENTIAL

CONVEY PIONEERS TRAVELLING TEACHERS ASSURANCE LOVING

APPRECIATION ABIDING GRATITUDE NOBLE RESPONSE URGE EXERT

SIMULTANEOUSLY EFFORTS ESTABLISH THIS PIVOTAL YEAR NUCLEUS

FUTURE ASSEMBLY BOTH SCOTLAND IRELAND PRAYING CONTINUALLY

INCREASING EVIDENCES NATION-WIDE EXPANSION PROGRESSIVE

CONSOLIDATION DEARLY BELOVED ENGLISH BAHA'I
COMMUNITY.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N33|P0
2 August 1946 (Summer School)
|P1

OVERJOYED PRAYING EVER INCREASING SUCCESS DEEPEST APPRECIATION

HIGH ENDEAVOURS.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N34|P0
25 August 1946
|P1

DELIGHTED URGE UTMOST SACRIFICE PROVIDE REQUIREMENTS GOAL

Your letters dated June 1st and 26th and July 20th and 25th,

[\P190]

together with their enclosures, have been received, and our

beloved Guardian has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.

|P3
Regarding the various points you raised.
|P4

Unless the Russian "New Era" is hopelessly bad, the Guardian

advises it nevertheless be made use of, as it will be some time

before the funds of the Cause can be used for a new edition. If the

mistakes are mostly in the nature of mistranslations of certain

important terms it might be possible for you, in conjunction

with Mrs. Lynch, to have printed or mimeographed a list of

errata, and stick it in the book, in this way Russian-speaking

people will not be denied some literature on the Faith, however

inadequate.
|P5

The attitude of the friends towards orientals should be one of

great caution, according to the Master's own often-repeated and

explicit instructions and warnings. Any believer in good

standing would not leave his home community without a letter

of credential, and certainly no Persians, claiming to be Bahá'ís,

but lacking credentials, should be accepted until the Persian

N.S.A. has clarified their status. They can, naturally, attend

public meetings, but should not be permitted to come to the 19-

Day Feasts; the friends may associate with them, but should be

very cautious, bearing in mind that many orientals, who scorned

or were even actively against the Cause while living in the East,

now find it convenient to pose as believers or friends of the Faith

in a Western community where they are strangers.
|P6

As regards your question about Bahá'í procedure; the present

statement can certainly be amplified to include the United

Nations Organisation.
|P7

He feels that your Assembly should constantly, through its

communications to the friends and its committees, and in every

way possible, stir the British Bahá'í community to a sense of the

great urgency of their pioneer activities; and the need for more

pioneers. They now have a golden opportunity to arise and fulfil

their own cherished plans before it is too late. In the future we

may well look back upon these present days and see that in them

lay our greatest chance to build for the future and to call people

to the Faith while they were still deeply impressed with the

tragedy and futility of war; and before they become too engulfed

in post war problems, or too bitterly disillusioned by the trend

of world affairs to even seek a solution. More believers must

[\P191]

arise, and, putting their trust in Bahá'u'lláh, do their duty to the

Faith they believe in and love so dearly. The youth in particular

should be encouraged to enter this field of service, for the spread

of the Cause is their only hope for a stable world in which to live

and establish families of their own.
|P8

His loving prayers are with you all in your many services to

the Cause of God, and he is greatly encouraged by the way the

work is going forward in England....+F1

{Although some pioneer settlement had been attempted, at the time this

letter was being written only the first nine pioneers had actually become

established: Ursula Newman (later Samandari) and Kathleen Brown (later

Lady Hornell) in October 1945; Walter Wilkins+ in July 1946; Alma

Gregory+ in August 1946; Robert Cheek+ and Una Townshend in September

1946; David Hofman, Marion Hofman and Philip Hainsworth in October

1946.}
|P9
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P10

The evidences of intensified activity and of notable progress on the

part of the English believers in recent months have rejoiced my heart

and deepened my feelings of admiration and gratitude for the manner

in which they are discharging, individually and collectively, their high

responsibilities. I long to hear of the steady progress of their Plan, and

will continue to pray for the removal of every obstacle in their path.

However considerable their recent achievements, they are still in the

initial stage of their great unfolding mission, and are not even capable

as yet of visualising the possibilities or of estimating the consequences

of their present-day labours. The consummation of their present task

will mark the opening of a new era in the development of their

community and will signalise the inauguration of a great epoch in the

history of the Faith in their land--an epoch that must witness the

universal recognition of their Cause and the proclamation of its truths,

its claims and tenets, to the masses of their countrymen throughout the

British Isles. The Plan they are now prosecuting will provide the

machinery and establish the basic structure that will enable them to

arouse the people, among all sections of the population, and aid them,

systematically and gradually, to recognise Bahá'u'lláh, and support the

nascent institutions of this World Order. Now it is their duty to lay

an unassailable foundation for the great work that is to be undertaken

in the future. There is no time to lose. Theirs is a priceless opportunity

and a great privilege. They must neither vacillate nor falter. They

[\P192]
must

determinedly persevere until their immediate and distant goals

have been attained.
|P11
Shoghi
|N36|P0
15 November 1946
|P1

OVERJOYED MARVEL MAGNIFICENT SUCCESS URGE AFTER ATTAINMENT

THIS YEAR'S GOAL CONCENTRATION IRELAND SCOTLAND

WALES LONGING FORMATION NUCLEI THESE VIRGIN TERRITORIES

ARDENTLY PRAYING LOVING ADMIRATION.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N37|P0
21 November 1946+F1

{Approving Teaching Conference to be dedicated to the 25th Anniversary

of the Guardianship.}
|P1
APPROVE LOVING APPRECIATION PRAYING SUCCESS.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N38|P0
26 December 1946
|P1
National Youth Committee
Dear Bahá'í Sister,
|P2

Your letter of September 19th was received, and our beloved

Guardian has instructed me to answer it on his behalf, and to

congratulate you and the other members of your committee on

the excellent first issue of your Bahá'í Youth Bulletin.

|P3

This is an important new undertaking, and must be established

as a firm innovation on the part of the British Bahá'í community.

He hopes it will gradually become the means of interesting and

attracting many new souls to the Faith.
|P4

In fact the Youth work everywhere in the Bahá'í World is

dear to his heart, and he attaches great importance to it. The

young people, who will inevitably grow up to shoulder all the

work of the Cause, are really its hope, and should be one of the

most active factors in its propagation. Through their courageous

[\P193]

adherence to the high moral and ethical standards set out by

Bahá'u'lláh, and through gaining a mastery of His many,

diversified, and profound teachings, they can shape, to a great

extent, the development and aid in the rapid expansion of their

beloved Faith in the various countries in which they labour.

They should be made to realise their responsibility is heavy and

their privilege very precious.
|P5

He wishes to assure you and all the other members of the

National Youth Committee, of his most loving prayers for your

progress, and for the success of the work you have so

enthusiastically and devotedly undertaken....
|P6
[From the Guardian:]

May the Beloved bless abundantly the work which your Committee

has so nobly initiated, remove all obstacles from your path, aid you to

realise every hope you cherish, and carry out every plan you conceive,

for the furtherance of the interests of our beloved Faith and of its God-given

institutions.
|P7
Your true brother,
Shoghi
|N39|P0
30 December 1946
|P1

PRAYING FERVENTLY REMOVAL ALL OBSTACLES IMPEDING PROGRESS

PLAN AND RECOVERY. SUPPLICATING RICHEST BLESSINGS TEACHING

CONFERENCE DEEPEST LOVING APPRECIATION.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N40|P0
1 January 1947+F1
{At news of move to new National Bahá'í Centre}
|P1
REJOICE SUCCESS PRAYING RICHEST BLESSINGS.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N41|P0
12 January 1947 (To Teaching Conference)
|P1

PROFOUNDLY MOVED MESSAGE. GREATLY APPRECIATE NOBLE SENTIMENTS

PRAYING DEPTHS GRATEFUL HEART CONTINUED SUCCESS
MAGNIFICENT COLLECTIVE EFFORTS DEEPEST LOVE.
|P2
SHOGHI
[\P194]
|N42|P0
20 January 1947
|P1

CONSULTATION BETWEEN DELEGATES COMMUNITY ADVISABLE

PRESENTATION COMMUNITY VIEWS TO CONVENTION ADVISABLE

MANNER CONSULTATION LEFT DISCRETION N.S.A. DOUBLING NUMBER

DELEGATES CONDITIONED ACHIEVEMENT NINE GOAL TOWNS.

|P2
SHOGHI
|N43|P0
29 January 1947
|P1

ASSURE JOAN GIDDINGS+ DEEPEST LOVING APPRECIATION.

|P2
SHOGHI
|N44|P0
8 February 1947
|P1
DELIGHTED PROGRESS NOTTINGHAM BIRMINGHAM RESPONSE

MCKINLEYS+ URGE SUPREME EFFORT AS CRUCIAL YEAR DRAWS

CLOSE ENSURE ATTAINMENT OBJECTIVE LOVING ARDENT PRAYERS.

Your communications dated Sept. 12, Oct. 4th and 17th,

Nov. 19th, 18th and 21st and Dec. 29th 1946 have all been

received together with their enclosures and our beloved

Guardian has instructed me to answer you on his behalf....

|P3

He was very happy to see the marked success of your Summer

School this past year and also to receive very encouraging reports

of the Manchester Teaching Conference; a great change has

come over the work in England during the past year and one

which must certainly rejoice the hearts of the older Bahá'ís in

particular as they compare the present state of the Cause with the

decades that passed when it had two or three spiritual Assemblies

and seemed to be practically standing still! It seems, indeed, as if

an important corner had been turned and that the Faith in the

[\P195]

British Isles is at last showing its true stature and casting a

portentous shadow of future events before it!
|P4

He is particularly happy to see the way the Bahá'í young

people are arising and serving in the pioneer field with such

courage, determination and success.
|P5

Regarding the question you asked him about the sentence

from the "Aqdas" for the marriage certificate: he feels that the

following is a suitable translation of this passage: "Enter into

wedlock, O people, that ye may bring forth one who will make

mention of me."
|P6
The very good news of Nottingham and Birmingham

achieving Assembly status was most welcome and he hopes the

friends will redouble their efforts in connection with the

remaining goal towns. Likewise the establishment of pioneers in

both Eire and Scotland is of historic importance and they should

receive every assistance from the National Teaching Committee

and from your Assembly.
|P7

Now that the British believers see tangible results of their

labours and perseverance taking shape, they should feel

encouraged to make new sacrifices; a little effort on our part is

so richly blessed by Bahá'u'lláh--we can only wonder what the

rewards would be for a great, concerted, truly inspired effort by

all members of the community.
|P8

He assures you all of his most loving prayers for your guidance

and the success of your historic enterprises....
|P9

P.S. Shoghi Effendi would like your Assembly to make every

effort to help Dr. Lotfullah Hakim+ to come to England from

Persia; he wishes to continue his study of massage etc. and he

could be of great help in the teaching work as he is a devoted and

fine Baha'i. Shoghi Effendi suggested he might investigate the

possibility of carrying out his studies in Edinburgh or some

other goal town and thus help with the Six Year Plan at the same

time.
|P10
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P11

The present crucial year, now drawing to a close, may well be

regarded as one of the most memorable in the annals of British Baha'i

history. The magnificent, spontaneous and collective response of almost

the entire community of the English believers to the imperative call of

teaching; the support lent by individuals, groups and Assemblies to the

[\P196]

Plan set in motion by its national elected representatives; the success

attending the Teaching Conference; the multiplication of Baha'i

centres in England; the initial steps taken to establish the structure of

the Administrative Order of the Faith, in Ireland, Scotland and

Wales--all these have combined to raise the stature of the community,

and to prepare it for the still greater tasks that must be faced by its

members after the successful prosecution of the present Plan.

|P12

The Bahá'ís of the British Isles are now, slowly, laboriously and in

strict accordance with the principles of a steadily expanding, divinely

appointed Administrative Order, building up the essential and primary

institutions which are destined to act as the chief and most powerful

instruments for the proclamation of the Faith to the masses of their

countrymen, at a subsequent stage in the development of the Faith in

their land. As these institutions expand and are consolidated, the

community will find itself equipped, not only to carry the Message of

the New Day to the multitudes throughout the length and breadth of

its homeland, but prepared and fortified to initiate teaching campaigns

beyond the shores of its native land, and in distant territories and

various parts of the Empire of which that land is the heart and centre.

|P13

Theirs is the duty, during these coming years, to lay patiently,

assiduously and unitedly the foundation on which the structure of their

future international services to their beloved Faith can be firmly and

unassailably established. Upon the success of the Plan they are now so

diligently and devotedly prosecuting, must depend the scope and

effectiveness of their two-fold task of proclaiming the verities of their

Faith to their fellow countrymen at home, and of implanting its

banner abroad amidst the peoples and races of a far-flung Empire.

|P14

That they may carry out, in a befitting manner and by the appointed

time, the preliminary steps so essential for the fulfilment of their high

destiny is my dearest wish and constant prayer.
|P15
Shoghi
|N46|P0

20 March 1947 (To First Regional Youth Conference)

|P1

PROFOUNDLY APPRECIATE MESSAGE CONFERENCE URGE CONCENTRATE

NEEDS PLAN PRAYING GREAT VICTORIES.
|P2
SHOGHI
[\P197]
|N47|P0
21 March 1947
|P1
OVERJOYED PROSPECTS PRAYING ARDENTLY CONSUMMATION

CHERISHED HOPES APPEAL ENTIRE COMMUNITY EXERT SUPREME

EFFORT ENSURE TOTAL SUCCESS MIGHTY ENTERPRISE DEEPEST

LOVING APPRECIATION ABIDING GRATITUDE.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N48|P0
28 March 1947
|P1

ADVISE APPORTION DELEGATES COMING CONVENTION IN STRICT

ACCORDANCE NUMBER BELIEVERS ACTUALLY RESIDING IN FOUR

Your letters dated August 10th (from the secretary) and

December 19th and March 18th (from the Business Manager of

the Editorial Committee) were received, and as our beloved

Guardian is greatly overburdened by his steadily expanding

correspondence, he has instructed me to answer these communications

all in one.
|P4

He was very pleased to receive copies of "Youth Bulletin,"

which he thinks is starting out in the right direction; he would

like to receive this publication regularly.
|P5

The work you are doing is very important, and the British

Bahá'í Youth should feel very encouraged to see the way some

of their members have arisen and gone forth to pioneer. He

hopes others will follow this example in order to ensure the

success of the Six Year Plan.
|P6

You may be sure his loving prayers are offered for you all in

the Holy Shrines....
|P7
[From the Guardian:]

May the Spirit of Bahá'u'lláh sustain, bless and guide you in your

notable, meritorious, and deeply appreciated activities, aid you to

[\P198]

extend the range of your services, and lend a great impetus to the

progress of the Plan which the English believers are so devotedly and

assiduously prosecuting.
|P8
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
|N50|P0
16 April 1947
|P1

OVERJOYED HISTORIC SUCCESS APPROVED MINUTE 590 PRAYING

STILL GREATER VICTORIES HEARTFELT CONGRATULATIONS ABIDING

GRATITUDE.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N51|P0
29 April 1947
|P1

ACCLAIM PRIDE GRATITUDE VICTORY ACHIEVED REVITALISED

TRIUMPHANT DEARLY BELOVED BRITISH Bahá'í COMMUNITY

MARVELLOUS CONSUMMATION ARDUOUS TASK CRUCIAL YEAR

HISTORIC PLAN UNPRECEDENTED ANNALS FIFTY YEARS BRITISH

Bahá'í HISTORY SISTER COMMUNITIES EAST WEST NORTH SOUTH

HAIL SIGNIFICANT VICTORY WON NOTWITHSTANDING PROLONGED

STRAIN FORMIDABLE OBSTACLES SMALLNESS NUMBERS DIVERSITY

TRIALS CONFIDENT ALL MEMBERS COMMUNITY YOUNG OLD

TEACHERS PIONEERS ADMINISTRATORS WILL RESOLUTELY SAFEGUARD

PRIZES WON FORGE AHEAD UNDIMINISHED ZEAL ATTAIN

GOALS WITHIN REACH CABLING ONE THOUSAND POUNDS PROMOTION

GREAT TASKS AHEAD TOKEN MY ABIDING GRATITUDE SIGNAL

SERVICE RENDERED FOLLOWERS FAITH Bahá'u'lláh BRITISH ISLES.

Your letters dated Jan. 19th and 23rd; Feb. 16th, 27th and

28th; March 8th and 25th; and April 4th, 19th, 20th, 22nd and

23rd, 1947, have all been received, together with their enclosures

and the material sent under separate cover, and our beloved

Guardian has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.

[\P199]
|P3
Regarding the various questions you have raised.
|P4

He has already informed the American N.S.A. that he feels

Mr. Townshend's services to the Faith can best be rendered by

his writing about it, as he obviously has an outstanding ability in

this direction, combined with knowledge and zeal, and can

render a very valuable service this way; he also feels that Mr.

Townshend, now that his church association seems about to be

broken, could be used as part of the pioneer force in Eire. It is his

own land, he knows his own people, and the need for workers

there is very particularly great this year....
|P5

If Mr. Townshend has not as yet been registered as a voting

believer he certainly should be immediately. Everyone knows

he has been a most devoted Bahá'í for many years and his

contributions should certainly be considered those of a voting

Baha'i.
|P6

He would appreciate receiving, for the files here in Haifa, a

copy of the revised Articles of Association.
|P7

Regarding the prayer translated by Dr. Khan and his daughter:

although he has not taken time to compare it with the original,

he assumes it is a faithful translation. Unfortunately it is not a

style which in our language can convey the richness and power

of the original, and he would not recommend that this version

of it be printed. There is no objection, however, to its circulation

among the friends if they want it.
|P8

As to certain of your voting members who have long been

inactive, and whose conduct you disapprove of, he suggests you

make an effort to find out if they still believe in the Faith, and if

they do, and wish to be members of it, then they should be

helped to mend their ways. If this patient and loving method

does not prove successful and they refuse to identify themselves

with the Faith, they should be removed from the voting list.

|P9

Miss ... should be advised, for the sake of better serving the

Cause she loves so dearly, to take care of her health; also she

should be made to realise that a pessimistic and critical approach

(although perhaps fully justified by the situation) produces no

results. We, having the power of the Faith to draw on, must

always be constructive in our efforts, as this will produce results

and attract Divine blessings upon them.
|P10

Concerning the membership of ... in the synagogue: as this

concerns his non-Bahá'í Jewish wife and means a great deal to

[\P200]

her--even involving the place of her burial--the Guardian does

not feel it is right to request him to take a step which would

deprive her of her own religious rights. On the other hand, he

sees no reason why ... should not write a letter to the appropriate

authority in this synagogue, explaining that he is a practising

Bahá'í but is keeping his synagogue membership for the benefit

of his wife and children. Some similar action should be taken by

..., or he should give up his synagogue membership.

|P11

He realises the difficult position of the London community,

but the goals of the Plan, and its success, justify any temporary

weakening of the work in the capital, which in the end will be

greatly strengthened by the national spread of the Faith. He

certainly will specially pray for this work in London.

|P12

The achievement of all goals during this crucial year has been

very great, and brought him a conviction that the Cause in the

British Isles is now operating on an entirely new footing, and

that the community of believers there has thrown off once and

for all time a certain lethargy which seemed to have retarded its

progress in the past. Although so much still remains to be

accomplished, the combination of the new zest for work and the

determination of the friends to succeed, and the unfailing

assistance of Bahá'u'lláh, promised to all who arise and put their

faith in Him, will surely mow down all obstacles and carry the

British believers through to victory.
|P13

He feels that the way your assembly is working, with its many

and active committees, and the plans you have outlined in your

report, are excellent. Any suggestions he has to make, as the

work unfolds, he will communicate to you.
|P14

The Summer School, he feels, is of great importance, and he

hopes gradually believers from the continent will visit it and be

helped and inspired by their contact with the now active and

flourishing British Bahá'í community!
|P15

You may be sure in the prayers he offers in the Holy Shrines

you and your assembly's work are often remembered....

|P16
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P17

The success that has crowned the strenuous efforts exerted by the

entire British Bahá'í community in the course of this crucial year, has

raised immensely its prestige in the estimation of its sister communities

in East and West, and has demonstrated in a very striking manner,

the vitality, resourcefulness and determination of its members, and

[\P201]

merits the praise and blessings of the concourse on high, and

particularly of our beloved Master, who in the course of two successive

visits showered His loving kindness on the English believers, and

chose the capital city of their country as the scene of His first public

appearance before a western audience. This remarkable exploit,

unparelleled since the inception of the administrative order in that

land, and unsurpassed by any achievement associated with the

followers of Bahá'u'lláh in the British Isles since the introduction of

His Faith into their country, augurs well for the successful termination

of the Initial Phase of the Plan, and fills me with hope that total

victory will ultimately be achieved, at the appointed time, by the

prosecutors of this bold, this historic and far-reaching enterprise.

|P18

The Plan itself when consummated will signalise the opening of a

new epoch in British Bahá'í history, an epoch which must witness,

simultaneously with the vigorous initiation of subsequent Plans

designed to broaden the basis, and multiply the institutions, of a

steadily evolving administrative order, the inauguration of systematic

undertakings, jointly launched by the English, the Scottish, the Irish

and Welsh believers, and aiming, on the one hand, at the proclamation

of the Divine Message to the masses of their respective countrymen,

and, on the other, at the establishment of the structural basis of a

divinely appointed Administrative Order throughout the far-flung

dependencies of the British Crown.
|P19

For the present, however, and as an essential preliminary to the vast

and challenging tasks that await them beyond the shores of their

homeland, the eyes of the prosecutors of the present Plan must be

focused on the vital and urgent requirements in England, and

particularly Scotland, Wales and Ireland, wherein the nuclei that

have been recently formed, should, ere the expiry of the present year,

be converted into full-fledged assemblies. The erection of the

administrative institutions of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh in these virgin

territories will no doubt befittingly mark the termination of the initial

phase of the Plan, and proclaim to the entire Bahá'í world the

resolution, as well as the ability, of its valiant promoters to create

the indispensable agencies required for an intensive propagation of the

Faith at home, and the planting of its banner overseas.

|P20

Theirs is an unspeakably thrilling task, an awe-inspiring obligation,

a priceless opportunity. Their recent victories inspire a confident hope

that a no less outstanding success will mark their future endeavours.

|P21
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
[\P202]
|N53|P0
14 May 1947
|P1

DEEPLY APPRECIATIVE PLEDGE PRAYING ABUNDANT BLESSINGS

DELIBERATIONS.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N54|P0
24 May 1947
|P1

TOWNSHEND'S RESIGNATION IMPERATIVE. ALLOCATION FIVE

HUNDRED POUNDS FROM NATIONAL FUND EXCESSIVE. ADVISE USE

PART RELIEF FUND THIS PURPOSE PRAYING SOLUTION PROBLEM.

|P2
SHOGHI
|N55|P0
18 June 1947
|P1

OVERJOYED TOWNSHEND'S MEMORABLE DECISION NOBLE EXAMPLE

COMMENDABLE DETERMINATION SETTLE DUBLIN ARDENTLY PRAYING

SUCCESS PROTECTION REMOVAL DIFFICULTIES DELIGHTED

STAHLER'S+ GEORGE'S+ PIONEERING SUPPLICATING ABUNDANT

BLESSINGS CHERISH BRIGHT HOPES FRUITION ASSEMBLY'S HISTORIC

Your letter, with enclosures, to our Beloved Guardian, on

behalf of the National Youth Committee, and dated February

26th, was received and he has instructed me to answer it on his

behalf. He did not reply sooner because he is so very busy and

overworked, and feels sure you understand the reason for the

delay.
|P4

The services which the Bahá'í young people are rendering the

Cause, not only in England but in Scotland and in Eire, please

him greatly, as the Youth are the ones who perforce, in the near

[\P203]

future, will find themselves carrying on the administrative and

teaching work of the Faith, and the sooner they prepare

themselves for this heavy responsibility through actual experience

in the pioneer field, the better.
|P5

He is delighted to see the steady progress of your activities and

the way your Bulletin is progressing, and he assures you all of his

loving prayers for the success of all your undertakings....

|P6
[From the Guardian:]

May the Beloved bless continually your meritorious efforts, guide and

sustain you in your activities, and aid you to fulfil your heart's desire

in the service of His glorious Faith.
|P7
Your true brother,
Shoghi
|N57|P0
19 July 1947
|P1

ADVISE TOWNSHEND TRANSFER RESIDENCE OUTSIDE IRELAND IF

NECESSARY APPROVE PROVISION COAL AMERICAN BELIEVERS.

|P2
SHOGHI
|N58|P0
20 August 1947
|P1

OVERJOYED MAGNIFICENT PROGRESS SUMMER SCHOOL ASSURE

ATTENDANTS LOVING PRAYERS GRATEFUL ADMIRATION CONGRATULATE

ENTIRE BRITISH COMMUNITY ASTOUNDING ACHIEVEMENTS

Bahá'ís WORLD PROUD UNFORGETTABLE VICTORIES BRITISH

ISLES.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N59|P0
12 September 1947
|P1

DELIGHTED TOWNSHEND SETTLEMENT MAGNIFICENT SUCCESS

SUMMER SCHOOL BELOVED MASTER Abhá Kingdom WELL PLEASED

CONSTRUCTIVE HISTORIC MANIFOLD ACHIEVEMENTS VIRILE BRITISH

Bahá'í COMMUNITY PRAYING INCREASING FERVOUR DIVINE

GUIDANCE SURMOUNT OBSTACLES RESOLVE PROBLEMS WIN STILL

GREATER VICTORIES HEARTFELT GRATITUDE ABIDING LOVE.

|P2
SHOGHI
[\P204]
|N60|P0
25 September 1947
|P1

The National Bahá'í Youth Committee of the British Isles

|P2
Dear Bahá'í Friends,
|P3

Your letter to our beloved Guardian, dated August 21st, as

well as the note of your Secretary, Miss Howes, dated August

29th, have been received, together with the copy of your Youth

Letter, and I have been instructed to answer you on his behalf.

|P4

He is very happy to hear of the formation of the new Youth

Groups you mention, as this will not only greatly stimulate the

Bahá'í Youth and enable them to attract new young people to

the Faith, but will also do the general work of the Cause in these

cities a great deal of good. He urges your Committee to make

every effort to establish youth groups wherever there are

Spiritual Assemblies, and circumstances permit. He would like

to receive five copies of your Youth Letter if this is convenient.

|P5

Your services are very deeply valued, and he assures you all of

his loving prayers for the success and expansion of your

activities....
|P6
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P7

The activities initiated and diligently pursued by the members of

your committee deserve the highest praise. The devotion, the

perseverance, the loyalty, the assiduous care with which you are

striving to promote the interests of the Bahá'í Youth throughout the

British Isles rejoice my heart, and will no doubt act as a magnet that

will attract the blessings of the Almighty. Persevere in your historic

labours, and rest assured that the Beloved is well pleased with your

splendid accomplishments. I will continue to pray from the depths of

my heart for the extension of your valued activities.

|P8
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
|N61|P0
9 October 1947
Assembly Development Committee
Dear Bahá'í Friends,
|P1

Your letter to our beloved Guardian dated Aug. 4th, has been

received and he has instructed me to answer it on his behalf.

[\P205]
|P2

He is very pleased to see the work your Committee is

undertaking and feel that it is of the greatest importance. The

unity, love, harmony and proper understanding of the administration

of the Cause which exists in a community are the measure

of its progress, and on them depend directly the expansion of the

Faith.
|P3

He wishes you every success, and assures you of his prayers in

support of your labours....
|P4

P.S. He has received your bi-monthly news letter and thinks

it is very well written and excellent in every way.

|P5
[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty bless continually your valued activities, aid you to

overcome all obstacles in your path, promote effectively the vital

interests of our beloved Faith, and contribute, in a notable manner, to

Your letter to our beloved Guardian, dated Sept. 1st, has been

received by him, and he has instructed me to answer it on his

behalf.
|P4

He was very pleased to see the enthusiasm and devotion with

which you have entered into this important branch of Baha'i

activity, and he hopes your labours will be richly rewarded with

success.
|P5

He would suggest that wherever classes for Bahá'í children are

held, liberal minded parents be invited to send their children too,

so that their minds may receive the broad, basic and tolerant

doctrines of our glorious Faith.
|P6

He assures you of his loving prayers for the success of your

activities.
|P7
With warmest greetings,
|P8
[From the Guardian:]

May the Spirit of Bahá'u'lláh guide and sustain you in your highly

[\P206]

important and vital undertaking, enable you to extend continually the

range of your meritorious activities, and lend a great impetus to the

consolidation of the institutions of our glorious Faith.

|P9
Your true brother,
Shoghi
|N63|P0
10 October 1947
|P1

HIGHLY APPROVE ARRANGE MARION HOFMAN RESUME SECRETARYSHIP

TEACHING COMMITTEE URGE ENTIRE COMMUNITY PERSEVERE

UNITED STRENUOUS EFFORTS ENSURE TRIUMPHANT TERMINATION

PRESENT PHASE PLAN STATUS NEWLY FORMED ASSEMBLIES MUST BE

MAINTAINED AT ALL COSTS ATTENTION SHOULD MOREOVER BE

FOCUSED ESTABLISHMENT FIRM FOUNDATION HISTORIC ASSEMBLIES

SCOTLAND WALES EIRE ERE TERMINATION CURRENT YEAR CABLING

FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS ASSIST ASSEMBLY VIGOROUS PROSECUTION

MIGHTY ENTERPRISES CONFERRING IMPERISHABLE LUSTRE DIVINELY

SUSTAINED VICTORIOUSLY ADVANCING DEARLY BELOVED BRITISH

Bahá'í COMMUNITY.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N64|P0
16 October 1947
|P1

DELIGHTED EVIDENCES PROGRESS EDINBURGH DUBLIN BLACKPOOL

Your letters to our beloved Guardian, dated May 18th and

27th; June 4th, 9th and 16th; July 5th, 8th (two of this date),

12th and 14th; August 9th and September 15th, 20th and 29th;

and October 6th and 13th, have all been received, as well as their

enclosures, and he has instructed me to answer you on his

behalf....
|P3

He received a letter direct from the World Congress of Faiths,

and wrote them offering full Bahá'í co-operation, and informing

[\P207]

them he was ready to appoint a Bahá'í representative to attend

any conference they may hold.
|P4

The discovery of the Master's letter to Andrew Carnegie is

very interesting, in spite of the very poor translation of this

Tablet, and he will be very pleased to receive a photostat of the

original, or at least a faithful copy of the text in Persian.

|P5

He would be pleased to continue receiving the reports of the

Assembly Development Committee.
|P6

Regarding the question you asked him: he feels that in the case

of a believer who will be 21 years old on April 22nd, there is no

objection, at this time, when the work of the Cause is so urgent

and the workers so few, in permitting him to vote on April 21st.

|P7

The conduct of ... is an excellent example of why he, (and

Abdu'l-Bahá before him), feels it so necessary to be very strict

about the admission of Orientals into the communities of the

Western world. The British people, being shrewd by nature and

having had considerable experience with Orientals and peoples

of all races, are far less vulnerable to the insidious influence of the

insincere than are the more naive and less experienced Americans.

People such as this young man, Bahá'í in name whenever it suits

their convenience to be so, caring really nothing about the Faith

at heart, and ready to abandon it at a moment's notice if the

pleasures to be gained outweigh the humiliation of ostracism, are

a real menace to the Cause, especially to the faith of young and

untried believers. It is to protect the Cause against such

individuals that the Guardian is at present so strict about not

permitting Persians to visit America at this time.

|P8

In regard to your question about qualifications of delegates

and assembly members: the qualifications which he outlined are

really applicable to anyone we elect to a Bahá'í office, whatever

its nature. But those are only an indication, they do not mean

people who don't fulfil them cannot be elected to office. We

must aim as high as we can. He does not feel the friends should

attach so much importance to limitations--such as people

perhaps not being able to attend assembly or convention

meetings, because if they do, then the fundamental concept of

everyone being willing to do Bahá'í service on administrative

bodies will be weakened, and the friends may be tempted to vote

for those who, because of independent means or circumstances

in their lives, are freer to come and go but less qualified to serve.

[\P208]
|P9

Regarding "Abdu'l-Bahá in London". Nothing can be

considered scripture for which we do not have an original text.

A verbatim record in Persian of His talks would of course be

more reliable than one in English because He was not always

accurately interpreted. However such a book is of value, and

certainly has its place in our literature.
|P10

He assures you all of the deep appreciation of your valiant

labours and his loving prayers on your behalf....
|P11
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P12

The gigantic task, now being so energetically and successfully

carried out by the consecrated and firmly knit British Baha'i

community, constitutes a glorious landmark in recent Bahá'í history,

and will, when viewed in proper perspective, deserve to be regarded as

one of the most outstanding enterprises launched by the followers of

Bahá'u'lláh in the opening years of the second Bahá'í century. Alike

in its magnitude and significance, this momentous undertaking is

unprecedented in the annals of the Faith in the British Isles, and

deserves to rank as one of the most compelling evidences of the creative

power of its Author, marking the rise and establishment of His

institutions on the European continent. It is yet too early to assess the

potentialities of this present Plan and those destined to follow it, or

estimate their future benefits. The blessings they will confer, as the

forces latent within them are progressively revealed, on the people

dwelling within those Islands, and subsequently, as their sphere is

enlarged and their implications are fully disclosed, on the diversified

peoples and races inhabiting the widely scattered dependencies of a far-flung

empire, in both the East and the West, are unimaginably

glorious.
|P13

A staggering responsibility rests on the shoulders of those who have

been called upon to assist in the operation of the initial stages of this

heroic colossal enterprise, and to participate in the privilege of directing

its course, and nursing its infant strength. Setbacks and reverses are

inevitable as this mighty Plan progresses and expands. Critical stages

in its unfoldment must be encountered with unswerving resolution

and confident hope. Whatever hardships and sacrifices its future

prosecution may involve must be borne with courage, pride and

thankfulness. To insure its speedy advancement every issue must be

subordinated to its vital requirements, and every individual effort

co-ordinated with the agencies designed for its execution.

[\P209]
|P14

Its present and pressing needs in the virgin territories of Eire,

Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland must be met with concentrated

attention, continuous, systematic effort and the utmost self-sacrifice.

The goals to be achieved in the capitals and chief cities of these newly

opened territories must be relentlessly pursued, no matter how hard

and stony the path that must be trodden. The prizes already won in

other towns in those islands must at all costs be preserved and

subsequently further enriched by fresh spiritual conquests in

neighbouring counties and farther afield. Indeed the steps preliminary

to the formation of a Bahá'í administrative centre in every county

throughout the British Isles, must sooner or later be taken, as an

essential prelude to the effective proclamation of the Faith to the

masses. That the English Bahá'ís, aided and reinforced gradually by

fresh recruits from among their Irish, Welsh and Scottish countrymen,

may hasten the advent of such a glorious day in British Bahá'í history

is the dearest wish of my heart and the object of my constant

supplication at the Threshold of Bahá'u'lláh.
|P15
Shoghi
|N66|P0
10 December 1947
|P1

DEEPLY TOUCHED ASSEMBLY'S SOLICITUDE ALL SAFE HEARTFELT

APPRECIATION.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N67|P0
7 January 1948
|P1

FERVENTLY PRAYING SIGNAL SUCCESS TEACHING CONFERENCE URGE

CONCENTRATED UNRELAXING EFFORT ENSURE GLORIOUS TERMINATION

INITIAL PHASE HISTORIC PLAN DELIGHTED SETTLEMENT
CARDIFF DEEPEST LOVE.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N68|P0
20 January 1948
|P1

CHEERED HEARTENED MAGNIFICENT SUCCESS TEACHING CONFERENCE.

GREATLY WELCOME VALUABLE ASSISTANCE EXTENDED
[\P210]

DISTINGUISHED TEACHER DOROTHY BAKER. INITIAL PHASE PLAN

DRAWING TRIUMPHANT CLOSE. SIGNAL SERVICES RENDERED SOUND

BLESSED FIRMLY KNIT WIDE AWAKE BRITISH Bahá'í COMMUNITY

EVOKING ADMIRATION SISTER COMMUNITIES EAST WEST SETTING

STIRRING EXAMPLE RISING GENERATION CONFERRING INESTIMABLE

BLESSINGS POSTERITY MERITING APPLAUSE CONCOURSE ON HIGH

AUGMENTING MY DEBT GRATITUDE. PRAYING ARDENTLY SUCCESS

NEWLY LAUNCHED CO-ORDINATED TEACHING PLAN SUPPLICATING

RICHEST BLESSINGS NEWLY ARISEN PIONEERS DEEPEST LOVE.

|P2
SHOGHI
|N69|P0
6 February 1948
|P1

DEPLORE LOSS VALIANT SOUL JOHN MARSHALL+ PRAYING FOR HIM.

PRAYING CONTINUALLY EVER INCREASING SUCCESS GREATLY

ADMIRED DEEPLY LOVED HIGH SPIRITED BRITISH BAHA'I
COMMUNITY.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N70|P0
25 February 1948
|P1

INCREASINGLY ADMIRE DEEPLY THANKFUL PROGRESS HISTORIC

ACHIEVEMENTS BLESSED COMMUNITY DELIGHTED RESPONSE EDINBURGH

ASSURE OLGA MILLS+ ALFRED SUGAR+ LUCY+ BEST WISHES

KINDLY AIR MAIL AFTER APRIL ELECTIONS SEPARATE UP TO DATE

ALPHABETICAL LISTS ASSEMBLIES GROUPS ISOLATED BELIEVERS

BRITISH ISLES.
|P2
SHOGHI
[\P211]
|N73|P0
4 April 1948+F1

{Pioneers referred to were Charles Dunning+ who had arrived in Belfast,

and Evelyn Baxter, Ata'o'llah Khochbine, Claire Gung+, Lizzie

Hainsworth+, and Margaret Sullivan+, for whom projects were completed.}

|P1

ASSURE DEARLY LOVED ALFRED SUGAR FERVENT PRAYERS RECOVERY

HEARTILY WELCOME NEW BELIEVERS EDINBURGH DUBLIN GREATLY

APPRECIATE SUPPORT NEW PIONEERS ADDRESS LAST MINUTE APPEAL

VALIANT BRITISH Bahá'í COMMUNITY INTENSIFY EFFORT FILL

REMAINING GAPS ENSURE TOTAL VICTORY INITIAL PHASE MOMENTOUS

PLAN ARDENTLY PRAYING FULFILMENT DEAREST HOPES.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N74|P0
25 April 1948
|P1

ACCLAIM TRIUMPHANT CONCLUSION INITIAL STAGE EPOCH MAKING

PLAN INITIATED Bahá'í COMMUNITY BRITISH ISLES OPENING YEAR

SECOND Bahá'í CENTURY SUSTAINED PRODIGIOUS EFFORT CULMINATING

LAYING STRUCTURAL BASIS RISING ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER

LEADING CITIES EIRE SCOTLAND WALES UNPRECEDENTED BRITISH

Bahá'í HISTORY CONSTITUTES LANDMARK ANNALS WORLD BAHA'I

COMMUNITY SIGNALISES COMMENCEMENT SIGNIFICANT PHASE

SPIRITUAL HISTORY IRISH SCOTTISH WELSH PEOPLES POTENT SEEDS

SOWN `Abdu'l-Bahá'í TWICE REPEATED VISITS UNITED KINGDOM

LONG LAST GERMINATING CONCOURSE ON HIGH APPLAUDS BRILLIANT

FEAT UNITEDLY ACHIEVED BRITISH FOLLOWERS FAITH

Bahá'u'lláh SISTER COMMUNITIES EAST WEST MARVEL VICTORY

WON SUCH MAGNITUDE SO SHORT PERIOD BY COMMUNITY SO

SORELY AFFLICTED SO SMALL NUMERICALLY SO CIRCUMSCRIBED IN

RESOURCES YET SO ALIVE SO SOUND SO RESOLUTE PLEAD URGE

VALIANT PROMOTERS SO MOMENTOUS PLAN GUARD AGAINST

DISSIPATION RESOURCES RELAXATION EFFORT DISTRACTION ATTENTION

FORFEITURE HARDWON PRIZES APPEAL FURTHER SACRIFICES

NOBLER DEDICATION GREATER INTENSIFICATION LABOURS UNTIL

LAST ACT FINAL PHASE DIVINELY SUSTAINED PLAN GLORIOUSLY

Your letters to our beloved Guardian, written on behalf of

the British N.S.A., and dated as follows: Oct 20th, 22nd, 24th

and 29th, Nov. 10th and 17th, Dec. 1st and 15th of 1947, and

Jan. 13th, Feb. 8th, 9th, 13th, and 27th, and March 1st and 4th

of 1948 and April 5th, 1948, together with various enclosures,

have been received, and he has instructed me to answer you on

his behalf.
|P3

A number of matters referred to in them have been answered

by cable, so I will not go into them again.
|P4

He was specially pleased to receive the copies of the Tablet of

the Master to Andrew Carnegie, as this is yet another authentic

and interesting Bahá'í document.
|P5

He was, likewise, very pleased to receive the statement of Sir

A. Ramaswami Mudaliar testifying to his appreciation of the

Faith, and he will use it in the appropriate section of "Baha'i

World" in the forthcoming edition.
|P6

The instruction he gave to the effect that committees should

elect their own officers, he feels, is universal in scope and should,

therefore, apply to Great Britain as well....
|P7

Regarding the matter of the budget of the N.S.A. he feels that

both wisdom and courage is required in this matter. You should

not fix a budget which is too heavy for the community to meet,

even with sacrifice. Both the pressing needs of the Cause and

your Plan, as well as the foreseeable possibilities of your income

should guide you.
|P8

He has no objection to extracts from his letters to ... being

published. He feels that in the future it is not necessary to ask his

permission to publish such extracts. As long as the person who

has received a letter, such as he would wish to share with others,

from the Guardian, has no objection to its publication, he has no

objection either. Anything confidential he always specifies as

being such.
|P9

He feels that the question of Mrs. Hofman giving up the

secretaryship of the National Teaching Committee, and who is

to be chairman of it, etc. is something to be decided there by

those responsible for the work.
|P10

In one of your letters you mentioned some ... who have

[\P213]

visited the London Centre and their attitude: great patience

must be used in dealing with the child-like members of some of

these primitive races. They are innocent in heart and have

certainly had a very bad example, in many Christians, of a

purely mercenary approach to religion, but if their hearts and

minds once become illumined with the Faith they could make

very fine believers.
|P11

Regarding the matter of believers who have been deprived of

their voting rights: just as no one should ever be deprived of his

voting right lightly, it should likewise be realised that to be

deprived of it is a grave matter, and involves heavy penalties

spiritually. People who have been so deprived should not be

permitted to attend any meetings involving the administration

of the Cause, such as an election or a 19 Day Feast. They can

attend the 9 Holy Days, however; they should not be married

by Bahá'í law, no money should be accepted from them, they

should not be given credentials (which imply a member of the

community in good standing) nor should they be used officially

as teachers or speakers.
|P12

He has no objection to your getting out a book on Baha'i

Procedure similar to the synopsis you enclosed for his

information. He wishes you, however, to stick to essentials and,

as far as possible, avoid--not only in the book but in your

Assembly's decisions--binding the friends by a lot of procedure

on minor matters which he always urges should be, as much as

possible, dealt with according to each case that comes up. He

wishes to keep the administration of the Cause as flexible as

possible and not impede the work by a codified set of rules.

|P13

As to the attitude of the Bahá'ís in the British Isles towards the

World Government Movement: he thinks that as this Movement,

so far, seems to be working for what we believe in, and

not for anything we do not subscribe to, the Bahá'ís should by all

means support it, vote for the representatives to be sent to its

constituent Assembly in 1950, and stand for election if they wish

to. However, he feels your Assembly should keep a careful

watch on this Movement, and if it becomes in any way

imperialistic, anti-Russian, or in any other field starts sponsoring

attitudes partizan or political in nature, the believers should be

advised to withdraw their support and help. He does not think

your Assembly should take any initiative in this Movement

[\P214]

outside of its jurisdiction, such as in the Middle East, through

asking the friends to send in non-Bahá'í names, etc.

|P14

He does not advise you to try and create more than one

Assembly, i.e. the present one, in the London area.

|P15

The work being accomplished in the British Isles is not only

a source of pride to him, but is increasingly being recognised and

admired by the Bahá'í communities throughout the World, and

is greatly encouraging them in their own struggles. For people

are prone to thinking that the American Bahá'ís accomplish so

much solely because of the great advantages they enjoy in their

very fortunate country, whereas now the friends, knowing full

well how much England suffered during the war, and is still

suffering, are forced to acknowledge that it is spirit, determination,

faith and devotion which bring victories into being, one

after another, in Britain, and not luxury and leisure. Your

achievements are heartening the friends in many places where

their numbers are few, and the obstacles to be overcome great!

In fact the American Bahá'ís who have visited England feel there

is much to be copied at home in your spirit and methods.

|P16

He, therefore, urges you all to persevere courageously,

knowing what you are accomplishing is infinitely precious and

great. You are witnessing with your own eyes the fruition of

your plans, the nearing of the moment when your hopes will be

fully realised.
|P17

He assures you all of his very loving prayers on your behalf,

and for the speedy progress of your work.
|P18
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P19

The successful conclusion of the Initial Phase of the first collective

enterprise launched by the followers of Bahá'u'lláh in the British Isles

during the first year of the second Bahá'í century constitutes a milestone

of the utmost significance on the road leading the British Baha'i

community to the glorious destiny ordained for them by Divine

Providence. The efforts exerted, the magnitude of the success which has

been achieved, the spirit of consecration that has been demonstrated,

the solidarity, determination and perseverance evinced by individuals,

groups and assemblies during the opening years of this century are

indeed unprecedented in British Bahá'í history, and may be regarded

next to `Abdu'l-Bahá'í twice repeated visit to the British Isles, as the

most potent period in the annals of the British Bahá'í community.

[\P215]
|P20

The establishment of the structural basis of the Administrative

Order of the Faith in Scotland, Wales and Eire--an accomplishment

of tremendous spiritual significance in itself--has greatly enhanced

the momentous character of this period, and will lend a mighty impetus

to the evolution of the Faith in the days to come.

|P21

The Final Phase of the Plan must now be carried forward with still

greater energy, with still nobler self-sacrifice, with a clearer vision of

the historic import of the work which is to be accomplished, with a

mightier determination to bring it to a successful conclusion. The

resources at the disposal of the community must, as a result of its

expansion, be continually augmented and carefully extended. The

prizes so painstakingly won must, at all costs, be safeguarded and

consolidated. The newly enrolled believers must be constantly

encouraged to assume an increasing share of the responsibilities and of

the administrative functions devolving upon the members of the

community. The pioneer activities undertaken by its members must,

however great the sacrifices involved, be increasingly developed,

systematised and accelerated. The needs of the Faith in the newly

opened territories in the west, in the north, and in the south, must,

while the specific goals of the Plan are being pursued, be given special

attention, in order to enrich the life of the entire community, to

increase the diversity of its constituent elements, to demonstrate the

welding and assimilative power of the Faith, and to stimulate the

processes now set in motion for the spiritual regeneration of all the

ethnic elements within the British Isles.
|P22

In token of my gratitude for the work already accomplished, as a

recognition of the status achieved by the British Bahá'í community in

the Western Hemisphere, in anticipation of the tasks that still remain

to be undertaken, I feel moved to initiate, as soon as the situation here

permits, measures that will enable me, through the institution of a

Palestine Branch of the British Bahá'í National Assembly, to register

in the name of the body of the elected representatives of the followers

of Bahá'u'lláh throughout the British Isles, a portion of Baha'i

international endowments dedicated to the Shrine of The Báb on

Mount Carmel. May this step, associating it with its sister national

assemblies in the United States and India in the possession of so sacred

a trust, lend its share to the consolidation and distinction of the central

institution of the Administrative Order of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh in

the British Isles.
|P23
Shoghi
[\P216]
|N76|P0
2 May 1948
|P1

HAPPILY TRANSMIT REJOICING NEWS BELOVED GUARDIAN'S SAFETY

HAIFA.
|P2
BAHABUREAU
|N77|P0
5 May 1948
|P1

GREATLY WELCOME DEEPLY APPRECIATE CONVENTION'S RESPONSE

SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION INITIAL PHASE PLAN ENCOURAGES ME

INITIATE AS SOON AS CIRCUMSTANCES PERMIT MEASURES ESTABLISH

HOLY LAND PALESTINE BRANCH BRITISH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

ENABLE IT LEGALLY OWN PORTION Bahá'í INTERNATIONAL

ENDOWMENTS MT. CARMEL TOKEN MY ABIDING GRATITUDE
SHINING ACHIEVEMENTS.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N78|P0
9 May 1948
|P1

KINDLY CABLE NUMBER ASSEMBLIES GROUPS ISOLATED BELIEVERS

BRITISH ISLES.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N79|P0
13 May 1948
|P1

LOULIE MATHEWS PROCEEDING SOUTH AFRICA THIS SUMMER ADVISE

SEND HER CARE HORACE HOLLEY ADDRESSES CONTACTS AFRICA

ALSO INTRODUCTION FROM BARBE BAKER PRAYING ARDENTLY

SUCCESS NEWLY ELECTED NATIONAL ASSEMBLY TEACHING
COMMITTEE.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N80|P0
10 June 1948
|P1

ASSURE GRACE CHALLIS ARDENT PRAYERS DEEPEST LOVING APPRECIATION

SERVICES ALSO PRAYING ... SUCCESS HOFMAN'S VISIT
DEEPEST LOVE.
|P2
SHOGHI
[\P217]
|N81|P0
7 July 1948
|P1

PRAYING REMOVAL DIFFICULTIES URGE STEADFASTNESS INCREASING

SELFSACRIFICE ALSO WISDOM EXPENDITURE PRIZES PAINSTAKINGLY

WON MUST AT ALL COSTS BE SAFEGUARDED WORK INITIATED GOAL

TOWNS ENERGETICALLY PURSUED DEEPEST LOVE APPRECIATION.

|P2
SHOGHI
|N82|P0
7 September 1948 (Summer School)
|P1

ASSURE ATTENDANTS SUMMER SCHOOL LOVING FERVENT PRAYERS

SUCCESS SESSIONS DEEPER UNDERSTANDING DISTINGUISHING FEATURES

FAITH CLOSER ASSOCIATION MEMBERS VICTORIOUSLY ADVANCING

STEADILY CONSOLIDATING COMMUNITY.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N83|P0
2 October 1948+F1

{Walter Wilkins, Cyril Jenkerson+, and Zara Warman had settled in

Norwich, Blackpool, and Brighton, respectively.}
|P1

ASSURE THREE NEW SETTLERS FERVENT PRAYERS DEEPEST LOVING

APPRECIATION DELIGHTED WELSH PUBLICATION EAGERLY AWAITING

COPIES SUPPLICATING ALMIGHTY'S BLESSING FORTHCOMING

REGIONAL MEETINGS. CABLE WHETHER FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS

ARRANGE BE SENT YOU FROM TIHRAN REACHED YOU.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
|N84|P0
27 October 1948
|P1

DR. YUNIS AFRUKHTEH STAUNCH DISTINGUISHED SERVANT FAITH

PROCEEDING ENGLAND MEDICAL TREATMENT EXTEND ASSISTANCE

ADVISED HIM HELP TEACHING WORK BRITAIN.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
[\P218]
|N85|P0
29 October 1948
|P1

ASSURE MILLS BACKWELL+ LOVING APPRECIATION GRIEVE PASSING

CHALLIS PRAYING PROGRESS SOUL SERVICES FAITH GRATEFULLY

REMEMBERED.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
|N86|P0
5 November 1948
|P1

APPROVE TOWNSHEND'S ADMIRABLE STATEMENT CONVEY CONGRATULATIONS

Your letters to our beloved Guardian, dated July 14th and of

July 20th, August 6th and 30th and September 11th and October

8th, have been received, as well as various enclosures forwarded,

and he has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.

|P3

...There are always bound to be some human complications

cropping up in the work, but with love and patience these can

usually be smoothed out, and he feels your assembly invariably

shows these qualities in helping the friends to overcome their

problems.
|P4

He believes that people such as ... have no real idea of what

the New History Society stands for, and can therefore be taught

the Faith, and converted to it, by the right handling. All the

friends must do in such cases is to make quite sure that the person

in question is sincere and grasps the Will and Testament. There

are, of course, some individuals in whom the subversive spirit of

Sohrab has taken root, and these should be carefully guarded

against, but they are more the exception than the rule.

|P5

He feels that the local Assemblies should be encouraged to

realise that the National Committees are constituted to serve

their needs, not to dictate arbitrarily to them, and to unify the

work of the Cause which is now spreading so rapidly in the

[\P219]

British Isles. The committees in question should be very tactful

in dealing with a young assembly which is beginning to "feel its

oats", as this spirit of independence, if properly handled, can lead

it to be strong and independent rather than weak and always

relying on other bodies to carry it forward. Assemblies, however,

should certainly co-operate with National Committees and not

refuse their assistance.
|P6

Dr. Yunis Khan Afrukhteh is planning to go to England for

medical treatment, and the Guardian would appreciate your

Assembly's giving him every assistance possible. He has been ill

for some time, and Shoghi Effendi hopes he will recover his

health, as he is a wonderful believer, full of wisdom and

devotion, and his services are much needed in the Cause. He has

advised him to assist you in your teaching work as soon as his

health permits this exertion.
|P7

He also hopes dear Dr. Lotfullah Hakim will be of valuable

assistance in your teaching work.
|P8

He has recently asked Mr. Varqa, his representative, to transfer

to your Assembly five hundred pounds to assist you in your

manifold activities connected with your Six Year Plan.

Unfortunately it is not possible to send any money out of

Palestine at present, even from Persia it is difficult to transfer

funds, but he trusts this sum will be of assistance to you.

|P9

The Guardian feels that the assemblies of Cardiff, Dublin and

Edinburgh must receive sustained support, as they are the three

most important assemblies formed under the Plan, and must be

built into strong and flourishing communities, free from any

danger of relapse.
|P10

He is very happy about the general progress of the work in the

British Isles, and the remarkable, sustained, and self-sacrificing

work the believers are doing, guided and assisted by the devoted

efforts of your Assembly.
|P11

You may be sure you are all remembered in his prayers in the

Holy Shrines, and he eagerly awaits news of fresh victories in the

teaching field.
|P12
[From the Guardian:]
Dearly-beloved friends and co-workers,
|P13

The opening of the Final Phase of the First Collective Enterprise

undertaken in the history of the British Bahá'í community marks the

closing of a stage of tremendous historic significance in the evolution

[\P220]

of that community and, indeed, in the spiritual history of the British

Isles. Well nigh fifty years after the inception of that community,

almost a quarter of a century after the birth of the Administrative

Order, and on the morrow of the world-wide celebrations of the

centenary of the Faith, a Plan, ambitious in its scope and endowed

with vast potentialities, was nobly and spontaneously conceived by the

small band of its devoted adherents in those islands. An effort,

extending over a period of no less than four years, nation-wide in its

range, sustained, systematic, prodigious has been exerted. A victory

unparalleled in British Bahá'í annals has been achieved. Towards its

consummation newly won recruits to the ranks of this growing

community, representative of the English, the Scottish, the Irish and

Welsh races have notably contributed. The seeds sown, with such

lavish hands by the Founder of that community in the course of two

successive visits to the United Kingdom, have at last germinated. The

machinery of the Administrative Order, slowly and laboriously taking

shape, on the morrow of His ascension, has, as destined by Him who

delineated its features in His Will and Testament, been put to the

service of this newly conceived Plan, and is now yielding its first fruits.

Born at the turn of the last century, its nucleus formed in the heart and

nerve centre of a far-flung Empire, gestating for over a decade whilst

confined to the narrow limits of the English territory whence it first

sprang, energised, after having lain dormant for no less than ten years,

through the twice repeated journeys of the Centre of Bahá'u'lláh's

Covenant to both the English and Scottish capitals, shaped and trained

through the processes of a divinely conceived, slowly evolving

Administrative Order, propelled along the broad highroad of its destiny

in direct consequence of the initial operation of the First Plan set in

operation for its further unfoldment, emerging as a truly representative

and firmly-knit community, at the conclusion of the Initial Phase of

that Plan through the spread of its ramifications among the peoples

of Scotland, Wales and Ireland, the organised band of the followers

of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh throughout the British Isles, within sight

of the conclusion of the Final Phase of the Six Year Plan, stands on

the threshold of a door which when opened will disclose to the eyes of

its members a vista of vast dimensions, of majestic beauty, of infinite

promise.
|P14

Theirs is the unrivalled opportunity, should they bestir themselves,

to carry forward to a triumphant conclusion this first corporate effort

to which they have consecrated themselves and their nascent

[\P221]

institutions, to embark, in the course of subsequent Plans, on

enterprises destined to safeguard and consolidate, in all parts of the

motherland, the achievements so hardly won, to proclaim, unequivocally,

systematically and effectively, to the masses throughout the

length and breadth of the British Isles the verities enshrined in their

Faith, to initiate the establishment of a befitting National

Haziratu'l-Quds in either the capital of the United Kingdom or further

north in the very heart of the British Isles, to inaugurate national and local

endowments, to incorporate the newly constituted assemblies, to

undertake the preliminary measures for the erection of the first

Mashriqu'l-Adhkar in the British Empire, and to launch crusades

designed to implant the banner of the Faith and lay the structural basis

of its Administrative Order throughout the diversified, the numerous

and widely scattered colonies of the British Crown.

|P15

Not theirs, however, while the present tasks remain as yet

unaccomplished, to dwell upon, or even visualise, however dimly, the

course which the progress of their subsequent labours must assume in

a world whose stability is so lamentably shaken, and whose immediate

future is so dark. Theirs is the duty to derive from this fleeting glimpse

of the glories which their future destiny holds in store for them fresh

inspiration and added stimulus for a befitting performance of the work

that lies immediately ahead.
|P16

Two brief years separate them from the hour destined to witness the

total triumph of their first organised, nation-wide collective enterprise.

Every minute of this interval is infinitely precious. The gloom

overhanging the entire planet is deepening ominously every day. The

American followers of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, through the ever-swelling

army of their pioneers and settlers, on the northern, the

western and southern fringes of the European Continent, as well as

the newly resuscitated German and Austrian Bahá'í communities

labouring in its very heart, have nobly arisen, and are doing their part

in paving the way for the spiritual awakening and the ultimate

redemption of the teeming millions of its war-torn, discordant, fear-stricken

and spiritually famished inhabitants.
|P17

They who man the North-Western outpost of the Faith in Europe

must, whilst pursuing their chartered course, play a distinctive part in

this threefold crusade launched, almost simultaneously, from three

directions, in conformity with specifically laid out plans, at so critical

an hour, in so vast a field, amidst such diversified and conflicting races

and nations of what may well be regarded as the cradle of a civilisation,

[\P222]

and the mother of a Faith, whose fate now hangs so perilously in the

balance.
|P18

That the valiant community of the British followers of the Faith of

Bahá'u'lláh may assume an ever-increasing share in this gloriously

unfolding, this herculean, this Divinely propelled enterprise is the

dearest wish of my heart and the object of my constant prayers.

|P19
Shoghi
|N88|P0
25 November 1948
|P1

ASSURE ADA WILLIAMS+ ... DEEPEST LOVING APPRECIATION

DELIGHTED ENROLMENT NEW BELIEVERS PRAYING REMOVAL
DIFFICULTIES NOTTINGHAM DEEPEST LOVE.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
|N89|P0
22 December 1948
|P1

ASSURE HOFMANS BOB CHEEK LOVING ARDENT PRAYERS SUCCESS

MERITORIOUS EFFORTS SUPPLICATING SATISFACTORY SOLUTION

SECRETARIAT PROBLEM DEEPEST LOVING APPRECIATION ASSEMBLY'S

NOBLE EXERTIONS.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
|N90|P0
2 January 1949
|P1

APPEAL BRITISH Bahá'í COMMUNITY FOCUS ATTENTION CRITICAL

STAGE PIONEER ACTIVITY SO ESSENTIAL STEADY UNFOLDMENT PLAN

ATTAINMENT GOALS. PLEAD PARTICULARLY NUMERICALLY LARGER

COMMUNITIES ARISE PLAY DECISIVE ROLE VITAL URGENT TASK

SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE NUMBER ACTIVE PIONEERS DEDICATED

MERITORIOUS LABOUR AIMED SAFEGUARDING MULTIPLICATION

PRIZES WON SO LABORIOUSLY OVER SO SHORT PERIOD DESPITE

FORMIDABLE OBSTACLES BY MEMBERS SO VALIANT RESOLUTE HIGH

SPIRITED COMMUNITY URGE APPROACHING CONFERENCE DELIBERATE

VITAL ISSUE ROUSE PIONEER SPIRIT INDISPENSABLE SUCCESS

[\P223]

PLAN INVOKING ALMIGHTY'S BLESSINGS ANXIOUSLY AWAITING

BEFITTING RESPONSE.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
|N91|P0
12 January 1949
|P1

DELIGHTED IMMEDIATE ACTION INITIAL RESPONSE PIONEERS

ARDENTLY PRAYING TEACHING CONFERENCE MAY LEND POWERFUL

DECISIVE IMPETUS PARAMOUNT VITAL URGENT PIONEER UNDERTAKING

CONSTITUTING SUPREME CHALLENGE CONFRONTING STEADILY

CONSOLIDATING IRRESISTIBLY ADVANCING BRITISH BAHA'I

COMMUNITY.
|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
|N92|P0
19 January 1949
|P1

APPEAL ALL MEMBERS COMMUNITY RESOLUTELY ARISE ATTAIN

GREATER HEIGHTS HEROISM THROUGH DEMONSTRATION FURTHER

MEASURE SELF-SACRIFICE IN SUPPORT PIONEER FUND URGE NEWLY

ENROLLED BELIEVERS PARTICULARLY AS SIGN GRATITUDE INESTIMABLE

BENEFITS NEWLY CONFERRED Bahá'í MEMBERSHIP AND

EVIDENCE SOLIDARITY RAPIDLY EXPANDING COMMUNITY EXTEND

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FULLEST MEASURE POSSIBLE PIONEER

ACTIVITIES ON WHICH HINGE FORTUNES PLAN SUPPLICATING

DIVINE OUTPOURINGS MUCH NEEDED MERITORIOUS ENDEAVOURS.

|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
|N93|P0
20 February 1949+F1

{This was in reply to a cable from the N.S.A. which ended "ASSEMBLY

READY CONTINUE PLAN INTENSIVE TEACHING OTHER COMMUNITIES DESIGNED

RELEASE KNOWN WILLING PIONEERS. INVOLVES DRASTIC REDUCTION ADMINISTRATIVE

WORK FREE CAPABLE TEACHERS. SUSPEND UNTIL CONVENTION A.D.C., YOUTH,

PUBLISHING TRUST, REDUCE SUMMER SCHOOL, TOWNSHEND COMMITTEES, DELAY

NUMERICAL INCREASE VIRGIN TERRITORIES NEW ASSEMBLIES. READY OPERATE

DESPERATE MEASURES IMMEDIATELY RECEIPT YOUR APPROVAL. BEGS PRAYERS

GUIDANCE."}
|P1

APPROVE DRASTIC MEASURES PRAYING ARDENTLY SUCCESS.

|P2
SHOGHI RABBANI
[\P224]
|N94|P0
1 April 1949+F1

{Louise Charlot, Constance Langdon-Davies+, and Cyril Jenkerson were

pioneering to Oxford.}
|P1

ASSURE NEWLY DECLARED BELIEVERS WELCOME PRAYERS. CONVEY

NEW PIONEERS DEEPEST LOVING ADMIRATION PRAYING RICHEST

BLESSINGS ASSEMBLY'S STRENUOUS ENDEAVOURS. APPEAL FURTHER

SACRIFICE CONTINUED RESPONSE CALL PIONEERS... DEEPEST LOVE.

Your letters to our beloved Guardian, with their various

enclosures, and dated October 4, 20; November 2, 7, 17, 18, 27;

December 19, 22, 25, 28; of 1948, and January 4, 19; February

3, 17; and March 1, 1949, have been received, and he has

instructed me to answer you on his behalf....
|P3

Please assure Mr. Walter Wilkins that the Guardian was aware

of his pioneer labours through various reports forwarded to

him, and that he deeply appreciates them and is praying for his

success.
|P4

He considers that Final Phase day must be April 21st, and not

in July.
|P5

He feels that, although precedence must be given to the new

goal assemblies, this does not mean the older assemblies like

Bournemouth can afford to be neglected. They must be

maintained, but the first call on pioneers must be from the

critical goal assemblies who--at least theoretically--need help

more urgently! He has just cabled you about this.

|P6

He sees no objection to your printing excerpts from his

"Dispensation" and "God Passes By" in your compilation on the

Covenant. Although he strongly feels that the Master's writings,

the revealed Word of Bahá'u'lláh and The Báb, and his own

writings should, out of respect for the difference in their relative

stations, be published whenever possible in separate volumes,

[\P225]

this must not be fanatically adhered to where an educative

compilation on a certain subject is conceived.
|P7

A vacancy can be recognised, under the circumstances you

outlined in your letter of December 22, 1948, and a new

assembly member be elected. But of course this in no way

implies the retiring member of the Assembly is not a full voting

believer, and a member of the community in good standing.

|P8

He deeply sympathises with the struggles of the British Bahá'ís

at present to perform their task, now reaching the crucial stage,

in spite of financial difficulties and shortage of pioneers. It would

seem as if all our tasks, all over the world, including here at the

World Centre, are becoming increasingly more of a challenge to

us. As the time approaches for the ending of the various Plans,

Six Year ones, Seven Year, Five Year, etc., the obstacles seem to

become greater, and the friends are made to realise that very real,

hard, often back-breaking effort and sacrifice is involved! The

The American Bahá'ís here-to-fore so relatively easily

victorious(!), are now feeling a very real squeeze on their

resources and determination. The same is true of India, Persia,

and the other countries with goals to accomplish within a fixed

and rapidly diminishing period! He himself, having undertaken

at such a disturbed time to raise at least the first story or arcade

of the new part of The Báb's Shrine, finds himself beset with

worries, problems and complications which have not only

doubled his work, but exhaust and harass him all the time. So at

least, let the British friends know that when they struggle and

feel hard beset, they are not struggling and worrying alone! Far

from it!!
|P9

We must expect these things: It is becoming evident that the

world is not yet through with its labour, the New Age not yet

fully born, real Peace not yet right around the corner. We must

have no illusions about how much depends on us and our success

or failure. All humanity is disturbed and suffering and confused;

we cannot expect to not be disturbed and not to suffer--but we

don't have to be confused. On the contrary, confidence and

assurance, hope and optimism are our prerogative. The successful

carrying out of our various Plans is the greatest sign we can give

of our faith and inner assurance, and the best way we can help

our fellow-men out of their confusion and difficulties.

|P10

He assures you he feels that the British Bahá'ís have got what

[\P226]

it takes (to be a trifle slangy) to be successful and accomplish their

goals. Let them therefore demonstrate it to the rest of the Baha'i

World....
|P11

P.S.--Your letter of April 4th has just been received. The

Guardian is too busy to undertake at present the revision of

Bahá'u'lláh's Tablet to the Christians, but he has no objection to

a committee doing it.
|P12
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers:
|P13

The British Bahá'í community, now embarked on the final phase

of the first historic collective enterprise undertaken in British Baha'i

history, stands at the parting of the ways. Only a brief interval

separates it from the fateful date when its first experiment in a collective

nation-wide effort to achieve a definite goal in the path of service to its

beloved Faith will have ended. Five years of stupendous effort, of

magnificent self-sacrifice, of marvellous dedication and of splendid

cooperation have marked the progressive evolution of the Plan to its

present stage. What has been achieved during this short span of years,

despite the smallness of numbers, the paucity of resources and the

exhaustion resulting from a prolonged and severely devastating

conflict, has, beyond the shadow of a doubt, eclipsed the brightest

achievements recorded in the course of more than half a century in the

annals of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh in that country.

|P14

The Bahá'í world, in its entirety, is struck with amazement at the

quality of the work performed, at the extent and number of the

victories achieved by this community. Its sister-community in the

great Republic of the West, already laden with many and splendid

trophies gathered in distant fields and over a long period of time cannot

regard this resurgence of the Bahá'í spirit, this manifestation of Baha'i

solidarity, these ennobling evidences of Bahá'í achievement, amidst so

conservative a people, within so short a time, under such trying

circumstances, and by so small a band of workers, except with feelings

compounded of envy, of admiration and respect. Its sister-communities

throughout the East, venerable by reason of their age, and the sacrifices

they have made, and fully aware of the long period of incubation this

community has undergone, recall, with feelings of delight, `Abdu'l-Bahá's

prediction, forecasting the germination, at their appointed time,

of the potent seeds His loving hands have sown in the course of His

twice-repeated visit to that Island, and marvel at the rapidity with

which its soil is now manifesting the potentialities with which it has

[\P227]

been endowed. He Who blessed it with His footsteps, Who called into

being, and fostered the growth of, the community labouring in that

Island, hails, from His station on high, the exploits which immortalise

the small band of His present-day consecrated and resolute followers,

who are carrying on the torch which He Himself had entrusted to their

immediate predecessors. Bahá'u'lláh Himself lauds the conspicuous

victories being won in His Name, in the dawning years of the Second

Bahá'í Century, at the very heart and centre of the greatest Empire the

world has ever seen, whose Sovereign Monarch He Himself had

addressed and whose deeds He, with His Own pen, had commended.

|P15

The one remaining year, ere the present Plan of this blessed, this

radiant and spiritually potent community, is scheduled to draw to a

close, cannot, must not, be allowed to jeopardise the prizes so

painstakingly won during five memorable years of British Baha'i

history. The newly-enrolled believers, on whom the mantle of the first

generation of `Abdu'l-Bahá'í British disciples has now fallen, and are

now summoned to participate in a Plan, whose scope and potency their

predecessors could have never visualised and whose initial success must

thrill and rejoice their souls in the Abhá Kingdom, have a distinct, a

sacred, a peculiar and urgent responsibility to discharge in ensuring the

consummation of this mighty enterprise. Through active and constant

participation with their veteran co-workers, in filling swiftly the still

remaining gaps in the pattern of the Plan, now in its concluding stage;

in displaying systematic and sustained activity in the pioneer field

now stretching before them; in sacrificing, in as great a measure as

possible, their resources, to facilitate the attainment of all its goals, they

can best discharge their immense debt of gratitude to the Cause of the

Most Great Name, Who has singled them out, at so critical an hour,

and from among such a vast multitude of their slumbering countrymen,

to serve and glorify His Faith.
|P16

I entreat them, and plead as well with their older brethren who have

set so momentous a Plan in motion, to arise as one soul, to exert one

more superhuman effort, to fix steadily their gaze on the pinnacle they

are visibly approaching and to disencumber themselves of any burden

impeding their arduous climb, in a last and determined attempt to scale

and conquer the summit, from which alone they can catch a glimpse of

the future glory of their destiny.
|P17
Shoghi
[\P228]
|N96|P0
15 April 1949
|P1

Bahá'í Public Relations, Mr. Richard Backwell, sec.

|P2
Dear Bahá'í Brother:
|P3

Our Guardian thanks you very kindly for the excellent piece

of publicity you forwarded to him with your letter of March 31.

It should bring the Cause to the attention of many, and is sober,

and very encouraging, in tone.
|P4

He hopes your committee will have many more triumphs

along this line!...
|P5

P.S. Please convey to Mr. George Marshall+ a cordial welcome

into the service of our beloved Faith from our Guardian.

|P6
[From the Guardian:]

Assuring you of my loving prayers for the success of your constant

and meritorious efforts in the service of our beloved Faith, and for the

realisation of your heart's desire in its service,

BE NOT DISTRESSED REDOUBLE EXERTIONS PERSEVERANCE WILL

ENABLE PROSECUTORS PLAN ATTAIN GOAL ARRANGING CONTRIBUTION

TERMINATION PLAN APRIL ASSEMBLIES MAY BE FORMED

DURING YEAR ARDENTLY PRAYING REALISATION DEAREST HOPES.

|P2
SHOGHI
|N99|P0
27 April 1949
|P1

ACCLAIM HISTORIC OCCASION PARTICIPATION DOUBLE NUMBER

DELEGATES BRITISH Bahá'í CONVENTION TESTIFYING RAPID UNPRECEDENTED

[\P229]
HIGHLY PROMISING EXPANSION DEARLY BELOVED

COMMUNITY FOLLOWERS FAITH Bahá'u'lláh BRITISH ISLES

THOUGH IMMEDIATE GOALS UNATTAINED AMOUNT WORK

ACHIEVED STANDARD EFFORT EXERTED RANGE TASK PERFORMED

QUALITY SPIRIT DEMONSTRATED SINCE INCEPTION PLAN HAVE

CONTRIBUTED RAISING STATURE ENTIRE COMMUNITY ENHANCING

ITS PRESTIGE PROCLAIMING ITS FAME DEMONSTRATING ITS VIRILITY

ESTABLISHING BEYOND SHADOW DOUBT ITS RIGHT OCCUPY FRONT

RANK ONWARD MARCHING ARMY FAITH Bahá'u'lláh APPEAL

ASSEMBLED DELEGATES AROUSE ENTIRE COMMUNITY EXERT REMAINING

TWELVE MONTHS EFFORT SURPASSING NOBLEST ENDEAVOURS

AS YET MADE SERVICE PLAN VICTORY WITHIN SIGHT

INTERVENING PERIOD RAPIDLY SHRINKING RESPONSIBILITY EVERY

SINGLE MEMBER COMMUNITY GROWING GRAVER HOURLY MY

PRAYERS LONGING TOTAL SUCCESS LIKEWISE INCREASING INTENSITY

Bahá'u'lláh'S SUSTAINING UNFAILING GRACE MORE EFFICACIOUS

READIER BLESS LAST ATTEMPTS MADE SAVE FORTUNES PLAN SO

INEXTRICABLY INTERWOVEN DESTINY BRITISH BAHA'I
COMMUNITY.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N100|P0
8 July 1949
|P1

HIGHLY APPROVE ASSEMBLY'S PROGRAMME ACTION DELIGHTED

ENERGETIC HOPEFUL MEASURES AS CONCLUDING YEAR FINAL PHASE

SIX YEAR PLAN RAPIDLY EBBS AWAY ATTENTION ALL MEMBERS

BRITISH Bahá'í COMMUNITY ALREADY FULLY AROUSED ACTION

HIGHLY CONSCIOUS GLORIOUS OPPORTUNITY UNFLINCHINGLY

DETERMINED ATTAIN GOAL SHOULD BE UNWAVERINGLY FOCUSSED

ENERGIES MUSTERED ALL AVAILABLE RESOURCES MOBILISED ONE

LAST FORWARD CHARGE ENABLING THEM ERE FINAL HOUR STRIKES

SEIZE LAURELS VICTORY HANGING WITHIN THEIR REACH CONCERTED

EFFORT SUSTAINED CONSECRATED NATION WIDE SCOPE

TRANSCENDING INTENSITY MIGHTY EFFORTS ALREADY EXERTED

PAST FIVE YEARS BY COMMUNITY WILL UNFAILINGLY ENSURE

WORTHY CONSUMMATION INITIAL MEMORABLE STAGE FIRST

HISTORIC CRUSADE LAUNCHED BY Bahá'u'lláh'S SPIRITUAL

BATTALIONS LENGTH BREADTH BRITISH ISLES PLEAD AFRESH

DIRECTING PARTICULAR APPEAL FEW REMAINING INACTIVE PARTICIPANTS

WHO THROUGH INEXPERIENCE TIMIDITY OR OVER-BURDENING

[\P230]
CIRCUMSTANCES STILL HESITATE FLING THEMSELVES

ARENA WHEREIN STRUGGLING COMMUNITY BEING CALLED UPON

THIS FATEFUL HOUR DISPLAY BEFORE EYES Bahá'í WORLD ITS

PROWESS DEMONSTRATE THE INTRINSIC WORTH ITS STEWARDSHIP

FAITH Bahá'u'lláh IMPELLED IN RECOGNITION BRILLIANT RECORD

PAST SERVICES AND TOKEN CONFIDENCE INSPIRED LATEST EXPLOITS

FIELD SERVICE PLEDGE THOUSAND POUNDS FURTHERANCE SACRED

TASK NOW MOST ACUTE PHASE STEADILY APPROACHING CULMINATION

INTENSE PRAYERS ASCENDING FROM LONGING HEART
THRONE LORD HOSTS SUPPLICATING VICTORY WHICH WILL

BEFITTINGLY CROWN STRENUOUS EXERTIONS WHOLLY UNPARALLELED

ANNALS FAITH Bahá'u'lláh BRITISH ISLES.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N101|P0
9 July 1949
|P1

CENTENARY MARTYRDOM SHOULD HAVE NO PUBLIC COMMEMORATION

NON-Bahá'ís MAY PARTICIPATE PUBLICITY PRESS
PERMISSIBLE.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N102|P0
19 July 1949
|P1

ADVISE SHOW UTMOST CONSIDERATION TUDOR-POLE INVITE HIM

SUMMER SCHOOL PARTICIPATION OTHER ACTIVITIES.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N103|P0
24 July 1949
|P1

DELIGHTED NEWS OXFORD ASSURE JENKERSON FAMILY LOVING

Your letters dated April 8, 22, 27; May 13, 17, 24; June 7, 10,

[\P231]

23 (two of this date), 25, 28; July 19, 22, and 30: and August

10th, together with various enclosures, have been received by

our beloved Guardian, and he has instructed me to answer them

on his behalf.
|P3

He has already informed you by cable of his views regarding....

He realises that, of course, it is very difficult for him to

renounce his plan of educating his son ... in England, and the

Guardian hopes that the boy can find a way, either through

doing agricultural work or gaining a scholarship, or through the

help his father might himself obtain from Persia for him, to go

on with his studies. But it is obviously out of the question for

your Assembly to shoulder this financial burden.
|P4

He already cabled you about the appropriate manner for

commemorating the Centenary of The Báb's martyrdom, so I

will not go into the subject again here.
|P5

The fine spirit of co-operation shown by ... pleased him

immensely. He has since received from her a letter full of joy and

devotion to the Cause, which pleased him greatly....

|P6

Now that the Cause is spreading so rapidly throughout the

world, the National Assemblies must be vigilant, and do all they

can to protect and assert its independent status, and to give

assistance to isolated or repressed Assemblies, when they are

turned to for help or advice.
|P7

He has recently received enthusiastic letters from Mrs.

Preston+ in Kenya and informed her that when she needs advice

or assistance she should turn to your Assembly, while, of course,

keeping in close contact with him as well.
|P8

He realises that your Assembly, and all the British Bahá'ís, are

facing the most difficult and critical months of your Plan. The

friends must be made to realise that the urgency of the task

during these few months which lie ahead, is not only acute but

temporary. Once they make this final effort, and clamber to the

top of their goal, they can rest. The opportunity for achievement

is absolutely unique, for this is their first Plan, and consequently

the most historic one of the many they will, no doubt, carry out

in future decades. To fail, so near to victory, would indeed be

sad, and he cannot but suppose, would be a severe blow to that

stubborn British pride which is so famous for its tenacity of

purpose! However he himself is not thinking in terms of their

failure, but rather believes they can, by one last determined

[\P232]

drive, be successful, even if they feel some exhaustion at the end

of their race against time. They must, likewise, at this crucial

hour, remember that failure or success are never confined to the

immediate community concerned, but have wide repercussions.

Their success will not only greatly enhance their prestige in the

Bahá'í World, but will inspire the often flagging efforts of the

believers in the East, who have so many obstacles to overcome,

and are by nature and experience more prone to become

disheartened in the execution of fixed tasks.
|P9

It was the success of America's first Seven Year Plan which so

stimulated the British community that it, in its turn, was

determined to have a Plan and a victory of its own. Now it

really cannot lose; it has gone too far, laboured too brilliantly,

shown too much courage and high sacrifice, to let, at the last

minute, the prize fall from its grasp!
|P10

His prayers and thoughts are with you all, constantly, and

with all the believers, toiling so devotedly all over the British

Isles....
|P11
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P12

As the Plan, to which the entire British community has pledged its

support, approaches its end, my heart turns with increasing longing

and expectation, towards those who so spontaneously initiated it, so

enthusiastically set it in motion, so valiantly overthrew the barriers

that confronted them in the initial stage of its unfoldment, who so

unitedly consecrated their efforts to its subsequent development, and

who are now within sight of its final consummation. I cannot believe

that a community which, motivated by so noble an impulse, capable of

such prodigious efforts, dedicated so whole-heartedly to so gigantic a

task, blessed by so many evidences of Divine assistance and guidance,

enriched by the first fruits garnered in the course of the execution of a

splendidly conceived enterprise, will allow, at the very moment when

final victory is, at long last, within sight, through a momentary

relaxation of effort, the magnificent prize of total success, to slip from

its grasp, and the fortunes of such a potentially powerful undertaking

to be marred by any feelings of impotence or exhaustion which might

well, at the eleventh hour, assail those who have for so long and in such

a great measure, expended their energies for the prosecution of so

weighty and far-reaching a Plan.
[\P233]
|P13

The required number of pioneers who must arise, while there is yet

time, and stop the dangerous breaches which a fate-laden Plan, now in

the last stages of its development, reveals to the eyes of its prosecutors

must, however costly the sacrifice, be instantly found, and rushed

without delay to the scene of action. The funds, which must enable

these last minute pioneers to adjust their affairs and settle down

wherever most needed, must, under no circumstances, and particularly

on the part of the well-to-do, be withheld, as the present critical

situation moves towards its climax.
|P14

Great and overpowering as these sacrifices may now appear, they

will, when viewed in their proper perspective, be adjudged as

inconsiderable, and pale into insignificance when balanced against the

inestimable advantages which must accrue to a community that has

achieved total and complete victory for a Plan so epoch-making in

character, and so charged with undreamt of potentialities. The sacrifices

which this fateful hour calls for, are by their very nature, individual;

the loss or inconvenience they entail are at most transitory in their

effect, and might well be fully compensated for in the days ahead,

whereas the blessings that must irresistibly flow out, as the result of the

integral success of a nation-wide, historically unprecedented Plan, will

enrich and ennoble the life of an entire community, exert an abiding

influence on its fortunes, and empower it to launch still mightier

crusades in the course of subsequent stages in its organic spiritual

development. How bountiful, moreover, will be the rewards which He

who watches from on high the varying fortunes of the Plan and

presides over its destinies, must either in this world or in the next--

and it may well be in both--choose to confer upon those, who, at the

hour of the Plan's greatest need, will fly to its succour, exhibit the

rarest evidences of courage and heroism, and choose to subordinate

their personal interests to the immediate needs and future glory of the

community to which they belong.
|P15

The interval during which a decision so momentous, so rich in

promise, must be taken is steadily and inexorably shrinking. The

golden opportunity which such a decision offers will never again recur.

The issues hinging on such a decision can neither be over-estimated

nor visualised while the fate of the First Plan embarked upon by the

British Bahá'í community still hangs in the balance. The invisible

hosts of the Kingdom are ready and eager to rush forth to the assistance

of such as will have the courage to weigh the issues involved and to

take the decision commensurate with these issues. To such as take it,

[\P234]

while there is yet time, the present generation as well as those who will

succeed it will be eternally grateful, for theirs will have been the

privilege of sealing on the one hand, the fate of the First Historic Plan

in British Bahá'í annals, and on the other of paving the way for the

initiation of the successive enterprises that must follow in its wake.

|P16

To reach such a decision, to face willingly and cheerfully its

consequences, will, above all, earn the good-pleasure and commendation

of the One Who, well nigh a hundred years ago, so gloriously made

the supreme sacrifice of laying down His life that the Cause for which

the present prosecutors of the Plan have so wholly dedicated themselves

might live, prosper and bear, in the fullness of time, its fairest fruit in

both the East and the West.
|P17

Dear friends! As the tale of the woes and trials He endured is called

to mind, during the months preceding the centenary of His martyrdom,

and destined to witness the conclusion of the Six Year Plan sponsored

by the British Bahá'í community, a resolution, born of the love and

admiration which the memory of His heroic life and tragic death must

evoke in every Bahá'í heart, should seize, and galvanise into action,

the little band of His lovers and followers, who, of their own accord,

and at the dawn of the second Bahá'í century, have risen to launch the

first collective enterprise in British Bahá'í history, and chosen to

associate its consummation with the centenary of the death of the

martyr Prophet and co-founder of their Faith. The centenary of the

inception of His Mission has witnessed the initiation of so

praiseworthy, so vast and potent an enterprise, extending its

ramifications over the entire territory of the British Isles. The

observances, commemorating the hundredth anniversary of the last act

of His life, must, as pledged by its initiators, synchronise with the

successful termination and glorious triumph of that same enterprise

throughout the length and breadth of that same territory.

|P18
Your true brother,
Shoghi
|N105|P0
29 September 1949
|P1

DEARLY BELOVED DISTINGUISHED CO-WORKER AMELIA COLLINS

ARRIVING LONDON EN ROUTE POLAND SHOW GREAT CONSIDERATION

PRAYING UTMOST BENEFIT VISIT.
|P2
SHOGHI
[\P235]
|N106|P0
29 September 1949
|P1

OVERJOYED SUCCESS SUMMER SCHOOL ASSURE NEWLY ENROLLED

NEWCASTLE LIVERPOOL LOVING WELCOME PRAYERS SURROUNDING

ENTIRE COMMUNITY ACCELERATION MOMENTUM CARRYING IT

Your letter of October 9 was received, and our beloved

Guardian has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.

|P3

He was very glad to hear the School was such a success this

year, and that--a very important factor--it placed no extra

burden on the National Fund at this critical juncture.

|P4

Next year your School will be held after the end of your Plan,

he hopes the victorious end! It would be suitable to hold some

kind of review of how the goals were won and to remember the

many sacrifices that have been made, for they have been very

real and taxed to the uttermost the strength of the servants of

Bahá'u'lláh in the British Isles.
|P5

Also he feels it would be good to have some course on the

Covenant, the force that binds and strengthens the Baha'i

community and holds it together, when so many man-made

institutions are disintegrating and going on the rocks of discord

and lack of faith.
|P6

Likewise, discussion of the future needs of the community

should be held. By next Summer you will know better what

these are, and can formulate your points to be taken up and

considered.
|P7

He will pray that a suitable place may be found for the friends

to gather.
|P8

Every year your school is more representative and successful

than the year before, and he feels sure this will continue to be so

until that happy day comes when Summer School develops at

last into a seat of Bahá'í learning....
|P9
[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty bless your meritorious efforts, guide and sustain

you in your activities, enable you to extend continually their range,

[\P236]

and contribute to the consolidation of the newly-born institutions of

the Faith.
|P10
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
|N108|P0
25 November 1949
|P1

DELIGHTED VICTORY OXFORD ASSURE PIONEERS DEEPEST APPRECIATION

The Guardian approves of the policy your committee is

pursuing, as outlined in your letter to him of October 27th, of

devoting all the energies of the British Youth, active in the

Cause, to assisting in the achievement of the goals of the Plan.

|P3

He was very happy to hear your part of the programme at

Summer School was more successful than ever before, and that

the Bulletin is being maintained and at the same time costing

less.
|P4

Your determination, and the work you are doing, are

admirable, and he is very pleased with you all....

|P5
[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty bless continually your high endeavours, aid you

to extend the range of your meritorious labours, and win great and

memorable victories in this vital sphere of Bahá'í activity in that

KINDLY MAIL FIFTY COPIES "GLAD TIDINGS Bahá'u'lláh" WISDOM

EAST SERIES. PRAYING FERVENTLY SUCCESS FORTHCOMING

CONFERENCE.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N112|P0
23 December 1949
|P1
APPROVE SUBSTITUTION+F1

{Substitution of Stockport for St. Ives as goal of Plan.}

.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N113|P0
27 December 1949
|P1

DELIVER SIXTY POUNDS HAINSWORTH FROM NATIONAL FUND FOR

PUBLICATION SWAHILI CHINYANZA LANGUAGES.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N114|P0
29 December 1949 (Teaching Conference)
|P1

FEEL MOVED ADDRESS THIS ELEVENTH HOUR MY LAST FERVENT

APPEAL ASSEMBLED REPRESENTATIVES BRITISH COMMUNITY SEIZE

OPPORTUNITY TEACHING CONFERENCE AROUSE ENTIRE BODY

FOLLOWERS FAITH Bahá'u'lláh BRITISH ISLES SAVE FORTUNES PLAN

NOW HANGING BALANCE ENTREAT ONCE AGAIN ALL BELIEVERS

ENGLAND WALES SCOTLAND IRELAND WHETHER YOUNG OLD MEN

WOMEN NATIVE-BORN VISITORS OVERSEAS NEWLY-ENROLLED

VETERANS BRACE THEMSELVES AS HOUR CENTENARY Báb'S NOBLEST

ACT SACRIFICE APPROACHES ONE LAST SUPREME SACRIFICIAL

SUSTAINED EFFORT DESIGNED ENSURE TOTAL VICTORY NOW WITHIN

REACH CONSTITUTING BEFITTING CULMINATION FINAL PHASE SIX

YEARS HEROIC ENDEAVOUR AND WORTHY TRIBUTE COLLECTIVELY

PAID BY BRITISH UPHOLDERS CAUSE Bahá'u'lláh IMMORTAL

MEMORY DEARLY BELOVED MARTYR PROPHET THEIR FAITH
ARRANGING TRANSMISSION 500 FURTHER CONTRIBUTION
[\P238]

CONSUMMATION ENTERPRISE UNPRECEDENTED IN SCOPE SPIRITUAL

POTENTIALITIES HALF CENTURY BRITISH Bahá'í HISTORY.

|P2
SHOGHI
|N115|P0
4 January 1950
|P1

GREATLY HEARTENED NEWS CONFERENCE PRAYERS CONTINUALLY

ASCENDING THRONE Bahá'u'lláh TOTAL SUCCESS PLAN.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N116|P0
19 January 1950
|P1

GREATLY HEARTENED ASSURE PIONEERS FERVENT LOVING PRAYERS

ACCOMPANYING THEM. PARVINE HEARTFELT SYMPATHY LOVING

PRAYERS CONTINUALLY OFFERED HER BEHALF.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N117|P0
31 January 1950+F1

{Refers to a suggested new procedure for the recognition of Local

Assemblies.}
|P1

ADVISE DISREGARD PROCEDURE SUGGESTED LETTER JANUARY

TWENTIETH....
|P2
SHOGHI
|N118|P0
25 February 1950
|P1

ASSURE PIONEERS HEARTFELT APPRECIATION CONVEY CONGRATULATIONS

STOCKPORT NEWCASTLE PRAYING SOLUTION DIFFICULTIES

CENTRE LONDON ENTREAT ENTIRE COMMUNITY SEIZE FIRMLY PRIZE

FINGERTIPS CROWN EVERLASTING GLORY MIGHTIEST TASK UNDERTAKEN

BRITISH FOLLOWERS Bahá'u'lláh.
|P2
SHOGHI
[\P239]
|N119|P0
20 March 1950--National Teaching Committee
|P1

PRAYING FERVENTLY SUCCESS FORTHCOMING WEEKEND SCHOOL.

DEEPLY APPRECIATE UNCEASING EFFORTS. RENEW THROUGH YOU

IMPASSIONED PLEA ENTIRE COMMUNITY EXERT FLEETING FATEFUL

DAYS AHEAD CONCERTED STRENUOUS UNRELAXING EFFORTS ENSURE

NEEDED NUMBER PIONEERS FILL REMAINING GAPS IN NOBLY

CONCEIVED LABORIOUSLY PROSECUTED HISTORICALLY UNIQUE

Your letter of January 12th, written by Mr. Hainsworth, was

received, as well as the material enclosed, and our beloved

Guardian has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.

|P4

He was glad to learn the Manchester Conference was such a

success, and appreciated the very generous offer of Mr. Leach+.

If the believers all over the world were animated by such a spirit,

there would scarcely be any necessity for "Plans".

|P5

These days, as Ridvan approaches, his anxious thoughts are

with not only the British community, but other Baha'i

communities in different parts of the world. He longs to see

them fully achieve their goals; for to do something for God 100

per cent has an attractive power, and brings future Divine

confirmations.
|P6

His ardent prayers are with you all, you may be sure....

|P7
[From the Guardian:]

May the Spirit of Bahá'u'lláh sustain and guide you in your

historic labours, aid you to extend the range of your splendid

achievements, consolidate the victories you have won, and lend a still

greater impetus to the progress and expansion of your unforgettable

accomplishments.
|P8
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
[\P240]
|N121|P0
30 March 1950
|P1

DEEPLY APPRECIATE PARTICIPATION JOHN ROBARTS SPLENDID

ACTION SCOTT+ AND OTHER PIONEERS APPEAL FURTHER SACRIFICE

GREATER HEROISM FIRMER RESOLVE NOBLER CONSECRATION ENSURE

TOTAL SUCCESS PLAN NOW HANGING BALANCE FOR MY PART

UTMOST CAN DO IS STRETCH PERIOD PLAN TO JULY NINTH DATE

COMMEMORATION MARTYRDOM LAST REMAINING CHANCE OFFERED

HARDLY PRESSED YET GLORIOUSLY STRIVING COMMUNITY SHOULD

BE INSTANTLY SEIZED ERE IT IS IRRETRIEVABLY LOST.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N122|P0
4 April 1950
|P1

DELIGHTED NEWS PRAYING ADDED FERVOUR TOTAL SUCCESS

DEEPEST LOVING APPRECIATION.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N123|P0
11 April 1950+F1

{In answer to cable of 10 April from N.S.A. "JOYFULLY TRANSMIT TEACHING

COMMITTEE REPORT ARRANGEMENTS MADE COMPLETE PLAN BY Ridvan EARNESTLY

ENTREAT PRAYERS Bahá'u'lláh SEAL VICTORY."}
|P1

REJOICE EVIDENCES APPROACHING VICTORY PRAYING INCREASING

FERVOUR.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N124|P0
19 April 1950+F2

{In answer to cable of 17 April from National Assembly. "TOTAL VICTORY

ASSURED LOVING GRATITUDE BOUNTIES BELOVED GUARDIAN ASSISTANCE WHOLE

Bahá'í WORLD."}
|P1

OVERJOYED DEEPLY GRATEFUL IMMENSELY PROUD SIGNAL VICTORY

ACHIEVED Bahá'í COMMUNITY BRITISH ISLES SHEDDING LUSTRE

OPENING YEARS SECOND Bahá'í CENTURY AIRMAIL LIST ASSEMBLIES

GROUPS ISOLATED BELIEVERS ALSO MAP BRITISH ISLES SHOWING

SAME.
|P2
SHOGHI
[\P241]
|N125|P0
21 April 1950+F1

{In answer to cable of 19 April from National Assembly. "JOYOUS Ridvan

GREETINGS BELOVED GUARDIAN FROM NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AND TWENTY-FOUR

LOCAL ASSEMBLIES BRITISH ISLES."}
|P1

SHARE JOY RECIPROCATE NOBLE SENTIMENTS HEARTILY CONGRATULATE

NATIONAL ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES TRIUMPHANT

COMMUNITY INDEFATIGABLE NATIONAL TEACHING COMMITTEE

ALL SUBSIDIARY AGENCIES PARTICULARLY SELF-SACRIFICING

PIONEERS WHO SO OUTSTANDINGLY CONTRIBUTED SIGNAL VICTORY

HEART FLOODED JOY STRIKING EVIDENCE BOUNTIFUL GRACE

Bahá'u'lláh ENABLING VALOROUS DEARLY LOVED Bahá'í COMMUNITY

BRITISH ISLES TRIUMPHANTLY CONCLUDE FIRST HISTORIC

PLAN HALF CENTURY BRITISH Bahá'í HISTORY. HERALD AUTHOR

FAITH CENTRE COVENANT CONCOURSE ON HIGH ACCLAIM SUPERB

COLLECTIVE ACHIEVEMENT IMMORTALISING OPENING DECADE

SECOND Bahá'í CENTURY UNPRECEDENTED HISTORY FAITH BRITISH

ISLES UNRIVALLED ANNALS ANY Bahá'í COMMUNITY EUROPEAN

CONTINENT UNPARALLELED PERCENTAGE MEMBERS COMMUNITY

RESPONDING PIONEER CALL THROUGHOUT Bahá'í WORLD SINCE

TERMINATION APOSTOLIC AGE Bahá'í DISPENSATION. HISTORIC

PLEDGE BRITISH Bahá'í COMMUNITY NOBLY REDEEMED. TRIBUTE

MEMORY MARTYR PROPHET FAITH WORTHILY PAID. SPIRITUAL

POTENTIALITIES PROSECUTE SUBSEQUENT STAGE UNFOLDING MISSION

FULLY ACQUIRED. TRIUMPHANT COMMUNITY NOW STANDING

THRESHOLD CATCHING FIRST GLIMPSE STILL DIMLY OUTLINED

FUTURE ENTERPRISES OVERSEAS. HOUR PROPITIOUS GALVANISED

FIRMLY KNIT BODY BELIEVERS BRACE ITSELF EMBARK AFTER ONE

YEAR RESPITE YET ANOTHER HISTORIC UNDERTAKING MARKING

FORMAL INAUGURATION TWO YEAR PLAN CONSTITUTING PRELUDE

INITIATION SYSTEMATIC CAMPAIGN DESIGNED CARRY TORCH FAITH

TERRITORIES DARK CONTINENT WHOSE NORTHERN SOUTHERN

FRINGES WERE SUCCESSIVELY ILLUMINATED COURSE MINISTRIES

Bahá'u'lláh `Abdu'l-Bahá. HOUR STRUCK UNDERTAKE PRELIMINARY

STEPS IMPLANT BANNER FAITH AMIDST AFRICAN TRIBES

MENTIONED TABLET CENTRE COVENANT SIGNALISING ASSOCIATION

VICTORIOUS BRITISH Bahá'í COMMUNITY WITH SISTER COMMUNITIES

UNITED STATES EGYPT DESIGNED LAY STRUCTURAL BASIS

Bahá'í ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER SCALE COMPARABLE FOUNDATION

ALREADY ESTABLISHED NORTH SOUTH AMERICAN EUROPEAN

AUSTRALIAN CONTINENTS. PROJECTED PLAN ITSELF PRELUDE

DOUBLE TASK TO BE UNDERTAKEN COURSE FUTURE PLANS DESTINED

SIMULTANEOUSLY BROADEN BASE OPERATIONS HOME FRONT AND

PROSECUTE SYSTEMATIC CAMPAIGN DEPENDENCIES BRITISH ISLES.

FIRST OBJECTIVE TWO YEAR PLAN CONSOLIDATION NINETEEN

ASSEMBLIES PAINSTAKINGLY ESTABLISHED ENGLAND SCOTLAND

WALES NORTH IRELAND EIRE. SECOND OBJECTIVE FORMATION

NUCLEI THREE DEPENDENCIES BRITISH CROWN EITHER EAST WEST

[\P246]

AFRICA. THIRD OBJECTIVE TRANSLATION PUBLICATION DISSEMINATION

Bahá'í LITERATURE THROUGH PUBLISHING TRUST THREE

AFRICAN LANGUAGES ADDITION THREE ALREADY UNDERTAKEN

COURSE FIRST PLAN. SUCCESSFUL PROSECUTION CONTEMPLATED

PLAN WILL PAVE WAY LARGE SCALE OPERATIONS CALCULATED

LAY FOUNDATION PROMISED KINGDOM EARTH THROUGH ESTABLISHMENT

ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER INFINITELY MORE GLORIOUS

EMPIRE BUILT RULERS BRITISH ISLES THROUGHOUT THAT CONTINENT

AND WILL ENABLE BRITISH Bahá'í COMMUNITY SHARE HONOUR

SISTER COMMUNITY ACROSS ATLANTIC PROSECUTING SUCCESSFULLY

TWO SUCCESSIVE PLANS REGISTERING DOUBLE VICTORY LAYING

TWICE REPEATED SACRIFICE ALTAR FAITH ANTICIPATION

APPROACHING CELEBRATIONS COMMEMORATING CENTENARY BIRTH

Bahá'u'lláh'S PROPHETIC MISSION. CONTRIBUTING ONE THOUSAND

POUNDS FIRST CONTRIBUTION FURTHERANCE NOBLE PURPOSE.

|P2
SHOGHI
|N2|P0
1 May 1950
|P1

GRIEVE PASSING DEAR DISTINGUISHED PROMOTER FAITH+F1

{Mary Basil-Hall, "Parvine".}
HER

SERVICES UNFORGETTABLE PRAYING PROGRESS SOUL Abhá Kingdom.

|P2
SHOGHI
|N3|P0
3 May 1950
|P1

DELIGHTED SUCCESS SESSIONS PRAYING MIGHTY VICTORIES.

At the instruction of our beloved Guardian I am forwarding

you the enclosed material for possible use in connection with the

centenary of The Báb's martyrdom.
[\P247]
|P3

In America they are going to get out a pamphlet with this and

other material, more complete, which the Guardian has asked

them to forward you copies of as soon as printed.
|P4

He regrets the delay in answering your Assembly's letters. My

father has been desperately ill for over 8 weeks and the worry

involved and doctors, nurses etc. has been so distressing to us all

that it has been temporarily impossible to attend to his mail.

However, now he is improving, the Guardian hopes to shortly

be able to get his letters answered....
|N5|P0
15 June 1950
|P1
Dear Bahá'í Brother,
|P2

Your many communications dated August 20, 26; September

30; October 6, 7, 10, 26; November 7, 9, 14, 23, 25; December

8, 18, 22, 23 (two of this date), 24, all of 1949, and January 4, 20,

30; February 2, 22; March 1, 6, 18, 29 (two of this date); April

7, 18, 19 (two of this date), 24, 27; and May 2, 4, 8, 16 (three of

this date) of 1950, have been received as well as their enclosures

and other material, and our beloved Guardian has instructed me

to answer you on his behalf.
|P3

He regrets very much the long delay in not only answering

your Assembly's letters but those of other N.S.A.s' as well. The

past winter, owing to the fact that large excavations had to be

carried out behind the Shrine in order to permit construction to

continue, was a particularly busy gruelling one for him. On top

of this, at the beginning of April, Mr. Maxwell became

dangerously ill and the constant worry and preoccupation of us

all with doctors, nurses, etc., forced the Guardian to put aside his

letters entirely for the time being. Thanks to the mercy of God

Mr. Maxwell is now recovering slowly; but the past months

were very difficult ones for everyone.
|P4

To now take up the various matters referred to in your letters.

|P5

The Guardian does not feel that a quorum of delegates is

necessary in any sense for the convention. Under unusual

circumstances National bodies can be elected by mailed votes of

all the delegates; the primary function of the delegates is to elect

[\P248]

the N.S.A. Suggestions from the Convention floor can be made

by a majority of those present.
|P6

The Guardian is very pleased to see that Peter Esslemont is

growing closer to the Faith. A friendly contact with him should

always be maintained.
|P7

Regarding his cable concerning Hussein: he has been very

surprised to note that the terms "low-born Christian girl" and

"disgraceful alliance" should arouse any question: it seems to him

that the friends should realise it is not befitting for the Guardian's

own brother, the grandchild of the Master, an Afnan and Aghsan

mentioned in the Will and Testament of the Master, and of

whom so much was expected because of his relation to the

Family of the Prophet, to marry an unknown girl, according to

goodness knows what rite, who is not a believer at all. Surely,

every Bahá'í must realise that the terms low-born and Christian

are definitions of a situation and in no way imply any

condemnation of a person's birth or the religion they belong to

as such. We have no snobbery and no religious prejudice in our

Faith. But the members of the Master's family have contracted

marriages which cannot be considered in any other light than

disgraceful, in view of what `Abdu'l-Bahá wished for them.

|P8

Recently the Court of First Instance, in Karkuk, Iraq, has

accepted to register a Bahá'í marriage certificate. This is the first

time in the East (except for the British Mandate authorities and

the Israeli Government), that a Bahá'í marriage has been

recognised as being legal. The Guardian feels that this can form

a very important precedent for the other Oriental countries, and

he suggests you inform the Egyptian N.S.A. of his view and urge

them to press for due recognition in Egypt, using this precedent

as a lever.
|P9

There is nothing in our teachings about Freud and his method.

Psychiatric treatment in general is no doubt an important

contribution to medicine, but we must believe it is still a

growing rather than a perfected science. As Bahá'u'lláh has urged

us to avail ourselves of the help of good physicians Bahá'ís are

certainly not only free to turn to psychiatry for assistance but

should, when available, do so. This does not mean psychiatrists

are always wise or always right, it means we are free to avail

ourselves of the best medicine has to offer us.
|P10

The Guardian thanks you and the friends for your eagerness

[\P249]

to contribute to the cost of the Shrine through the special edition

of "Prescription for Living"; also he thanks the friends at

Convention for the copy they sent him.
|P11

I need not tell you how immensely relieved, proud and

gratified the beloved Guardian was when he knew the British

community had achieved their Plan so successfully. During the

last year he was often anxious as he shared with your Assembly

and the National Teaching Committee the news of how acute

the position was, and how great the obstacles still remaining to

be overcome.
|P12

From the beginning, however, he felt confident that this

dedicated and courageous community could and would drive

through to victory, and his joy was very great when it did. He

firmly believes this will exert a great influence on the future of

the Bahá'í community there, and indirectly on the history of that

country in the days to come. It is not possible, at close range, to

understand the implications of what we do; but when we see

things in historical perspective, we realise that what seemed

small at the time was really a turning point in destiny.

|P13

The Guardian was delighted to receive the Welsh pamphlet,

also the map you sent him. He is planning to have the map

published in the next edition of "Bahá'í World", and he placed

the pamphlet in the Mansion of Bahá'u'lláh.
|P14

He approves of the Investment Scheme of the Publishing

Trust, and he trusts that the members of the community will

respond and thus enable your Assembly to expand its publishing

activities. He leaves the question of approaching Bahá'ís overseas,

should the Trust be in need of further capital, to your Assembly's

discretion.
|P15

The Guardian does not approve of your placing a condition

upon recognition of local assemblies (mentioned in your letter

of January 20); and he wishes in this connection to emphasise the

fact that every possible care should be taken not to add to

existing rules and regulations in the form of statements or

otherwise. He has already advised the American and other

National Assemblies to beware of adding more rules and

regulations.
|P16

The death of Mrs. Hall, such a faithful and devoted servant of

the Faith, is a great loss to the British community. The Guardian

appreciated receiving a copy of her Will, which mirrors her

[\P250]

solicitude for the interests of the Cause in England. He trusts that

a Bahá'í Ceremony could take place at the graveside, which

certainly would have been her own wish.
|P17

Regarding ..., if the financial response of the friends to the

needs of the Faith there is not sufficient for your Assembly to

continue to defray his expenses as a teacher and pioneer, then it

seems inevitable that he will have to make some other plans. His

services have been of real value, and his intimate knowledge of

the teachings and steadfastness in the Covenant have enabled

him to contribute much to the understanding of the friends.

|P18

The Guardian approves your resolution to keep Mr. Ferraby+

as paid secretary of the Assembly. He deeply appreciates Mr.

Ferraby's devoted services.
|P19

The Guardian wishes to assure you, one and all, of his prayers

for the success of the new work your Assembly will be

undertaking, and for the consolidation of all the recent goals

achieved.
|P20

P.S. Also just received are a receipt for the Guardian's

contribution, dated May 15th and your letter, with enclosure, of

May 28th and May 24th. A photo of the Shrine will be mailed

you very soon.
|P21

P.P.S. The Guardian will certainly pray for the progress and

happiness of the soul of Mr. Manton. No doubt the selfless

services his son has rendered the Cause of God, in an hour of

great need, will be accepted and enable him to influence the state

of his father through his own prayers.
|P22
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P23

On the occasion of the victorious consummation of the first historic

Plan undertaken by the British Bahá'í community, I feel moved to reaffirm

my feelings of exultation, joy and gratitude for the superb

triumph that marks such a great turning point in British Baha'i

history. No single event, in the course of its half-a-century existence,

with the exception of the twice repeated visit of the Centre of the

Covenant to the British Isles, has proved as significant and momentous

as this unique collective achievement, which may, in a sense, be

regarded as the first and long-awaited fruit of that intimate and

personal contact, established both in private and in public, by `Abdu'l-Bahá

with its members as well as with various representatives of the

country to which it belongs.
[\P251]
|P24

So magnificent an achievement has, no doubt, endowed the entire

community, now representative of the peoples of England, Wales,

Scotland and Ireland, with tremendous potentialities, empowering it

to launch on the first stage of its historic overseas mission destined to

bring that community into closer and more concrete association with

its sister communities in North America and Egypt, for the purpose of

promoting the Faith in the vast virgin territories where its banner is

still unraised and which constitute an integral part of the territories of

the British Crown beyond the confines of that community's homeland.

|P25

To the races and tribes inhabiting these territories throughout the

vast African Continent `Abdu'l-Bahá when His life was in imminent

danger, specifically referred in a Tablet, addressed by Him to the

cousin of The Báb and chief builder of the first Mashriqu'l-Adhkar of

the Bahá'í world, in which He predicts, in moving terms, the

awakening of the peoples of that dark continent and the ultimate

triumph of His Father's Faith among its backward peoples as well as

among the great masses inhabiting China and India.

|P26

To the accomplishment of the initial stages of this colossal task,

envisaged by our beloved Master, the Bahá'í community of the British

Isles, now greatly reinforced, resting on a far broader foundation,

galvanised into action, qualified through its initial signal victory in its

homeland--the base of its future operations overseas, is now summoned

to direct its attention and its energies.
|P27

While, in the current and two succeeding years which separate us

from the celebration of the centenary of the birth of Bahá'u'lláh's

prophetic mission, close and sustained attention should be directed by

the elected representatives, as well as by the rank and file, of that

community towards the safeguarding of the prizes won throughout the

length and breadth of the British Isles, and the consolidation of the

newly born institutions, the preliminary steps, constituting the prelude

to this prodigious systemic labour and soul-thrilling enterprise, destined

to extend its ramifications, in the years that lie ahead, to the fringe and

within the very heart of a vast continent, must be carefully and

prayerfully taken.
|P28

Though the members of this community are still restricted in

number, though its resources are as yet meagre, though its recent

victories are as yet unconsolidated, though it has hardly recuperated

from its recent labours, undertaken during a period of great national

exhaustion and severe austerity, the mere act of launching upon so

glorious, so fateful an enterprise, will, of necessity, create at this

[\P252]

propitious hour the receptivity which will enable a swiftly marching,

stout-hearted, virile community, now standing on the threshold of its

mission beyond the seas, to attract a fresh measure of celestial potency

adequate to its growing needs and its ever expanding responsibilities.

The miracle its members have performed over so vast a territory, in so

short a time, and under such adverse circumstances, cannot but augur

well for the initial success of an enterprise infinitely more meritorious,

of far greater promise, and endowed with vastly superior spiritual

potentialities.
|P29

How great the honour with which the Bahá'í pioneers of the present

generation of the subjects of the British Crown will be invested in the

eyes of posterity within their island home and abroad! How great

the debt of gratitude of those who will labour after them and garner the

fruit of their present day assiduous exertions to those whose privilege

is to blaze the trail and break the soil in the virgin territories destined,

as prophesied by `Abdu'l-Bahá, to acclaim the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh and

establish the institutions of His embryonic World Order!

|P30

This community, laden with the trophies of so recent and splendid

a victory, and summoned to brace itself for another exertion, so fate-laden

in its consequences, stands too near the structure which its hands

are now rearing to visualise the dimensions of its task, appraise its

value, and appreciate its future glory. Alive to its inherent capacity,

conscious of its high responsibility, aware of the sacredness of its

mission, emboldened by its recent exploits, trusting fully in that

reinforcing Power that guided and sustained it unfailingly in the past,

this community can do no better than to gird up afresh its loins, turn

its back upon the clamour of the age, its fears, confusion and strife, step

resolutely forward on its chosen path, unshakably confident that with

every step it takes, should it remain undeflected in its purpose and

undimmed in its vision, a fresh outpouring of Divine grace will

reinforce and guide its march on the highroad of its destiny.

Your letters dated June 6th and two of June 13th have just

reached the Guardian, with their enclosures, and he wishes you

[\P253]

to please regard this as a sort of postscript to the detailed letter to

your Assembly which was mailed a short time ago. He thanks

you for the copies of correspondence with the Official Solicitor,

and trusts this matter is now satisfactorily settled.

|P3

He approves of the advice your Assembly has given....

However, he does not approve of ... going to Canada or South

America. He has been forced, owing to the very unfortunate

influence of certain so-called Bahá'ís from Persia, to lay down a

general rule that no Persians for the present proceed to North or

South America. As many sincere souls have, through obedience

to his instructions, given up trips to those territories, he feels he

cannot permit any exceptions to be made, not even for so

important a purpose as pioneering. This would be a manifest

injustice to those who have obeyed him with an exemplary

spirit. He feels sure ... will understand and accept this. There are

a great many places where they can serve the Faith in the East, in

Europe, or in Africa.
|P4

Whatever form of co-operation will get the best results your

Assembly is free to decide upon in regard to the Egyptian and

American N.S.A.s' extension teaching in Africa. He feels,

however, that simultaneous activity is more practicable at

present.
|P5

There are no specific tribes listed in the Master's Tablets; the

pioneering should be directed at present towards the most

feasible possibilities.
|P6

The Guardian feels that Kenya, as it already has a Baha'i,

should be excluded from your Plan. Uganda and Tanganyika

would be much more suitable in conjunction with any other

territory, but not Nigeria, which already has some Bahá'ís.

However, it must not necessarily be these two.
|P7

Entirely aside from any additional literature it might be

possible to get out in Hausa and Swahili he feels your objective

must be to print at least a pamphlet in three languages other than

those Philip Hainsworth has tackled. It must be borne in mind

that printing in new languages kills two birds with one stone--

not only does it enable the Faith to reach new elements, but it

also enriches our literature and is excellent as a means of calling

the attention of the public to the universality of our Cause and

the extent of our world-wide activities!
|P8

He will be delighted to receive the reports regarding the

progress of the British Bahá'ís' first overseas mission.

[\P254]
|P9

P.S. Regarding expenditures: the Guardian feels that the

greatest effort should be made to curtail everything that is not

essential; this is the primary responsibility of the N.S.A. The

Guardian will be very pleased to receive copies of the reports of

the Africa and Consolidation Committees and was pleased to

read the first two reports.
|N7|P0
24 July 1950
|P1

GOLD COAST ELIGIBLE DELIGHTED GRATEFUL PUBLICITY OCCASION

CENTENARY.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N8|P0
12 August 1950 (Summer School)
|P1
DELIGHTED SUCCESS WELCOME NOBLE RESOLVE ASSURANCE

LOYALTY BELIEVERS URGE CONCENTRATION PERSEVERANCE COMPLETE

DEDICATION NEWLY ASSIGNED EPOCH MAKING TASKS

MARKING OPENING NEW CHAPTER WORLD WIDE EXPANSION FAITH

SUPPLICATING BOUNTIFUL BLESSING PRIVILEGED PARTICIPANTS

GLORIOUS ENTERPRISE URGING AMERICAN PERSIAN COMMUNITIES

ARISE LEND ASSISTANCE ITS PROSECUTION DEEPEST LOVE.

|P2
SHOGHI
|N9|P0
6 September 1950
|P1

WARN BELIEVERS AVOID PERDU OWING HIS CONTACT SOHRAB.

Under separate cover the Guardian is mailing two enlargements

of the Shrine. He would like these to be shown as widely

as possible to the friends and then hung in the London Baha'i

Centre.
[\P255]
|P3

He has sent to America the negative of one of these

enlargements with instructions that the friends can order copies

for themselves. This applies to the British friends too, and if

copies are desired you can enquire from the American N.S.A.

what they cost etc.
|P4

He feels sure all the believers will be happy to see how

beautiful the finished arcade is....
|P5

P.S. Please cable when you receive these two photos.

|N11|P0
15 September 1950
|P1

APPROVE SENDING PIONEERS AFRICA IMMEDIATELY ALSO SEEK

Some time ago I wrote you on behalf of the Guardian giving

you the following information, but as I have heard a letter to

Mr. Holley posted at the same time has not been received, I fear

yours too may have been lost.
|P3

The beloved Guardian has sent each of the National Assemblies

under separate cover, a couple of enlarged photos of the finished

arcade of The Báb's Shrine. These are a little gift from him. He

would like as many of the believers as possible to see them, and

for them to then be hung wherever they would then be seen

most, in some countries this would be the National Hazira.

|P4

He has sent two negatives to the American N.S.A., and

instructed prints be made available for sale to the friends desiring

copies. You can no doubt order some if desired.
|P5

Please cable the Guardian acknowledging receipt of these

photos as soon as they reach you....
|N13|P0
14 November 1950
|P1

KINDLY ARRANGE DEPARTURE LUTFU'LLAH HAKIM HAIFA FOR

NECESSARY SERVICE.
|P2
SHOGHI
[\P256]
|N14|P0
14 November 1950
|P1

GRIEVE PASSING DISTINGUISHED INDEFATIGABLE PROMOTER FAITH+F1

{Florence "Mother" George+.}

ARDENTLY SUPPLICATING PROGRESS SOUL Abhá Kingdom HER

NOTABLE MERITORIOUS SERVICES UNFORGETTABLE.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N15|P0
22 November 1950
|P1

URGE UTMOST ECONOMY APPEAL ENTIRE COMMUNITY ENDEAVOUR

REDUCE DEFICIT FUND CONTRIBUTING FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS.

|P2
SHOGHI
|N16|P0
22 December 1950
|P1

ASSURE CLAIRE GUNG FERVENT LOVING PRAYERS SURROUNDING

HER MERITORIOUS HISTORIC JOURNEY SUPPLICATING BLESSINGS

FORTHCOMING CONFERENCE DEEPEST LOVING APPRECIATION.

|P2
SHOGHI
|N17|P0
10 January 1951 (Teaching Conference)
|P1
ASSURE ATTENDANTS SUPPLICATING ALMIGHTY BLESSINGS

DELIBERATIONS MAY CONFERENCE LEND TREMENDOUS IMPETUS

PROCESS CONSOLIDATION HOMELAND INITIATION PIONEER
ACTIVITIES AFRICAN CONTINENT.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N18|P0
16 January 1951
|P1

(Copy of a cable from the Guardian to the National Spiritual

Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States dated 16 January

1951, sent also to the British National Spiritual Assembly.)

ASSISTANCE AFRICA PROJECT THROUGH FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION

PARTICIPATION PIONEERS WHITE COLOURED CLOSE CONSULTATION

[\P257]

CO-OPERATION BRITISH ASSEMBLY NECESSARY INDEPENDENT CAMPAIGN

NOT INTENDED FERVENTLY PRAYING PARTICIPATION BRITISH

AMERICAN PERSIAN EGYPTIAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES UNIQUE

EPOCHMAKING ENTERPRISE AFRICAN CONTINENT MAY PROVE

PRELUDE CONVOCATION FIRST AFRICAN TEACHING CONFERENCE

LEADING EVENTUALLY INITIATION UNDERTAKINGS INVOLVING

COLLABORATION ALL NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES Bahá'í WORLD

THEREBY PAVING WAY ULTIMATE ORGANIC UNION THESE ASSEMBLIES

THROUGH FORMATION INTERNATIONAL HOUSE JUSTICE

DESTINED LAUNCH ENTERPRISES EMBRACING WHOLE Bahá'í WORLD

ACCLAIM SIMULTANEOUS INAUGURATION CRUSADE LINKING ADMINISTRATIVE

MACHINERY FOUR NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES EAST WEST

WITHIN FOUR CONTINENTS AND BIRTH FIRST INTERNATIONAL

COUNCIL WORLD CENTRE FAITH TWIN COMPELLING EVIDENCES

RESISTLESS UNFOLDMENT EMBRYONIC DIVINELY APPOINTED WORLD

ORDER Bahá'u'lláh.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N19|P0
17 January 1951
|P1

INFORM MUSA BANANI+ HIGHLY APPROVE PIONEERING AFRICA

WITH NAKHJAVANI+ FERVENTLY PRAYING FOR HIS SUCCESS AND

ENTIRE FAMILY.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N20|P0
25 January 1951+F1

{Reply to cable sent on the occasion of the appointment of the International

Bahá'í Council.}
|P1
APPRECIATE SENTIMENTS BELOVED FRIENDS.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N21|P0
25 February 1951
|P1
Dear Bahá'í Brother,
|P2

Your letters of June 19th, June 22nd, July 18th, July 21st, July

26th, August 17th, August 29th, August 30th, September 6th,

September 8th, September 27th (2 letters), October 3rd (2

[\P258]

letters), October 5th, October 17th, October 26th, October 30th

(2 letters), October 31st, November 13th, November 24th (2

letters), December 10th, December 22nd, 1950, and January

2nd, January 25th and February 2nd, 20th, 1951, together with

enclosures as well as photographs, have been received, and our

beloved Guardian has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.

(A postscript dated March 18th adds: "Your letters (two) dated

March 8th have also been received with enclosures.")

|P3

He regrets that, due to pressure of work, he is not able to write

more frequently, but feels that the cable communications

between himself and your assembly attend to the essential work

in between letters....
|P4

Regarding your question about the communication with the

King, as mentioned in Minutes 292 and 344, he feels that both

contemplated approaches should be dropped for the present. By

undertaking such action we call attention to ourselves in a very

conspicuous manner, and investigation of who the senders are of

such petitions would only expose the weakness of our numbers

and detract from the prestige which the Cause is slowly

beginning to acquire in the eyes of the world.
|P5

He thanks you very much for the map, showing the British

Bahá'í community at the end of the Six Year Plan. He has placed

it on a wall of the Mansion of Bahji, where visitors and believers

can enjoy it. It certainly marks the scene of one of the most

historic victories of the Faith.
|P6

In regard to the question of the African campaign, the

Guardian is immensely pleased with the way your assembly and

the special committee you have appointed, have seized this

project and are vigorously prosecuting it. He admires the

evidences of careful planning and staunch determination which

all the data regarding this important campaign, which you have

forwarded to him, bear witness to.
|P7

He was very happy to receive the Chinyanza pamphlets which

you sent to him, and also likes very much the "Africa News"

which the committee is getting out and which is so alive with

plans and news.
|P8

He is also delighted to see that the Persian National Assembly

is vigorously co-operating with your Assembly and facilitating

settlement of some devoted Persian pioneer there who no doubt

will be of great help to the work....
[\P259]
|P9

He feels that, although it is preferable that the three pioneers

to each virgin country should be in one town or at least as near

each other as possible, it should not be considered the essential

point at this juncture.
|P10

The most important thing of all is to get the pioneers out there

and established if possible in some self-supporting work. Once

this has been done, the work within the country itself can be

gradually organised and plans made to consolidate it in a more

practical manner.
|P11

He used the word "tribes" loosely to mean the peoples of

Africa and not necessarily individuals still living under tribal

system.
|P12

The Guardian does not feel that it is necessary to specify any

particular prayer to be said for the Africa work. The main thing

is that the Bahá'ís should pray for its success.
|P13

He approves of your getting out the edition of the "New Era"

which you now have in the press; but feels very strongly that

any future editions should strictly conform to the 1937 American

edition, in order to preserve uniformity in this very important

Bahá'í publication.
|P14

Regarding your question about military service, the Guardian

sees no reason why the Bahá'í in question should not bring a test

case, and press the matter. It is now, since he has become a

follower of Bahá'u'lláh, against his conscience to kill his fellow-men;

and he should have the right to explain his position and ask

to be exempted from combatant service. During the hearing of

such cases the Bahá'ís should make it absolutely clear that we do

not fear being placed in danger, and are not asking to be given

a safe berth in hours of national crisis--quite the contrary--any

dangerous service the Bahá'ís can render their fellow-men during

the agonies of war, they should be anxious to accept.

|P15

The work that the British Bahá'ís are accomplishing is very

dear to his heart; and he wishes your Assembly to constantly

encourage the friends (as of course they are doing) to go on with

all phases of their Bahá'í work and maintain the tempo they

achieved during the past few years. They have distinguished

themselves so much that now their fellow Bahá'ís in other lands

expect them to lead the way in new fields, and to continue being

the pace setters for at least the British Empire, if not other

countries as well! Success brings burdens; and the British Bahá'ís

[\P260]

who were so miraculously successful at the last moment of their

Six Year Plan, now find themselves in the sometimes difficult

position of being a cynosure for all eyes.
|P16

He assures you, one and all, of his loving prayers for the work

you are so faithfully carrying out on behalf of the believers in the

British Isles....
|P17

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.
|P18
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P19

The magnificent spirit of devotion and the initiative and

resourcefulness demonstrated in recent months by a triumphant

community, in its eagerness to launch, ahead of the appointed time, the

enterprise destined to carry the fame of its members and establish its

outposts as far afield as the African Continent, merit the highest

praise. By their organising ability, by their zeal in enlisting the

collaboration of their sister communities in the African, the American

and Asiatic continents for the effective prosecution of this epoch-making

enterprise; by the tenacity, sagacity and fidelity which they

have displayed in the course of its opening phase; by their utter

consecration and their complete reliance on the One Who watches over

their destiny, they have set an example worthy of emulation by the

members of Bahá'í communities in both the East and the West.

|P20

The despatch of the first pioneer to Tanganyika, signalising the

inauguration of the African campaign, following so closely upon the

successful termination of the Six Year Plan, will be recognised by

[\P261]

posterity as the initial move in an undertaking designed to supplement

and enrich the record of signal collective services rendered by the

members of this community within the confines and throughout the

length and breadth of its homeland. On it, however great the support

it will receive from its sister communities in the days to come, will

devolve the chief responsibility of guiding the destinies, of supplying

the motive power, and of contributing to the resources of a crusade

which, for the first time in Bahá'í history, involves the collaboration,

and affects the fortunes, of no less than four National Assemblies, in

both Hemispheres and within four continents of the globe.

|P21

On the success of this enterprise, unprecedented in its scope, unique

in its character and immense in its spiritual potentialities, must depend

the initiation, at a later period in the Formative Age of the Faith, of

undertakings embracing within their range all National Assemblies

functioning throughout the Bahá'í World, undertakings constituting

in themselves a prelude to the launching of world-wide enterprises

destined to be embarked upon, in future epochs of that same Age, by

the Universal House of Justice, that will symbolise the unity and

coordinate and unify the activities of these National Assemblies.

|P22

Indeed the birth of this African enterprise, in the opening decade of

the second Bahá'í century, coinciding as it does with the formation of

the International Bahá'í Council, should be acclaimed as an event of

peculiar significance in the evolution of our beloved Faith. Both events

will, no doubt, be hailed by posterity as simultaneous and compelling

evidences of the irresistible unfoldment of a divinely appointed

Administrative Order and of the development, on an international

scale, of its subsidiary agencies, heralding the establishment of the

Supreme Legislative Body designed to crown the Administrative

Edifice now being laboriously erected by the privileged builders of a

Divine Order, whose features have been delineated by the Centre of

the Covenant in His Will and Testament, whose fundamental laws

have been revealed by the Founder of our Faith in His Kitáb-i-Aqdas,

and Whose advent has been foreshadowed by the Herald of the Baha'i

Dispensation in the Bayan, His most weighty Book.
|P23

To be singled out as the chief agency in the prosecution of a task of

such dimensions, such significance, and the harbinger of events so

glorious, is indeed at once an inestimable blessing and a staggering

responsibility with which the British Bahá'í community, emerging

triumphantly and in rapid succession from the ordeal of a world war

and the struggles involved in the prosecution of an historic Plan, has

[\P262]

been honoured at so critical and challenging an hour in the fortunes of

mankind.
|P24

To labour assiduously for the despatch, in the coming year marking

the official opening of the Two Year Plan, of pioneers to the chosen

Territories of the African Continent; to ensure that its three sister

National Assemblies will steadily reinforce its work through financial

assistance as well as through the increase in the number of pioneers;

to expedite the translation, publication and dissemination of Baha'i

literature in the three selected languages throughout these Territories;

to enlarge the scope of the contacts established with representatives of

the African peoples and with institutions designed to foster their

interests; to cultivate cordial relations with, and secure the goodwill

and support of, the civil authorities in the goal countries where the

pioneers will reside; to maintain steady correspondence with, fan the

zeal, seek the counsel and secure the assistance of the budding and

scattered communities in the North, the South and the Heart of that

vast, that promising and slowly awakening continent; to prepare for

the eventual convocation, under its own auspices and following the

example set, and the procedure adopted, by its sister American

Assembly on the European Continent, of the First African Teaching

Conference, representative of both the white and black races,

constituting an epoch-making landmark in the evolution of the Faith

among the African races and possibly synchronising with the centenary

celebrations of the birth of Bahá'u'lláh's Mission, and adding another

victor's crown to the laurels already won by the British followers of the

Faith of Bahá'u'lláh in their own homeland--these stand out as the

paramount and inescapable duties confronting the British National

Spiritual Assembly as it stands on the threshold of a new and glorious

epoch in British Bahá'í history.
|P25

Though the prospect of this new venture is indeed enthralling,

though it demands careful planning, the allocation of substantial sums

for its prosecution, and the exertion of strenuous efforts for its

systematic development, the prizes so laboriously won at home must

under no circumstances be jeopardised. The twofold obligation of

preserving the status of the newly-fledged Assemblies in England,

Wales, Scotland and Ireland and of propagating the Faith among the

people dwelling in the British Isles through active teaching and the

wide circulation of Bahá'í literature must be faithfully discharged.

The necessary foundation for the proclamation of the Faith, at a later

stage in the development of the British Bahá'í community, amidst the

[\P263]

British people and in the very heart of the British Empire must be

carefully laid. Whatever measures will facilitate the future recognition

of the Faith by the civil authorities in the localities where its followers

reside, and eventually by the central government in Westminster,

must, within the means at their disposal, and however tentatively, be

adopted.
|P26

Then and only then will this community, carrying out faithfully

the twofold duty incumbent upon it, both at home and abroad, be

vouchsafed by Bahá'u'lláh the full measure of His grace which will

enable it to traverse, speedily and successfully, the present stage in its

evolution, and acquire still greater potentialities for the revelation of

a still brighter aspect of its mission designed to illuminate with the

light of Divine Guidance and in the course of the Formative and

Golden Ages of the Faith all the Dependencies of the British Crown,

and erect the administrative structure within these Territories, of an

Order, incomparably mightier and more enduring than any which

that Crown has ever established.
|P27
Shoghi
|N22|P0
23 April 1951
|P1

DEEPEST APPRECIATION GREETINGS LOVING REMEMBRANCE SHRINES

DELIGHTED SUCCESS.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N23|P0
25 April 1951 (Convention)
|P1

REJOICE THANKFUL PROUD STERLING QUALITIES FIDELITY TENACITY

INTREPIDITY BRITISH FOLLOWERS FAITH Bahá'u'lláh CONSPICUOUSLY

DEMONSTRATED COURSE INTERVAL SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION

SIX YEAR FORMAL INAUGURATION TWO YEAR PLAN. HEARTILY

CONGRATULATE DELEGATES ASSEMBLED OCCASION HISTORIC NUMERICALLY

ENLARGED EPOCH MAKING CONVENTION. ONE YEAR

RESPITE REGARDED BREATHING SPELL DESIGNED ENABLE TOILING

TRIUMPHANT VALOROUS HIGH MINDED COMMUNITY RECRUIT

FORCES WITNESSED UNEXPECTED DISPLAY VIGOROUS ACTIVITY

RESULTING FIRST VICTORIES AFRICAN FIELD PRESERVATION

LABORIOUSLY ESTABLISHED ASSEMBLIES LENGTH BREADTH BRITISH

[\P264]

ISLES. TWO YEAR PLAN NOW OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED DEMANDS

CONTINUOUS UNSTINTED SYSTEMATIC SUPPORT NATIONAL ELECTED

REPRESENTATIVES ALL LOCAL ASSEMBLIES RANK FILE ENTIRE

COMMUNITY. AUSPICIOUS RAYS GOD'S DAWNING REVELATION

WHICH FIRST STRUCK CORNER VAST DARK SPIRITUALLY DECADENT

CONTINENT COURSE Bahá'u'lláh'S MINISTRY WHICH WARMED

ILLUMINATED ITS NORTHERN SOUTHERN FRINGES CONCLUDING

YEARS HEROIC AGE FAITH MUST NOW PENETRATE ITS HEART

BRIGHTEN ITS JUNGLE FASTNESSES ENVELOP IT WITH SPLENDOUR

THEIR RADIANCE COURSE PRESENT SUCCEEDING EPOCHS FORMATIVE

AGE Bahá'í DISPENSATION. CONFIDENT BRITISH Bahá'í COMMUNITY

WILL ARISE BEFITTINGLY MEET CHALLENGE NOW CONFRONTING IT

ACHIEVE THREEFOLD PURPOSE PLAN. PRAYING ENERGETIC COLLABORATION

PROSECUTORS `Abdu'l-Bahá'í DIVINE PLAN WITH

COMMUNITY BELIEVERS BELONGING NATION WHOSE DESTINY BEEN

LINKED FORTUNES WORLD'S BACKWARD RACES REINFORCED ASSISTANCE

SISTER COMMUNITY CRADLE FAITH NATIONAL ELECTED

REPRESENTATIVES LEADING COMMUNITY AFRICAN CONTINENT MAY

ENSURE SUCCESS CRUSADE CONSTITUTING SPIRITUAL LANDMARK

PROCESS AWAKENING AFRICAN PEOPLES MARKING OPENING GLORIOUS

CHAPTER EVOLUTION WORLD FAITH Bahá'u'lláh SIGNALISING

INITIAL PHASE UNFOLDMENT MISSION COMMUNITY HIS

FOLLOWERS BRITISH ISLES MIDST DOMINIONS COLONIES PROTECTORATES

BRITISH CROWN. MAY PROJECTED CENTENARY BIRTH

PROPHETIC MISSION Bahá'u'lláh BEFITTINGLY CELEBRATED CONVOCATION

FIRST ALL AFRICAN TEACHING CONFERENCE REPRESENTATIVE

BLACK WHITE RACES EMBRACING SEVENTEEN AFRICAN

TERRITORIES NOW INCLUDED PALE FAITH. ARRANGING TRANSMISSION

ONE THOUSAND POUNDS CONTRIBUTION FURTHERANCE
GLORIOUS OBJECTIVE.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N24|P0
2 May 1951
|P1

DEEPLY APPRECIATE GREETINGS HIGH RESOLVE ATTENDANTS

CONVENTION DELIGHTED SUCCESS SESSIONS PRAYING SIGNAL

VICTORIES.
|P2
SHOGHI
[\P265]
|N25|P0
4 May 1951
|P1

OWING RECENT INSTRUCTIONS PERSIAN EGYPTIAN ASSEMBLIES TO

DESPATCH PIONEERS FIVE ADDITIONAL AFRICAN TERRITORIES

ADVISE UNDERTAKE TRANSLATION SMALL PAMPHLETS INTO ACOLI

CHIEF AUXILIARY MANIFOLD AGENCIES OPERATING FURTHERANCE

Abdu'l-Bahá'í PLAN AMERICAN EUROPEAN CONTINENTS IRRESISTIBLY

UNFOLDING GATHERING MOMENTUM THROUGH ADDED

PARTICIPATION INDIAN Bahá'í COMMUNITY ASSIGNMENT SPECIFIC

SUPPLEMENTARY FUNCTIONS PERSIAN EGYPTIAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES

CONTEMPLATED TRANSLATION Bahá'í LITERATURE ADDITIONAL

AFRICAN LANGUAGES MULTIPLICATION TERRITORIES

NORTHERN EASTERN WESTERN FRINGES VAST AWAKENING CONTINENT.

BRIEF SPAN TWO YEARS DESTINED WITNESS FIRST FRUITS

HISTORIC CONTINENT-WIDE CRUSADE WILL ERELONG TERMINATE.

VALOROUS BRITISH Bahá'í COMMUNITY CENTRAL PIVOT MACHINERY

NOW SET MOTION CHIEF AGENCY PROSECUTION MIGHTY

DIVINELY PROPELLED ENTERPRISE MUST AWARE URGENCY TASK

ACT SPEEDILY RESOLUTELY DESPATCH WITHOUT DELAY VOLUNTEERS,

SETTLE PIONEERS DISSEMINATE LITERATURE INITIATE TEACHING

ACTIVITIES ESTABLISH FRUITFUL CONTACTS ENSURE STEADY

ENROLMENT FRESH RECRUITS AMONGST TRIBES RACES FARFLUNG

VIRGIN TERRITORIES. TRANSMITTING ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTION

THOUSAND POUNDS ENSURE VIGOROUS PROSECUTION COLOSSAL

SACRED TASK ENABLING WELL TRIED FOLLOWERS FAITH

Bahá'u'lláh BRITISH ISLES WRITE WORTHILY FIRST PAGE HISTORY

MEMORABLE UNDERTAKING CONSTITUTING OPENING PHASE THEIR

GLORIOUS SPIRITUAL MISSION OVERSEAS.
|P2
SHOGHI
[\P266]
|N28|P0
22 June 1951+F1

{Musa and Samiyyih Banani, Ali and Violette Nakhjavani, and Philip

Hainsworth.}
|P1

ASSURE DEPARTED PIONEERS FERVENT LOVING PRAYERS SURROUNDING

THEM.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N29|P0
4 July 1951
|P1

WORK NEWLY ASSIGNED EGYPT INDIA PERSIA SUPPLEMENTARY ANY

ASSISTANCE EXTENDED THEM YOUR ASSEMBLY DEEPLY APPRECIATED.

ASSURE SABRIS+ LOVING FERVENT PRAYERS ACCOMPANYING THEM.

GRIEVE PASSING PRESTON ASSURE WIFE LOVING PRAYERS APPROVE

REINFORCE KENYA.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N32|P0
21 August 1951+F2

{On receiving news of the first Declaration of the Africa project, in

Tanganyika (Tanzania).}
|P1
OVERJOYED INITIAL VICTORY LOVE.
|P2
SHOGHI
[\P267]
|N33|P0
26 August 1951
|P1

CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS Ridvan. TEACHING CONFERENCE MAY

BE HELD ANY TIME BETWEEN JANUARY AND MARCH 1953
SUBSTITUTE ANOTHER LANGUAGE FOR SOMALI.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N34|P0
2 September 1951
|P1

ASSURE ATTENDANTS SCHOOL ABIDING APPRECIATION NOBLE

RESOLVE FERVENT PRAYERS.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N35|P0
19 September 1951+F1

{To the Treasurer for this special fund--Arthur Norton+.}

|P1
Dear Bahá'í Brother,
|P2

Your letter of August 27th has been received, and the beloved

Guardian is sending you herein his receipt for the contribution

of the British Bahá'ís to the Shrine. He noted with interest and

appreciation that the Bank raised no objections to the transfer of

this sum for such a purpose, and feels this indicates the slowly

growing recognition of the Faith's nature and importance. Your

own ever devoted services to the Cause are greatly appreciated

by him, you may be sure....
|P3
[From the Guardian:]

I gratefully acknowledge the receipt of the sum of three hundred

pounds from the Bahá'ís of the British Isles, to be expended for the

construction of the Shrine of The Báb on Mt. Carmel.

Your letters dated March 26th (two); April 4th (three), 11th,

17th, 8th, 7th and 24th; May 1st, 4th, 12th and 24th; June 1st,

[\P268]

4th, 19th (two), 12th, 23rd and 27th; July 4th, 6th, 21st (two),

25th and 31st; August 8th, 9th and 15th; September 15th, 18th

and 19th; have all been received, as well as their enclosures, and

the photographs sent and material under separate cover, and the

beloved Guardian has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.

|P3

It will no doubt make you happy to hear that the Guardian

has really had a little rest this summer, much needed after the

tremendous strain of last year's worries and burdens. He can now

turn to his important N.S.A. letters somewhat refreshed.

|P4

To take up certain matters raised in your letters:

|P5

There are two Funds, that of the Shrine of The Báb and the

International Fund; but at present it is more important for the

friends to concentrate on completing the work in progress on

the Shrine, which, thanks to the response of the believers from

all over the world, is going forward uninterruptedly, in spite of

the very difficult situation in the Holy Land which makes all

kinds of building work frightfully complicated.
|P6

The Guardian would very much like to receive five copies of

every publication brought out in England for the Bahá'í libraries

in Haifa and at Bahji and in Acre. He thanks you for the diaries

you sent....
|P7

For your information the Guardian does not want any

believers to migrate at present to this country. It will not meet

with his approval under any circumstances. The local problems,

with a small group of Covenant-Breakers more or less active in

stirring up trouble; the efforts, at present successful, which he is

making to establish the most cordial relations with the

Government; the upbuilding of the international institutions of

the Faith; the consolidation of the International Bahá'í Council--

all require that no complications arise and no further strain be

added to the burden of work at the World Centre of the Faith.

|P8

Now we come to the part of your activities nearest to his heart

at present--Africa Campaign. By all means any translation at

present into Somali should be given up, as the advice of experts

prove it both unnecessary and very expensive.
|P9

The Guardian feels that, in view of the fact that funds for

sending out pioneers are limited, and that a good number of

pioneers are available, it is better to choose those most qualified

and not, for the time being at least, accept every offer, however

devoted the spirit behind it.
[\P269]
|P10

He fully appreciates the fact that Somaliland is going to be

somewhat difficult. In view of its peculiar status your Assembly

should bear in mind the possibility of sending there a British

subject, if this should prove feasible, and pending a time when

the Persians can go there and make arrangements for someone to

represent them.
|P11

The Guardian considers that your Assembly is the consultative

body for all African territories, and that the other National

Assemblies should keep in close touch with you. This does not

mean, however, that the initiative for the places allotted to them

by the Guardian does not lie in their own hands. Likewise, the

planning of the African Conference should be handled by you,

in close co-operation with the other N.S.A.s. He does not feel it

is feasible for the other N.S.A.s to pool their finances for the

African work and put it in your Fund.
|P12

The unfortunate crisis in Persia may hold up, for a time, their

services in Africa, and he hopes you will do all you can to offset

this most unfortunate setback to their work. The Persian

believers, have, for over a hundred years, borne the brunt of

persecution and are still doing so, being the unhappy victims of

their country and their race. They merit the ardent sympathy

of their fellow Bahá'ís the world over.
|P13

The Guardian is very anxious to know how the work is going

in the British Isles: he feels that the Africa Campaign has been

launched in a way far exceeding his hopes, is being visibly

blessed from on high, and, with the same amount of perseverance

shown so far, is assured of great and speedy victories. But the

goals, so hard won and at such cost of sacrifice at home, must not

be lost. He urges all the friends to not allow the dazzling prospect

overseas to take their attention away from the steady work of

consolidation still required at home! The work abroad rests on

the foundation laid so well and so painfully at home; if one

suffers, so will the other.
|P14

The British Bahá'ís have distinguished themselves in recent

years to a degree which has given them great prominence in the

entire Bahá'í World and inspired others to follow their example.

They cannot and must not lose this hard-won prominence, but,

on the contrary, must demonstrate that it was not a spurt of

speed but the evidence of deep and hardy roots bearing their first

fruits, after years of quiet growth.
[\P270]
|P15

He remembers all the members of your Assembly in his

prayers, and prays that the community of believers you serve so

devotedly may go on rising to ever greater heights and shoulder

all their tasks with increasing vigour, faith and devotion....

|P16

P.S. Regarding the forthcoming Centenary celebrations: the

Guardian feels both national and local celebrations should be

held very much as were those of the 1944 Centenary, but on a

larger scale, with more publicity, if possible.
|P17
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P18

The auspicious launching of the first teaching Crusade undertaken

by the British Bahá'í community beyond the borders of its homeland,

marks yet another stage in the evolution of the Bahá'í Administrative

Order in the British Isles, and signalises the opening of an epoch of the

utmost significance in the Formative Age of the Bahá'í Dispensation.

Though the operation of the Plan is of short duration, yet it constitutes

a prelude to a series of successive campaigns which a firmly knit,

vigorously functioning, clear visioned, intensely alive national

community is destined to initiate, direct and control from its newly

consolidated administrative headquarters in the heart of the British

Isles, not only throughout the Dependencies of the British Crown

within the African Continent, but eventually in the widely scattered

Territories of an Empire whose ramifications extend into every

continent of the globe.
|P19

A little over half-a-century ago, this community, now invested with

a mandate of the utmost significance both at home and overseas, was

called into being in the course of the opening years of the third and last

epoch of the Heroic Age of the Faith. A decade later, the Appointed

Centre of a Covenant, through the creative and potent energies of

which so important a member of a steadily rising world community

was conceived and nurtured, chose to infuse into that infant community

through the impact of His personality in the course of a twice repeated

visit to the heart and centre of that Empire, a measure of His own

mysterious power, which, as He Himself prophesied, was destined to

unfold its potentialities in the course of a later age. On the morrow of

His passing, the earliest evidences of the unfailing promise He had

made revealed themselves through the first stirrings of an Administrative

Order--the Child of the Covenant, the Shield of that community

and the divinely appointed Agency for the execution of the mandate

with which that community was to be invested in the second epoch of

[\P271]

the Formative Age of the Bahá'í Dispensation. A little over two

decades later, that community, armed and equipped with the mighty,

divinely conceived agencies of a laboriously erected, unassailably

established Administrative Order, embarked upon a six-year enterprise

that culminated in the erection of the institutions of that Order in the

very heart and capital cities of its island home--the essential prerequisite

for the inauguration of yet another stage in its unfoldment.

On the morrow of the triumphant termination of the first collective

enterprise launched by that community in British Bahá'í history, its

jubilant members braced themselves, during a one-year interval, for the

initial onslaught, which they were preparing to launch, unitedly and

determinedly, far beyond the shores of their homeland amid alien,

widely diversified, politically restless, economically backward, spiritually

famished tribes and peoples, and in the course of one of the most

critical periods in human history. On the morrow of the centenary of

the martyrdom of the Prophet Herald of its Faith, this same community

had already formulated its plans, initiated its programme of publications

in various African languages, despatched its first pioneer to the heart

of that continent, forged the necessary links with its allied sister

communities participating in various enterprises in that same

continent, and established its first essential contact with divers

government agencies capable of giving their advice and assistance in

the prosecution of its historic and arduous task.
|P20

This community, so young in experience, so richly endowed by

the love and care of a departed all-powerful Master, so firmly

entrenched in the stronghold of its Administrative Order, already so

rich in prizes won in the course of the first collective enterprise

undertaken in its history, so promising in the vigour, the zeal and

devotion which it is now displaying, is faced, at the present hour, with

a grave, a sacred and inescapable responsibility--a responsibility that

will increase as the brief eighteen-month interval separating it from

the termination of its Two Year Plan speeds to a close.

|P21

Upon the discharge of this weighty responsibility now resting upon

it must depend the inauguration of yet another Plan, of longer

duration, of greater scope, of a still more challenging character, and of

greater consequence in the effect it must have on that community's

destiny.
|P22

Time is running short. The present hour in the fortunes of mankind

is critical. The centenary of the birth of the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh

is fast approaching. The British Bahá'í community must gird up its

[\P272]

loins, redouble its exertions, undertake further sacrifices, demonstrate

greater solidarity and rise to still greater heights of consecrated

devotion.
|P23

The flow of pioneers to the African Continent must be noticeably

accelerated. The provision of Bahá'í literature in all the selected

African languages must be speeded up. The ties binding the community

with its cooperating sister communities must be steadily reinforced.

The prizes already garnered as a result of the operation of the Six-Year

Plan in England, Wales, Scotland, Eire and Northern Ireland,

must, at all costs, be safeguarded. The preparations for the forthcoming

first African Teaching Conference must be carefully planned and

meticulously carried out. Above all, the zeal kindled in the breasts of

administrators, pioneers, teachers and supporters, jointly contributing

to the success of this meritorious enterprise, must burn ever more

brightly and be reflected in still more remarkable exploits.

|P24

Then, and only then, will this community be enabled to contribute

its share of tribute to the memory of the Founder of its Faith, on the

occasion of the centenary of the birth of His Prophetic Mission, in as

befitting a manner as the share it already contributed, through the

consummation of its first historic Plan, to the world-wide celebrations

which commemorated the hundredth anniversary of the founding of its

Faith. Then, and only then, will it be qualified to embark upon yet

another Crusade, whose scope will transcend the limits of the vast

African Continent, and the culmination of which might well coincide

with the Most Great Jubilee that will commemorate the centenary of

the formal assumption by Bahá'u'lláh of His prophetic office, a jubilee

envisaged by `Abdu'l-Bahá in His Tablets, and prophesied more than

two thousand years ago, by Daniel in His Book.
|P25

So glorious a vision, now unfolded before the eyes of the British

followers of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, cannot but galvanise them into

action, at once swift, resolute and unrelaxing, and fire their souls with

a spirit so consuming as to melt every obstacle that may intervene

between them and the achievement of their present goal.

|P26

May they, one and all, prove themselves, in the crucial months

immediately ahead, worthy of the blessings vouchsafed to them in the

past, and of the high destiny which it lies in their power to achieve in

the future.
|P27
Shoghi
[\P273]
|N37|P0
28 October 1951+F1
{When Ethel Stephens flew to the Gold Coast.}
|P1

ASSURE STEPHENS LOVING FERVENT PRAYERS ACCOMPANYING HER.

As I just recently sent you a long letter on behalf of the

beloved Guardian to which he appended at some length, he

wishes you to consider this reply to your letters of October 17th

(three in number) as a postscript to the other.
|P3
As regards the questions you raised:
|P4

The ideal thing would be to have at least one Bahá'í from

every territory in Africa attend the African Conference. This is

the goal to be worked for, and attained if possible, as it will

greatly stimulate the work and especially the inexperienced and

isolated believers.
|P5

The solar calendar should, by all means, be adhered to in

Africa.
|P6

He feels that your Assembly is responsible for the time being

for the work in territories not under the charge of other N.S.A.s

(Tunis, Sudan and Ethiopia are under Egyptian care).

|P7

You are not directly responsible for any work done in

territories which have been allotted to other N.S.A.s. But you

should correspond with them, and give them any help and

advice you can, both the N.S.A.s and their African Committees.

In the case of Eric Manton+, though he will be under Persia's

jurisdiction you can keep him informed of your work, so as to

cheer him up.
|P8

Only the five participating National Assemblies are responsible

directly for financing the African work. No invitations should

be extended to other bodies or individuals to contribute.

Naturally if any one wants to, they no doubt will, but it would

be, he feels, very inappropriate to broadcast any appeal. The

Africa work is not an international undertaking but an interassembly

one, confined to five national Bodies.
[\P274]
|P9

He is very pleased over the way the work is progressing, and

sends you all his loving greetings....
|P10

P.S. He thanks you for the Quarterly Report enclosed. He

reads with great interest everything related to the African work.

|N39|P0
23 November 1951+F1

{Regarding the first Intercontinental Conference.}

Your letters of November 5th and 22nd (enclosures were also

received) have been received, and the beloved Guardian has

instructed me to answer you on his behalf.
|P4

He was pleased to hear that Sir Ronald Storrs keeps up a

friendly interest in the Faith.
|P5

Regarding ... it is obvious that people like this, who have had

in some cases a smattering of Bahá'í teaching are not fully aware

of the implications of the Faith. However, this does not mean

that we should not help them and hold on to them, in the hope

of being able, as time and circumstances permit, to deepen them

and produce from them really fine believers. This has happened

on many occasions in the past, and the Guardian hopes that,

through correspondence with him, your committee--and

perhaps the Groups in Africa--will be able to accomplish this.

|P6

In response to his requests for money, you should point out to

him that as we finance entirely our own activities as our gift to

mankind, we have to harbour our resources and concentrate on

the most important expenditures. You will know what these

are; and they certainly don't include a headquarters in Nigeria.

You might also encourage him to make an effort to attend the

Africa Conference.
[\P275]
|P7

The Guardian also hopes that you will give ... every

encouragement. She is a fine soul, and no doubt, if she had time

devoted to her, would soon develop into an assured and active

believer. You should encourage her also to make every effort to

be present at the Africa Conference, and in the meantime to

correspond with believers abroad, and do her best to teach the

Cause there in spite of her handicaps.
|P8

The Guardian feels that the next step in Bahá'í literature might

well be the publication of a more comprehensive work in

Luganda and Swahili. However, he would like the Africa

Committee to undertake pamphlets in other languages as well;

let him know what languages the committee proposes.

|P9

He attaches, as you know, the greatest importance to the work

of your committee and is tremendously impressed by the

progress being made in Africa, and by the capacity, tenacity and

enthusiasm the British Africa Committee is showing in handling

its share of this extremely important campaign. His prayers are

frequently offered on your behalf.
|P10
[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty whose Cause you serve with such devotion,

ability and faithfulness, reward you abundantly for your labours,

guide you and sustain you and assist you to enrich continually the

record of your meritorious service.
|P11
Your true brother,
Shoghi
|N41|P0
19 December 1951+F1

{On 18 December 1951 the National Assembly reported to the beloved

Guardian the acceptance of two African believers in Kampala.}

|P1

DELIGHTED ASSURE THEM FERVENT PRAYERS HEARTY WELCOME

ASSURE ATTENDANTS TEACHING CONFERENCE DEEPEST LOVING

APPRECIATION ASSURANCE LOYALTY. APPEAL FERVENTLY ARISE

DETERMINEDLY STIMULATE PIONEER ACTIVITY SAFEGUARD HARD-WON

PRIZES CONSOLIDATE HOME FRONT REINFORCE AGENCIES

ADMINISTRATIVE BASE ON WHICH SUCCESS AFRICAN CAMPAIGN

INAUGURATION FUTURE PLANS EMBRACING BRITISH TERRITORIES

OTHER CONTINENTS ULTIMATELY DEPEND SUPPLICATING ABUNDANT

BLESSING.
|P3
SHOGHI
|N43|P0
16 January 1952+F1

{Reply to National Assembly's enquiry whether Hands of the Cause could

be invited to give talks at the Africa Conference.}

|P1

DELIGHTED APPROVE TALKS HANDS LOVING APPRECIATION.

Our beloved Guardian has instructed me to write you the

following:
|P3

He wishes the British National Assembly to please do all they

can to watch over the two young sons of our dear friends, Mr.

and Mrs. ..., in view of the fact that the youngest boy is little

more than a child, he needs particularly to have his spiritual

welfare safeguarded through as much contact as possible with

believers.
|P4

The wonderful services this devoted and self-sacrificing father

and mother are rendering the Faith have forced them to be

separated from their children, and hence the Guardian requests

your Assembly to please take special care of the boys.

|P5

We are all very happy to have ... here, and they have brought

most heartening reports of the progress of the work in Africa

with them....
[\P277]
|N45|P0
20 February 1952+F1

{Death of Marguerite Preston and eldest child killed in air crash returning

to Kenya.}
|P1

GRIEVE TRAGIC LOSS PRAYING FERVENTLY BEHALF DEPARTED.

|P2
SHOGHI
|N46|P0
29 February 1952
|P1

...ADVISE BUILD UP KENYA. URGE FORMATION ASSEMBLIES

KAMPALA DAR-ES-SALAAM. APPROVE SPECIAL SESSIONS FOR NATIONAL

ASSEMBLY REPRESENTATIVES OUTSIDE CONFERENCE.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N47|P0
4 March 1952
|P1

Africa Committee of the National Spiritual Assembly.

|P2
Dear Bahá'í Friends:
|P3

Your letter of the 18th of February, with enclosures, has

reached the beloved Guardian; and he has instructed me to

answer you on his behalf.
|P4

He is very pleased over the progress being made, particularly

in Uganda; and the recent pilgrimage of the dear Bananis, he

feels sure, will add a great impetus to the work there.

|P5

Regarding the matters of policy you raised in your letter, he

sees no objection to the Persian Bahá'ís,--as long as there are so

many of them, and it is unwise to concentrate too many

applicants on one country at one time as you point out,--going

to countries under the jurisdiction of other National Spiritual

Assemblies, such as Egypt and India.
|P6

He considers that it is of the greatest importance that pioneers

should have upright characters, as well as some considerable

knowledge of the Teachings. We cannot expect that every

pioneer will be a person of importance; but we must hope that

each one will be a person of worth, in his own character. This

should be pointed out to the Indian friends.
[\P278]
|P7

India should likewise make an effort to send pioneers primarily

to the territories embraced in its own part of the Plan; but if they

can make available to your committee for British territory,

some qualified Indian Bahá'ís, who for some reason cannot go to

one of the Indian National Assembly's assignments, then there is

no objection.
|P8

The Guardian thinks that it is wise not to influence ... by

sending him material which he does not at present wish to

receive. He is, judging from his letter, a sincere but immature

believer....
|P9

P.S. Your National Assembly is not responsible for Eritrea but

you may encourage any believers there.
|P10
[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty bless your high endeavours, guide and sustain

you continually, and aid you to win great victories in the service of

His Faith.
|P11
Your true brother,
Shoghi
|N48|P0
8 March 1952+F1
{Regarding Dr. and Mrs. Abbas Afnan+.}
|P1

APPROVE SHOMAIS DEPARTURE AFRICA. ABBAS RETURN PERSIA

APPRECIATE DEEPLY SELF-SACRIFICE.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N49|P0
12 March 1952
|P1

OWING RAPID PROGRESS AFRICAN CAMPAIGN ADVISE CONCENTRATION

{The National Assembly cabled the Guardian on 14 April 1952: "KAMPALA

DAR-ES-SALAAM NOW NINE ASSEMBLIES ASSURED. BELIEVE MAINTENANCE

ASSURED ALL ASSEMBLIES EXCEPT BLACKPOOL WHERE TWO GAPS REMAIN. BEG

SPECIAL PRAYERS".}
|P1
OVERJOYED PRAYING SUCCESS BLACKPOOL LOVE.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N52|P0
22 April 1952+F2
{On news of maintenance of all Assemblies.}
|P1
DELIGHTED APPRECIATE SERVICES PIONEERS.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N53|P0
29 April 1952
|P1

DEEPLY TOUCHED PLEDGE BRITISH Bahá'í COMMUNITY CONGRATULATE

VALIANT MEMBERS MARVELLOUS PROGRESS AFRICAN

CAMPAIGN CONSOLIDATION HOME FRONT OWING ATTAINMENT

OBJECTIVES ADVISE CONCENTRATE NAIROBI AIMING ESTABLISHMENT

ASSEMBLY LEADING PROMISING CENTRE BRITISH TERRITORIES

HEART EAST AFRICAN CONTINENT FERVENTLY PRAYING STILL

Your letter of April 9, 1952, has been received, and the

beloved Guardian has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.

|P4

He was most happy to see that so many of the Bahá'í youth

and their friends had gathered together for the Youth

Conference; and trusts that, from this consultation, a greater

activity amongst the Bahá'í youth of the British Isles will result.

|P5

All over the Bahá'í world, we see that not an inconsiderable

proportion of the most active and devoted pioneers are young

[\P280]

people. This is only right and proper, because they are freer,

usually, to migrate to distant lands, embark on new projects, and

withstand the trials and hardships, than older people, who have

built up family ties and professional ties.
|P6

He will pray for all of you, for your success and the deepening

of your capacities in the service of Bahá'u'lláh.
|P7
[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty bless and sustain you in your meritorious

activities and aid you to achieve great victories in the service of His

Faith,
|P8
Your true brother,
Shoghi
|N55|P0
3 June 1952
|P1

I gratefully acknowledge receipt of the sum of 200 Sterling from

my dear Bahá'í co-workers, British Bahá'í community to be expended

for the promotion of the international interests of the Bahá'í Faith.

|P2
Shoghi
|N56|P0
3 June 1952
|P1

I gratefully acknowledge receipt of the sum of 300 Sterling from

my dear Bahá'í co-workers, British Bahá'í community to be expended

Your letter of May 16th has been received, and the beloved

Guardian has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.

|P4

He has read with great interest the reports which your

committee sends him regularly, because as you know the work

in Africa is to him one of the most important activities going on

in the Bahá'í world, and very close to his heart.
[\P281]
|P5

He was very sorry to hear from the recent cable sent him that

there is a question about the Kampala Conference, and whether

arrangements can be made for it to be held there. Undoubtedly

there is an increasingly negative attitude toward our work

growing up amongst the officials, probably due to the lack of

racial discrimination they are coming to realise is one of our

fundamental teachings, a teaching carried into action, and not

merely a pious hope.... He wishes you to keep him informed

about this and the progress being made.
|P6

Your suggested souvenir booklet sounds interesting, and he

urges you to consider the wisdom of including a photograph of

Mr. Gregory, First Negro Hand of the Cause, in addition to the

others.
|P7

As regards the latest progress photo of the Shrine Mr. Ted

Cardell+ took a great many pictures here, which the Guardian

told him he could share with the Bahá'ís anywhere in the world;

and it seems as if, exclusive of the work on the drum, which will

begin showing distinctly in about two months' time, the best

possible photograph you can obtain of the Shrine at present

would be one of Ted's. You should therefore apply to him for

one.
|P8

The Guardian is very anxious that, during the coming months,

the Africa Committee and the Bahá'ís should concentrate their

efforts on establishing an Assembly in Kenya, and hopes that you

will be able to direct pioneers to Nairobi as soon as possible.

|P9

The Guardian considers that it is premature at this time to

answer your question about consultation at the Africa Conference,

between people from territories which will come under

the jurisdiction of the East and Central Africa National Spiritual

Assembly. He is so overworked and tired at the moment that he

has not been able to go into the entire question of the Inter-Continental

Conferences, the countries which will come under

the jurisdiction of various future national bodies, etc. He hopes

that he will be able, during the coming months, to do this, and

if he feels it wise, will advise you by cable concerning a

consultation such as you suggest, at the Conference.

|P10

He assures all the members of your committee of his deep

appreciation of the work they are doing, and of his loving

prayers for their success....
|P11

P.S. Your personal letter of May 17th was received, and he

[\P282]

assures you not only of how deeply he admires the spirit you and

your husband have, and the work you accomplish, but of his

loving prayers that you may be given strength to carry out this

work.
|P12

Mr. ... evidently is very immature and has no real concept of

the Faith; this does not mean, however, that we should abandon

him as a contact or let him become the prey of the New History

Society. We should keep in friendly touch until someone can see

him.
|P13
[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty Whose Cause you and your co-workers are

serving with such an exemplary spirit of devotion, fidelity and

perseverance, reward you for your meritorious labours, remove all

obstacles from your path and enable you to win great victories in the

The beloved Guardian has received your letters of October 3,

October 27 (4), November 5, 9, 22 (2), 24 and 29, December 6,

19 (4) and 21, 1951, and January 1, 2, 7, 11, 16, 17, 20 and 29

(3), February 1, 16, 20 (3), 27 (2) and February 29, March 5 and

14, April 3, 15 and 24, May 5, 13, 19 (2), 27 and 31, and June

6th, 10th and June 12, 1952, and he has instructed me to answer

you on his behalf. He also has received the various enclosures

which you sent with these letters....
|P3

The book you sent from the friends in Bahrein was received,

and pleased the beloved Guardian very much, as the lines are

written in the handwriting of Bahá'u'lláh at the beginning of the

book. (This answers your question in your letter of June 6th.)

|P4

It brought great joy to his heart to see that you were able to

maintain all assemblies in spite of the heavy odds against you. It

demonstrates to him once more the tenacity and devotion of the

British Bahá'ís, which is rapidly becoming one of the great assets

of the Faith in its process of international expansion....

|P5

The wonderful spirit shown by Dr. Afnan and his wife is

[\P283]

certainly an example to all pioneers. He hopes that Mrs. Afnan

will settle herself successfully in Africa, and soon be able to have

her husband join her.
|P6

He was very happy to hear that the Teaching Conference has

been so successful. Undoubtedly the dedication of the friends to

their tasks at that time facilitated the achievement of their goals

in April....
|P7

The Guardian would like to assure your Assembly of his

loving prayers for dear Mr. Sam Scott, who pioneered at such a

ripe age, and who is surely receiving his reward in the Abha

Kingdom.+F1

{From Leeds to Norwich at age 84 and died at age 86.}

|P8

He considers it advisable that all believers living in Africa,

even those who did so before the beginning of the Plan, should

have some form of credentials....
|P9

Your suggestion of inaugurating the Holy Year next Ridvan

and continuing on until October, 1953, with celebrations, meets

with his approval.
|P10

As regards the Africa campaign: this enterprise, so enthusiastically

carried on, has been throughout this past year the greatest

source of joy to the heart of the beloved Guardian. The visits of

the dear Bananis and Ted Cardell, the news they brought and the

general progress of the work, have made Africa seem right next

door to Haifa! The formation of the Dar-es-Salaam and Kampala

Assemblies was also a great satisfaction to him.
|P11

He urges you to now concentrate on an Assembly for Nairobi

by next April. This should not be too difficult of achievement in

view of the devoted efforts of Mr. Cardell and the pioneers eager

to go there.
|P12

As regards your question about Somaliland: any one of the

three Somalilands may be chosen as a goal territory.

|P13

In this connection, he feels that Persian pioneers should be

accepted for any and all territories; they are arising in large

numbers to offer their services, and it is a great pity that these

dedicated and eager friends are so restricted as regards settlement.

Your Assembly should do all in its power to facilitate placing

them.
|P14

The Guardian feels that although the Conference planned for

Kampala is primarily a Conference and in no sense a Convention

[\P284]

(having no delegates), there is no objection to the representatives

of various N.S.A.s who may attend meeting in separate sessions

for more special and concentrated consultation. Any Hands of

the Cause attending could also be included in this private

discussion.
|P15

He feels that now more than ever the British friends have

every reason to feel proud of their accomplishments and happy

over the very evident bestowals from the Throne on High. They

have found, after half a century of development, scope for their

abilities, and a field large enough to distinguish themselves in,

and they are certainly taking advantage of it, much to the delight

of the Guardian and their fellow-Bahá'ís.
|P16

You may be sure that he remembers you all in his prayers, and

also the body of the faithful believers you serve to such good

purpose.
|P17

He would like you to please thank, on his behalf, the friends

who so devotedly contribute to the construction of the Holy

Shrine....
|P18

P.S. As regards Bahá'í divorce as mentioned in your letters of

June 12th: Bahá'ís (whether one party or both are believers)

should follow the Bahá'í law of divorce, i.e. one year of waiting,

and not neglect this divinely given law. Whether they were

Bahá'ís when they married or not has nothing to do with it.

|P19

In connection with the budget, mentioned in your letter of

June 10th, he feels, in the future, you should not set a budget

which the resources of the community are unable to meet;

however, owing to the crucial Africa work and the forthcoming

Conference, he realises you had at this time no other choice. He

is going to arrange for one thousand pounds to be sent to your

Assembly in order to meet the needs of the Conference and the

literature in African languages still to be published. The

remaining translations should be pressed forward in order to be

ready for the Conference next year.
|P20
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P21

The Two Year Plan on which the British Bahá'í community has

embarked bids fair, as it approaches its conclusion, to eclipse, however

short its duration, the exploits of that community throughout the

length and breadth of the British Isles, in the course of the prosecution

of the first collective enterprise undertaken in British Bahá'í history.

[\P285]

This second historic undertaking marks the inauguration of the

Mission entrusted to this community for the purpose of diffusing the

Message of Bahá'u'lláh and of implanting its banner through successive

stages, and in collaboration with its sister communities, not only in the

territories of the British Crown in the African Continent, but

throughout the dependencies of a widely scattered Empire in the

remaining continents of the globe. It may well be regarded as a

befitting prelude to the official participation of this community in the

Ten Year, world-encircling Crusade, designed to signalise the

celebration of the hundredth anniversary of the birth of Bahá'u'lláh's

Mission, involving the systematic co-operation of no less than twelve

National Assemblies throughout the Bahá'í world, and destined to

culminate in the Most Great Jubilee that will, God willing, witness

the introduction of the Faith into all the Sovereign States, the Chief

Dependencies and Islands of the entire planet.
|P22

In the conduct of this world-encompassing task, so vast in scope, so

thrilling in its possibilities, so formidable in its potentialities, the

British Bahá'í community will be called upon to play a preponderating

role, in conjunction with the American Bahá'í community, acting as

the Chief Custodians of `Abdu'l-Bahá'í Master Plan, and seconded by

its sister communities in the British Dominions in both hemispheres,

in awakening the peoples, races and nations comprising the British

Commonwealth and Empire to the redemptive Message of Bahá'u'lláh,

and in establishing, on an unassailable foundation, the structural basis

of His World Order.
|P23

The diversity of functions which the assumption of this task will

involve; the privileges and bounties it will, of a certainty, confer on its

prosecutors; the degree of dedication, the amount of preparation it will

require for its proper discharge; the severe strain it must necessarily

impose on all those who will shoulder its burdens; the gravity of the

manifold problems it will raise; the severe challenge with which they

who will arise to carry it out will be confronted--as witnessed by the

delicate and complicated situation that has already arisen in the initial

stage of this historic Mission in the heart of Africa, in connection with

the holding of the projected inter-continental conference--all these

must be carefully pondered in preparation for the launching, at its

appointed time, of an undertaking that will constitute, not only a

milestone of the utmost significance in the history of the Faith in the

British Isles, but will also be hailed by posterity as a landmark of

peculiar significance in British history.
[\P286]
|P24

Whilst the small band of wholly dedicated, patiently labouring,

much admired, greatly promising followers and supporters of the Faith,

in England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland, contemplate, from their

respective homelands, the grandeur of their future task, dwell on its

sacred character, and meditate on the wide range of its problems,

possibilities, perils and glories, let them devote particular and sustained

attention to the imperative needs, the urgent requirements of their no

less important and vital mission at home, in their boroughs and

counties, amidst their own people, and strain every nerve to reinforce,

through a rapid increase in their numbers, through a steady

multiplication of their administrative institutions, through a systematic

consolidation of the structure of the edifice they are raising within the

borders of their native land, their respective communities, which must

be regarded as the base for the future operations that will be conducted

by the members of these communities, under the guidance of their

elected representatives, for the spiritual conquest and the ultimate

redemption of the nations, tribes and races owing allegiance to the

British Crown.
|P25

With every forward step taken by this stalwart community in the

path of service to the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh, with every signal victory

achieved for the promulgation of His Faith, a new revelation of the

glorious Mission which this community is privileged to undertake is

unfolded before the eyes of its members and a wider vista of the future

range of its operations, both at home and overseas, opens before it.

With every complication that arises in the course of its unfolding

Mission, with even every seeming reverse it meets with, as its destiny

unfolds, a clearer understanding of the character of its stewardship to

the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh is vouchsafed to its members, a greater measure

of His sustaining grace is poured forth from on high, a more compelling

evidence of His all-conquering power is evinced, and a more majestic

assertion of His mysterious purpose is demonstrated.

|P26

The potent seeds a loving and vigilant Master sowed with His

Own hands, in the course of a twice repeated visit to the homeland of

this community, are now, after having lain dormant for almost a

quarter of a century, at long last, sprouting throughout the length and

breadth of the British Isles, and are even revealing the potency of their

regenerative power, through the instrumentality of those valiant

pioneers, who, faithful to His Call and dedicated to His service, are

leaving the shores of those islands to settle in the territories of a far-away

and backward continent. Amidst their arduous labours, in their

[\P287]

contact with the heterogeneous tribes and races dwelling in that

continent, in their dealings with the civil authorities of divers countries

and states within whose jurisdiction they will labour, in their struggle

with an inhospitable climate, in the hazards to which they will be

inevitably exposed, in the adventures they may experience, in the

reverses they may temporarily suffer, in the opposition they will meet

with, in the tests and trials they will undergo, His unfailing guidance

will be vouchsafed to them in direct proportion to the degree of their

consecration to their task, and the perseverance, the courage and fidelity

they will display as they discharge their duties.
|P27

The remarkable success that has attended their high endeavours

since the initiation of their first collective enterprise within the confines

of their native land, the still more notable evidence of God's sustaining

grace that has accompanied the opening of the first stage of their

Mission overseas, are sufficient proof of the tremendous potency of the

forces at work for the purpose of ensuring the unrestricted expansion

of their future activities within and beyond the frontiers of their island

home, and the ultimate consummation of their magnificent enterprise.

|P28

In the months immediately ahead, the strongholds of the Faith

erected, in the form of local assemblies, and already established in

Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England, must be maintained at all costs

in their present strength; the groups and isolated centres already

brought into being must, under no circumstances, be allowed to decrease

in number or be lost to the Faith; the translation and publication of

pamphlets in the languages already selected must be vigorously pushed

forward and completed; the centre in the capital of Kenya must be

assiduously expanded; the preparations for the projected inter-continental

Conference must be carefully carried out; the effective

participation of the representatives of the British Bahá'í community in

the Stockholm inter-continental Conference must be ensured; and all

the preparatory steps, required for the effectual collaboration of the

members of this community in the global crusade, destined to be

launched on the morrow of the world-wide celebrations of the

approaching Holy Year, should, to whatever extent possible, be

undertaken.
|P29

There is no time to lose. The issues at stake call for immediate

action, demand unrelaxing vigilance, undivided attention, and a

consecration unexampled in the annals of the Faith in the British

Isles. Though the number of those summoned to shoulder so immense

a task be dishearteningly small, though the resources at their disposal

[\P288]

be meagre, though the cares and preoccupations of the peoples amidst

whom they live are such as to often blind them to the Faith and its

healing message, yet the position they occupy and the responsibilities

devolving upon them in the heart and centre of a world-wide empire,

the manifold tokens of esteem and loving-kindness showered upon

them during the infancy of this community by the Centre of God's

Covenant; the inherent qualities of tenacity of purpose, of exemplary

fidelity, of perspicacity that distinguishes the race to which they belong,

must inspire hope and confidence in their future, and fully entitles

them to play a leading role in the future proclamation of the Message

of Bahá'u'lláh to the multitudes that live beneath the shadow of the

British Crown.
|P30

That they may become increasingly conscious of the sublimity of

their task; that they may address themselves to it with their

characteristic zeal, ability, intelligence and fervour; that they may

speedily acquire the spiritual potentialities for the initiation of a still

more momentous stage in the unfoldment of their historic Mission;

that they may earn increasingly, through their superb feats, the

unqualified admiration of their brethren in every continent of the globe

and prove themselves worthy of the bounties already received and those

which, we may well believe, are held in store for them, is my cherished

hope and constant prayer.
|P31
Shoghi
|N59|P0
15 June 1952+F1

{On 9 January 1951 the Guardian announced the formation of the first

International Bahá'í Council, hailing it as "the greatest event shedding

lustre upon second epoch of Formative Age..." and on 8 March 1952 he

enlarged it and named its eight members. Hand of the Cause Leroy Ioas was

appointed Secretary General and as such wrote frequently to the British

National Spiritual Assembly. He wrote more frequently, however, conveying

messages from the Guardian, requesting information, sharing news, etc.,

signing his letters "Assistant Secretary". This was the first letter of

this kind. His letters are now included wherever he indicates that he is

writing on behalf of the Guardian.}
|P1
Dear Bahá'í Friends,
|P2

The beloved Guardian has instructed me to write you in his

behalf, to request that information relating to the British Isles

and their activities, contained in the booklet "The Bahá'í Faith"

[\P289]

`Information Statistical and Comparative' be brought up to date

as of May 1 1952, and sent to him here by the first possible air

mail post.
|P3

One of the features of the Holy Year will be the re-issuance of

this important book; inasmuch as the Holy Year is fast

approaching the Guardian wishes the information as quickly as

possible.
|P4

Briefly, the information which your N.S.A. is to provide,

brought up to date of May 1, 1952, is as follows:
|P5

Incorporated local spiritual assemblies in the British Isles.

|P6

Bahá'í Centres in the British Isles, showing, if possible, the

division between local spiritual assemblies, Groups and Isolated

Believers.
|P7

Any information not immediately available should be handled

by telegraph, but such information as is available should not be

delayed for any one or two delinquents. You can appreciate that

if the booklet is to be published early in the Holy Year, the

information should reach the Guardian at a very early date.

|P8

The Guardian sends his loving greetings to the National

Assembly and its devoted members....
|N60|P0
29 August 1952+F1
{Reply to Summer School.}
|P1

DEEPLY TOUCHED PROFOUNDLY APPRECIATE NOBLE SENTIMENTS

PRAYING FULFILMENT HIGH DESTINY DEEPEST LOVE.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N61|P0
15 October 1952+F2

{Reply to greetings of N.S.A. at beginning of Holy Year.}

|P1

PROFOUNDLY APPRECIATE MESSAGE ARDENTLY PRAYING BRITISH

COMMUNITY MAY ARISE BEFITTINGLY DISCHARGE GREAT TASKS

AHEAD.
|P2
SHOGHI
[\P290]
|N62|P0
20 November 1952+F1

{On completion of nine African Pamphlets, a goal of the Two Year Plan.}

MAINTENANCE GROUPS ISOLATED CENTRES ADVISABLE THOUGH

NOT ESSENTIAL PART PLAN.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N64|P0
To Entire Bahá'í World, 5 January 1953
|P1

REJOICE SHARE Bahá'í COMMUNITIES EAST WEST THRILLING

REPORTS FEATS ACHIEVED HEROIC BAND Bahá'í PIONEERS LABOURING

DIVERS WIDELY-SCATTERED AFRICAN TERRITORIES PARTICULARLY

UGANDA HEART CONTINENT REMINISCENT ALIKE EPISODES

RELATED BOOK ACTS RAPID DRAMATIC PROPAGATION FAITH INSTRUMENTALITY

DAWN-BREAKERS HEROIC AGE Bahá'í DISPENSATION

MARVELLOUS ACCOMPLISHMENTS SIGNALISING RISE ESTABLISHMENT

ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER FAITH LATIN AMERICA ECLIPSED EXPLOITS

IMMORTALISING RECENTLY LAUNCHED CRUSADE EUROPEAN CONTINENT

SURPASSED GOAL SEVEN-MONTH PLAN INITIATED KAMPALA

ASSEMBLY AIMING DOUBLING TWELVE ENROLLED BELIEVERS OUT-STRIPPED

NUMBER AFRICANS CONVERTED COURSE LAST FIFTEEN

MONTHS RESIDING KAMPALA OUTLYING DISTRICTS PROTESTANT

CATHOLIC PAGAN BACKGROUNDS LETTERED UNLETTERED BOTH

SEXES REPRESENTATIVE NO LESS SIXTEEN TRIBES PASSED TWO

HUNDRED MARK.
|P2

EFFULGENT RAYS GOD'S TRIUMPHANT CAUSE RADIATING FOCAL

CENTRE FAST AWAKENING CONTINENT PENETRATING ACCELERATING

RATE ISOLATED REGIONS UNFREQUENTED WHITE MEN ENVELOPING

THEIR RADIANCE SOULS HITHERTO INDIFFERENT PERSISTENT

HUMANITARIAN ACTIVITIES CHRISTIAN MISSIONS CIVILISING INFLUENCE

CIVIL AUTHORITIES NO LESS NINE LOCALITIES QUALIFIED

[\P291]

ATTAIN COMING Ridvan ASSEMBLY STATUS WITHIN SINGLE

TERRITORY LONG-SLUMBERING CONTINENT.
|P3
ZANZIBAR MADAGASCAR FRENCH MOROCCO SOUTH RHODESIA

ITALIAN SOMALILAND ALREADY OR SOON BE OPENED FAITH.

|P4

DESIRE PAY SPECIAL TRIBUTE STRENUOUS EFFORTS EXERTED ALI

NAKHJAVANI SETTING EXAMPLE DEDICATION FREEDOM PREJUDICE

FELLOW PIONEERS LABOURING INHOSPITABLE SURROUNDINGS CONFRONTED

MANIFOLD FORMIDABLE OBSTACLES.
|P5
PLANNING ENTRUST SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE DELEGATED

ATTEND APPROACHING KAMPALA CONFERENCE PORTRAIT HOLY

BÁB REPLICA ONE DEPOSITED BENEATH DOME MASHRIQU'L-ADHKAR

WILMETTE TO BE EXHIBITED ASSEMBLED ATTENDANTS HISTORIC

OCCASION CONFIDENT UNVEILING MAY DRAW NEWLY RECRUITED

VANGUARD EVER-SWELLING HOST Bahá'u'lláh AS WELL AS ALL

PARTICIPATING VISITORS ITINERANT TEACHERS SETTLERS CLOSER

SPIRIT MARTYR-PROPHET FAITH BESTOW EVERLASTING BENEDICTION

ALL GATHERED MEMORABLE SESSIONS EPOCH-MAKING INTER-CONTINENTAL

CONFERENCE DEDICATED PROSECUTION LATEST MOST

GLORIOUS CRUSADE LAUNCHED COURSE ELEVEN DECADES BAHA'I

HISTORY.
|P6
SHOGHI
|N65|P0
8 January 1953 (Teaching Conference)
|P1

MOVED PLACE RECORD EXPRESSION ABIDING APPRECIATION

NOTABLE CONTRIBUTION BRITISH Bahá'í PIONEERS MAGNIFICENT

SUCCESS HISTORIC ENTERPRISE LAUNCHED AFRICAN CONTINENT

COURSE TWO YEAR PLAN FORMULATED BRITISH Bahá'í COMMUNITY.

GOALS FIRST EPOCH-MAKING STAGE GLORIOUS OVERSEAS MISSION

FOLLOWERS Bahá'u'lláh BRITISH ISLES NOBLY ACHIEVED. APPEAL

ATTENDANTS CONFERENCE FOCUS ATTENTION FLEETING MONTHS

AHEAD CONSOLIDATION HOMEFRONT CONSTITUTING NO LESS VITAL

PHASE SECOND COLLECTIVE ENTERPRISE BRITISH Bahá'í HISTORY.

URGE PARTICIPANTS RESOLVE UPON RETURN RESPECTIVE COMMUNITIES

EXERT UTMOST FAN FLAME PIONEERING SPIRIT UTILISE

EVERY AVAILABLE MEANS ENSURE ALL ASPECTS TRIUMPHANT

CONSUMMATION PLAN. TOTAL SUCCESS INTERNAL EXTERNAL PHASES

PRESENT UNDERTAKING WILL CONSTITUTE BEFITTING CONTRIBUTION

STEADFASTLY LABOURING HIGHLY ESTEEMED TENACIOUSLY
[\P292]

LOYAL BRITISH Bahá'í COMMUNITY WORLD WIDE CELEBRATIONS

HOLY YEAR PAVE WAY EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATION ITS MEMBERS

IMPENDING TEN YEAR CRUSADE MARKING OPENING THIRD COLLECTIVE

ENTERPRISE INAUGURATED SINCE INCEPTION FAITH BRITISH

ISLES SIGNALISING SECOND MEMORABLE STAGE THEIR UNFOLDING

MISSION FOREIGN FIELDS DESTINED EMBRACE TERRITORIES BRITISH

CROWN BOTH AFRICAN EUROPEAN CONTINENTS. PRAYING FERVENTLY

ATTAINMENT OBJECTIVES ULTIMATE ACHIEVEMENT DISTANT

GOALS.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N66|P0
15 January 1953 (Teaching Conference)
|P1

DEEPLY TOUCHED MESSAGE APPRECIATE REDEDICATION PRAYING

GLORIOUS SUCCESS.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N67|P0
28 January 1953
|P1

ADVISE MODIFY LIST LANGUAGES. KINDLY AIRMAIL IMMEDIATELY

EXPLANATION AMERICAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY FOR MODIFICATION

THEIR MANUSCRIPT.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N68|P0
1 February 1953
|P1

ADVISE ASSEMBLY'S REPRESENTATIVES ATTENDING KAMPALA CONFERENCE

ENSURE NO ONE PHOTOGRAPHS Báb'S PORTRAIT DURING

DISPLAY. SENDING COLOUR FILM SHRINES ARRANGE PROVIDE

YOUR ASSEMBLY HENCEFORTH CONSULTATIVE BODY ONLY FOR

Enclosed please find the Guardian's Convention Message.

|P3

As there are a great many African languages enumerated, and

the spelling is very involved, the Guardian has decided to Air

Mail you this message, rather than have it cabled, which was his

original intention.
|P4

Please cable immediately you receive this letter, acknowledging

it, so that the Guardian will know his Convention Message

is in your hands. Otherwise he will of course have to cable it

from here.
|P5

He is eagerly awaiting the report of the African Conference,

which he has not received to date....
|P6

P.S. Your letter regarding a rug supposedly owned by

Bahá'u'lláh coming up for sale, has just been received, and the

Guardian feels that he cannot possibly authenticate this rug as

having belonged at any time to Bahá'u'lláh. It may of course be

quite true that it did. He leaves it to the discretion of your

Assembly to decide whether you wish to purchase it or not.

|N72|P0
8 April 1953
|P1

APPEAL ENTIRE COMMUNITY EXERT SUPREME EFFORT ELEVENTH

HOUR SEAL SUCCESS PLAN ASSURE LOVING FERVENT PRAYERS.

WARMLY CONGRATULATE ASSEMBLED DELEGATES Bahá'í COMMUNITY

BRITISH ISLES CELEBRATING MOST GREAT FESTIVAL HOLY YEAR

ON MAGNIFICENT VICTORIES ACHIEVED AFRICAN CONTINENT

EXCEEDING HIGHEST HOPES PLAN FORMULATED TWO YEARS AGO

ORIGINALLY CONCEIVED MERE PRELUDE AFRICAN CAMPAIGN

ASSUMED SUCH PROPORTIONS YIELDED SUCH FRUIT DESERVE BE

REGARDED DISTINCT STAGE CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED BRITISH BAHA'I

COMMUNITY BEYOND BORDERS HOMELAND SIX YEAR PLAN FIRST

COLLECTIVE UNDERTAKING BRITISH Bahá'í HISTORY LAID BROADENED

FOUNDATIONS ADMINISTRATIVE INSTITUTIONS DESTINED

DIRECT OPERATION FUTURE OVERSEAS ENTERPRISES BRITISH BAHA'I

COMMUNITY TWO YEAR PLAN INAUGURATED WITHIN AFRICAN

CONTINENT GLORIOUS MISSION SAME COMMUNITY CALLED UPON

ACCOMPLISH THROUGHOUT BRITISH DEPENDENCIES EASTERN WESTERN

HEMISPHERES HOUR PROPITIOUS TRIUMPHANT RICHLY BLESSED

BRITISH NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY PARTICIPATE ELEVEN

SISTER NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES EAST WEST IMPENDING WORLD

SPIRITUAL CRUSADE THROUGH LAUNCHING TEN YEAR PLAN

EMBRACING THREE CONTINENTS GLOBE CALCULATED CARRY STAGE

FURTHER THEIR OWN PARTICULAR CRUSADE THROUGHOUT NUMEROUS

WIDELY SCATTERED HIGHLY DIVERSIFIED COLONIES

PROTECTORATES BRITISH EMPIRE HASTEN DAY BE ABLE ASSUME

PREPONDERATING SHARE SUCH VAST HIGHLY MERITORIOUS
PIONEERING ENTERPRISE.
|P2

MOMENTOUS PLAN WHICH COURSE COMING DECADE SEPARATING

THEM MOST GREAT JUBILEE WILL DEMAND COMPLETE SUSTAINED

CONSECRATION TWOFOLD TASK CONSOLIDATION FAITH ENGLAND

SCOTLAND WALES IRELAND ITS PROPAGATION BEYOND ISLAND

HOME INVOLVES
|P3

FIRST OPENING FOLLOWING VIRGIN TERRITORIES: SEVEN

EUROPE--CHANNEL ISLANDS, CYPRUS, FAROE ISLANDS,
HEBRIDES ISLANDS, MALTA, ORKNEY ISLANDS,
SHETLAND ISLANDS; FOUR AFRICA--BRITISH CAMEROONS,
BRITISH TOGOLAND, MADEIRA, SOUTH WEST
AFRICA.
|P4

SECOND CONSOLIDATION FAITH FOLLOWING TERRITORIES:

NINE AFRICA--ANGOLA, BELGIAN CONGO, GOLD
[\P298]
COAST, KENYA, NIGERIA, SIERRA LEONE, TANGANYIKA,
UGANDA, ZULULAND; EUROPE--EIRE; ASIA--
HONG-KONG.
|P5

THIRD ESTABLISHMENT NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY

Bahá'ís CENTRAL EAST AFRICA.
|P6

FOURTH PURCHASE LAND ANTICIPATION CONSTRUCTION

MASHRIQU'L-ADHKAR KAMPALA.
|P7

FIFTH ESTABLISHMENT NATIONAL HAZIRATU'L-QUDS

LONDON.
|P8

SIXTH CONVERSION INTO NATIONAL INSTITUTION LOCAL

HAZIRATU'L-QUDS KAMPALA.
|P9

SEVENTH INCORPORATION NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY

Bahá'ís CENTRAL EAST AFRICA.
|P10

EIGHTH ESTABLISHMENT NATIONAL ENDOWMENTS BRITISH

ISLES.
|P11

NINTH ESTABLISHMENT NATIONAL ENDOWMENTS BY NATIONAL

SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY Bahá'ís CENTRAL EAST
AFRICA.
|P12

TENTH TRANSLATION Bahá'í LITERATURE THIRTY-ONE AFRICAN

LANGUAGES: ACCRA, AFRIKAANS, ALADIAN,
ASHANTI, BANU, BEMBA, BUA, CHUANA, GIO, GU,
JIENG, JOLOF, KUANYAMA, KRONGO, KROO, LIUMBI,
MALAGASY, NUBIAN, PEDI, POPO, RONGA, SENA,
SHILHA, SHONA, SOBO, SUTO, WONGO, XOSA,
YALUNKA, YAO, ZULU.
|P13

ELEVENTH DOUBLING NUMBER SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES LOCALITIES

BRITISH ISLES.
|P14

TWELFTH INCORPORATION NINETEEN ASSEMBLIES ENGLAND,

SCOTLAND, WALES, IRELAND.
|P15

THIRTEENTH ESTABLISHMENT ISRAEL BRANCH NATIONAL SPIRITUAL

ASSEMBLY BRITISH ISLES.
|P16

FOURTEENTH FORMATION EUROPEAN, ASIAN TEACHING COMMITTEES,

DESIGNED STIMULATE, CO-ORDINATE TEACHING
ACTIVITIES PLAN.
|P17

ARDENTLY PRAYING DECADE LONG CRUSADE CULMINATING HUNDREDTH

ANNIVERSARY DECLARATION FAITH Bahá'u'lláh MAY

WITNESS BOTH ADMINISTRATIVE TEACHING FIELDS HOME FRONT AS

WELL AS BEYOND CONFINES BRITISH ISLES FRUITION SEEDS HAND

CENTRE COVENANT SO LOVINGLY PATIENTLY SOWED COURSE TWICE

REPEATED VISIT HEART BRITISH EMPIRE. MAY IT LIKEWISE CARRY

[\P299]

TRIUMPHANT CONCLUSION INITIAL EPOCH UNFOLDMENT WORLD-WIDE

MISSION ENTRUSTED BRITISH Bahá'í COMMUNITY AMIDST

PEOPLES RACES DWELLING DEPENDENCIES BRITISH CROWN SCATTERED

THROUGHOUT FIVE CONTINENTS GLOBE.
|P18
SHOGHI
|N75|P0
28 April 1953 (Convention)
|P1

GREATLY VALUE NOBLE SENTIMENTS HAND CAUSE DELEGATES

FRIENDS FERVENTLY PRAYING SHRINES VALIANT BRITISH BAHA'I

COMMUNITY PLAY MEMORABLE PART WORLD CRUSADE FULFIL

HISTORIC MISSION. DEEPEST LOVE.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N76|P0
13 May 1953
|P1

URGE FULL FLEDGED Bahá'í ASSEMBLIES BRITISH TERRITORIES

UGANDA TANGANYIKA KENYA NOW REGARDED MOST POWERFUL

PILLARS SWIFTLY EMERGING STEADILY CONSOLIDATING HIGHLY

PROMISING AFRICAN Bahá'í COMMUNITY SET GLORIOUS EXAMPLE

THROUGH PROMPT MEASURES INITIATION EXTENSION WORK

THROUGH DESPATCH SURPLUS MEMBERS LOCAL COMMUNITIES

INCLUDING AFRICANS NEIGHBOURING TERRITORIES FRENCH SOMALILAND

RUANDA URUNDI MADAGASCAR FRENCH BELGIAN CONGO

COMORO ISLANDS EVEN ALGERIA MOROCCO ACCELERATING THEREBY

PROCESS FORMATION LOCAL ASSEMBLIES ESTABLISHMENT NATIONAL

ASSEMBLY CENTRAL EAST AFRICA ADDING FRESH LAURELS CROWN

URGE IMMEDIATE STEPS PUBLICATION PAMPHLETS AFRICAN LANGUAGES.

APPROVE APPROACH NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES FINANCIAL

ASSISTANCE. MYSELF CONTRIBUTING THOUSAND POUNDS MERITORIOUS

Your letters of June 27, August 4, August 18, September 19,

October 9 and November 27, 1952, with enclosures, have been

received, and the beloved Guardian has instructed me to answer

you on his behalf.
|P4

Your letter of May 25th has also been received. He of course

meant French Equatorial Africa, but condensed it for the sake of

the cable. The Belgian Congo is naturally separate.

|P5

As many of your questions and reports dealt with pre-Conference

complications, which, thanks to the grace of

Bahá'u'lláh, were all satisfactorily removed, I will not touch

upon them in this letter.
|P6

The Guardian was immensely pleased and relieved when it

became clear that the Bahá'ís had obtained visas for Uganda, and

were attending in large numbers, and that hotel accommodation

was available.
|P7

From the report he has received from Mr. Ioas and pilgrims,

the Conference was undoubtedly a tremendous success, and

befittingly inaugurated the round of celebrations during this

Holy Year.
|P8

It is a great pity that there should have been so much

unfavourable publicity connected with the public meeting

associated with the Conference, and its attendance. One cannot,

however, help but feel that such an attitude was inevitable sooner

or later, because there is no doubt that the missionaries are

beginning to feel the keenest resentment and a certain degree of

alarm, due to the success of our teaching methods in Africa.

[\P301]
|P9

Your committee will no doubt face, in the days to come,

many grave problems; but the Guardian feels sure that, whatever

happens, and whatever attacks are made upon the Faith and its

pioneers, the net result cannot but be good for us in the long run,

and can only serve to hasten the spread of the Cause.

|P10

He feels that your committee has every right to feel immensely

proud, and grateful to God, for the success of your unremitting

labours over such a long period of time.
|P11

He was most happy to hear that Mr. Dudley Smith Kutendele

is planning to go and teach the Faith in Nyasaland, and will pray

that his efforts may meet with success in the end.

|P12

Your understanding of the treatment of polygamist converts

to the Faith is quite correct, but of course if anyone who is a

Bahá'í wishes to marry more than one wife, he cannot do so. If

they should disobey this law, then the cases must be handled in

the same way as the Persians do, which is that these persons who

become polygamists, break the laws of marriage.
|P13

As regards your question about the proper designation for the

huts which will be used by the believers in villages, as Baha'i

Centres, he thinks that, for the time being, until a more dignified

structure can be erected, they should be called "Bahá'í Centre",

and not Haziratu'l-Quds--the correct name is Haziratu'l-Quds

and not Hazira.
|P14

He was immensely pleased over the example shown by Enos

Epyeru, in withdrawing from political affiliation, and feels that

some of the African friends are showing a most exemplary spirit

of devotion and loyalty. He feels that a great potential strength

lies in these new African believers.
|P15

No doubt your committee will be faced with problems, due

to the inexperience of some of these people in administrative

matters, but, through loving guidance, and the wisdom of those

who are associated with them on the spot, these minor things can

be satisfactorily taken care of, and the main thing, the

establishment of assemblies and groups, be carried out

successfully.
|P16

The Guardian was indeed delighted over Ali Nakhjavani's

trip to the Teso district. The purity of his spirit, the intensity of

his devotion, and the longing in his heart to bring the Faith to his

African brothers, all of which he so clearly showed forth in his

actions, were no doubt the great factors which enkindled the

[\P302]

first fires in the hearts of the believers in that land, and which

have spread so swiftly and have been the cause of such joy to our

beloved Guardian.
|P17

The Guardian considers that the settling of all the virgin

territories all over the world is the most important of the goals

given to any of the National Assemblies, and that it should be

given precedence. Indeed, he is hoping that the one hundred and

thirty territories still unopened may all be settled by pioneers

this year, if possible.
|P18

It is not necessary for a National Assembly to confine itself to

the placing of pioneers from its own community in its goal

areas--it may draw on other Bahá'í communities for pioneers

for its goal territories, as well, and vice versa. In other words,

pioneers from the British Isles may be sent to territories under

the administrative jurisdiction of other National Bodies than the

British National Assembly, and pioneers may be accepted for

British posts who are not members of the British community.

The important thing is to achieve the goals.
|P19

The Guardian is urging the bodies associated with the work

in Africa to disperse their forces, and not endeavour to build up

large communities. Otherwise, there will be a large number of

pioneers in one place, while other goal countries may be left

entirely without a pioneer.
|P20

As regards the translations for Africa, he has urged the

American National Spiritual Assembly, in connection with the

printing of Bahá'í literature in the languages allotted to that

continent, to give you any help it can.
|P21

The Guardian feels confident that, by proper concentration of

effort and exchange of information between the committees

responsible for getting the pioneers out to Africa, the ways and

means will be forthcoming to achieve our objectives this year.

|P22

You may rest assured that his prayers will continue to be

offered for the work you are performing, and that he most

deeply appreciates the conscientious and tireless devotion of all

the members of your committee, a devotion which has enabled

the Conference to take place with such success.
|P23
With loving Bahá'í greetings....
|P24

P.S. In reading over this letter, I see that I have not done

justice to the deep feeling of appreciation our beloved Guardian

[\P303]

has for the wonderful spirit shown by Mr. Banani and his wife,

as well as by Philip Hainsworth and Mr. and Mrs. Collison. The

services of all of those friends cannot be overestimated, nor those

of the devoted pioneers in Kenya and Tanganyika.
|P25
[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty bless, sustain and guide you in your highly

meritorious endeavours, remove all obstacles from your path, and

enable you to lend a great impetus to the historic work being achieved

Our Beloved Guardian has been greatly encouraged by reports

reaching him from all parts of the Bahá'í World, of victories,

already gained, and plans being laid for the prosecution of the

Ten Year Crusade. He was particularly pleased to learn that

some 150 people have offered to pioneer in virgin overseas areas

at the American Convention.
|P3

These reports have evoked his awe-inspiring and soul-stirring

cablegram of May 28th+F1

{Announcing "Roll of Honour" for "Knights of Bahá'u'lláh" published in

"Messages to the Bahá'í World, 1950-1957", p. 48.}

, calling for the immediate settlement

of all the 131 virgin areas of the Plan, just as quickly as possible.

He is convinced the Friends will arise and translate their

enthusiasm into Action, because the Keynote of the Crusade,

must be Action, Action, Action.
|P4

The Beloved Guardian has directed me to write your

Assembly to amplify some of the aspects of his dynamic message.

|P5

The settlement of these virgin areas is of such an emergency

nature, that he feels pioneering in one of them takes precedence

over every other type of Bahá'í service--whether it be in the

teaching or administrative fields of the Faith. So important is it

that the National Assembly may delay initiation of steps to fulfil

other phases of the Plan, until all these areas are conquered for

the Faith. Nothing, absolutely nothing, must be allowed to

interfere with the placing of pioneers in each of the 131 goal

countries.
[\P304]
|P6

There are some general observations which the Guardian

shares with you, and then some specific suggestions which are

enumerated below:
|P7

1. Every individual who has offered to pioneer, must be

encouraged in every way by the National Assembly.
|P8

2. The National Assembly should assist each pioneer, so they

may be placed in their post just as quickly as possible.

|P9

3. The handling of each application for pioneering service

must be expedited, and not allowed to be bogged down for any

reason, or in the hands of committees.
|P10

4. The National Assembly should make it their first order of

business to follow up actively this most important task. They

must make it the first order of business at each Assembly meeting

to see that each application is being progressed rapidly. This does

not mean the special committees should not handle the details,

but it does mean the Assembly itself must review each application

at each meeting and see that the pioneer gets into the field as soon

as possible.
|P11

5. A large number of pioneers should not be sent to any one

country. One, or even two, will be sufficient for the time being.

Later on, if supplementary assistance is needed, that of course can

be taken care of. The all important thing now is to get at least

one pioneer in each of the 131 virgin areas.
|P12

6. The National Assembly may exercise its prerogatives and

suggest to applicants where their services are most needed. This,

of course, applies particularly to pioneers who might wish to

settle in one area.
|P13

7. Because there have been so many applicants in America,

the Guardian has written them that they may place their pioneers

in any virgin area in the world. His objective now is to fill these

lands yet unconquered by the Hosts of Heaven and he feels the

initial impact must be made now. Thus, from whatever sources

they come, they should be placed in the field at the earliest

possible moment. Furthermore, as the Chief Executors of

Abdu'l-Bahá'í Divine Plan, He expects the Americans to bear

the brunt of the load everywhere. He has instructed the

American N.S.A. to communicate with your Assembly with

regard to pioneers to be settled in territories coming under your

assignment, as well as territories not under your assignment, but

where your Assembly can aid them in settling, particularly in

[\P305]

areas of the Commonwealth which are not under your

assignment.
|P14
The specific suggestions of the Guardian are:
|P15

(a) Areas close at hand and easy of settlement should be filled

first. Then the areas more difficult, and finally those which will

be quite difficult.
|P16

(b) Whenever a pioneer enters a new territory, a cable should

be sent at once to the Guardian, giving the name, place, and any

pertinent information.
|P17

Assembly to the Secretary-General of the International Baha'i

Council. Special matters of report nature, for the Guardian, in

connection with the plan should be sent to the Secretary-General

of the Council also.
|P18

This does not mean that any administrative matters in

connection with the settlement of pioneers, etc., should be

handled with the Council. Such matters should continue to be

handled with the Guardian direct. The Council is simply to co-ordinate

reports, consolidate them, keep maps up to date, etc., for

the Guardian, and your reports will enable them to do this.

|P19

(d) The Guardian feels the following areas are not difficult to

settle, and he thinks you should arrange for their settlement at

once; and he will appreciate cable advice of each settlement as

they take place.
|P20
Channel Islands Malta
Hebrides Islands Cyprus
Shetland Islands
|P21

(e) The Guardian has cabled you, and at his direction I have

written the Friends in Uganda, Kenya and Tanganyika of the

importance of their spreading out, and if possible sending

pioneers into the surrounding areas in Africa, such as Belgian

Congo, Ruanda Urundi, Somaliland, and even South West

Africa. He wishes you to follow up this matter closely. The

Guardian attached great importance to the Ashanti Protectorate,

and if any of the Friends can go there, particularly any Persians

you may be assisting in getting located, he will appreciate it.

|P22

As the Guardian's dramatic cable indicates, an illuminated

[\P306]

"Roll of Honour" on which will be inscribed the names of the

"Knights of Bahá'u'lláh" who first enter these 131 virgin areas,

will be placed inside the entrance door of the Inner Sanctuary of

the Tomb of Bahá'u'lláh. From time to time, the Guardian will

announce to the Bahá'í World the names of those Holy Souls

who arise under the conditions outlined in his message, and settle

these areas and conquer them for Bahá'u'lláh.
|P23

Now is the Hour for the Friends everywhere to demonstrate

the spiritual vitality of the Faith, and of their devotion. There is

no time after this moment, to settle the unconquered areas. The

Guardian is sure the Friends throughout the world, and

particularly the staunch Bahá'ís in the British Isles, will arise as

one soul in many bodies, and surging ahead, cover the face of the

Earth with the Glory of the Lord.
|P24

The Guardian will pray fervently for the Bahá'ís of the British

Isles for the success of their efforts.
|P25

The Guardian will pray for the members of your Assembly,

whose sacrificial efforts he greatly values....
|N81|P0
8 June 1953
|P1
Dear Bahá'í Brother:
|P2

The beloved Guardian has asked me to write to you following

my letter of June 5th in connection with the great importance

of settling one hundred and thirty-one virgin areas, during the

next few months.
|P3

Naturally it will be difficult for the Faith to be established in

the new territories or amongst the new tribes if they do not have

at least a pamphlet for distribution to the new contacts.

|P4

He therefore feels that along with the sending of pioneers into

the virgin areas, the translation of literature into the languages

assigned to the British National Assembly should take place. He

has cabled you direct concerning this very important matter,

and has informed you in his cable that he is arranging for a gift

of 1,000 Pounds to assist you in this most important work.

|P5

The Guardian feels that one of the existing pamphlets would

be satisfactory, or a new one, which you may feel it desirable to

prepare. At this time, it is not necessary to enter into the question

of translation of Bahá'í books, simply a pamphlet, which can be

used for teaching purposes.
[\P307]
|P6

The Guardian wishes you to budget the necessary funds to

cover this work and to see that it is actively pursued, so that the

literature will be available at an early date.
|P7

He wishes you to send current reports of activities in

connection with this matter to the Secretary-General of the

International Bahá'í Council, so that the data may be assembled

with all the necessary information in connection with the Ten

Your letters of July 8, 12 and 16, August 5 and 13, September

16, 20 and 26, October 13, 14 and 26, December 12 (3) and 17,

1952, and January 4, 6, 13, 15, 20, 27 (2) and 29, February 3 and

6, March 12, 17, 22, 23 and 26, April 1, 17, 20, 24 and 29, May

5, 11, 14, 15 (2), 28 and 30, 1953, with their enclosures, have

been received by the beloved Guardian, as well as material sent

under separate cover, and he has instructed me to answer you on

his behalf.
|P3

As you are all aware, the pressure of work is constantly

increasing all over the Bahá'í world, and of course the heaviest

load falls upon the Guardian. That is why he is finding it

increasingly difficult to keep up with his letters, not only to

individuals, but also to national bodies, important as they are. He

regrets this delay, but sees no remedy for it.
|P4

It was a source of great pride to him that the British Bahá'ís

succeeded with their Plan, in spite of the fact that it was a long,

hard struggle, and in some instances the odds seemed very much

against them. He feels sure that their qualities of tenacity of

purpose, fidelity and initiative will carry them on to even greater

distinction during the coming ten years, as they execute their

portion of the Global Crusade, an important portion.

|P5

It was very nice to have dear Dr. Mitchell+ here; the Guardian

hopes that gradually more British Bahá'ís will be able to make

the pilgrimage.
|P6

He was very relieved to hear that dear Mr. Townshend has

recovered his health to such an extent that he will be attending

[\P308]

the Stockholm Conference, where his presence will be welcomed

by all the other Hands attending, and the believers as well....

|P7

The letters which your Assembly wrote at the request of the

... Bahá'ís to certain officials there, he thought were excellent.

What he did not think was excellent was the almost insulting

reply you received as regards ... from the authorities in London

and signed by.... The letter was a mass of contradictions, and

the excuses transparent, to say the least. It shows that there is no

doubt going to be a stiffening opposition from certain colonial

governments, as the Bahá'í work progresses.
|P8

Your Assembly will undoubtedly continue to press the matter

as best you can with the authorities, without causing too much

opposition....
|P9

The question of impressing upon the Africans who are seeking

enrolment the necessity of not drinking is a delicate one. When

enrolling new believers, we must be wise and gentle, and not

place so many obstacles in their way that they feel it impossible

to accept the Faith. On the other hand, once accorded

membership in the community of the followers of Bahá'u'lláh,

it must be brought home to them that they are expected to live

up to His teachings, and to show forth the signs of a noble

character in conformity with His laws. This can often be done

gradually, after the new believer is enrolled.
|P10

Now that the African work has entered upon an entirely new

phase, indeed the work all over the world, the position your

Assembly held as the more or less co-ordinating body for the

work in Africa has been changed. However, the closest co-operation

will be necessary between all the National Assemblies

concerned with the Africa teaching work, if the Plan is to go

ahead swiftly; and exchange of information, especially as regards

pioneer possibilities and posts, is essential, in order to get the

believers out to the goal countries during this year, which is the

Guardian's ardent hope, and to which he attaches the greatest

possible importance. There is no objection to British pioneers

going into the territories of other Assemblies, or believers under

other jurisdiction being used by your Assembly. The most

important thing is to open up the virgin countries; and of course

whoever works in a country under the jurisdiction of a specific

Assembly, no matter where their origin may have been, would

be under the orders of that Assembly.
[\P309]
|P11

As he has cabled, he considers that, at this stage in the

development of the Faith in Africa, it is not necessary for so

many people to congregate in one centre, such as Kampala, when

there is such a tremendous need in neighbouring territories for

pioneers, whether native or European.
|P12

He considers that the formation of a school at this time is

premature. It would involve us in heavy responsibilities which

for the sake of public opinion would have to be discharged

efficiently and in an exemplary manner, and he does not consider

that we have the resources or the facilities at present to embark

on such a project. There is no reason why the subject cannot be

reconsidered at a future date.
|P13

He considers that the attitude of your Assembly regarding

police service which might be required of the Bahá'ís in Kenya

at this time is correct, and that it is not war, so far. As it seems

that ... situation with his employer, for the present at least,

prevented him from having to do police duty, the subject does

not arise for the moment. He does not think that any general

rule can be laid down in such matters. Events must be watched,

and, when situations such as these arise, fresh consultation with

him will be necessary....
|P14

As he has already informed you, and the National Spiritual

Assembly of America as well, there is no objection to your

receiving co-operation from them and financial assistance which

they might be able to give you in publishing some of the

literature in the African languages.
|P15

He thinks your Assembly's decision regarding spiritual healing

being demonstrated at a Bahá'í meeting was quite sound. We

should try not to have the Faith identified with such things in the

eyes of the public, officially. What the believers do privately,

which in no way contravenes the Teachings, is their own affair.

|P16

As regards the Obligatory Prayers, the friends in the West

should continue to use them exactly as they have been doing,

and as is set forth in the remarks in parentheses which accompany

the prayers in the book "Prayers and Meditations". The Guardian

himself will, whenever he sees fit, and considers the time is ripe,

inform the friends in such matters in greater detail.

|P17

Of all the work being undertaken by the believers, East and

West, at the present time, undoubtedly the most urgent is that of

getting the pioneers out to the goal countries during this year, if

[\P310]

possible. Not only will spiritual strength accrue from this

settlement of so many new lands, but the prestige it gives us in

the eyes of the non-Bahá'ís is great. He fully realises heavy

burdens have been placed upon the shoulders of all the Bahá'ís,

and particularly upon the members of the twelve N.S.A.s

directing this great crusade. But who else except the believers

can do the work of Bahá'u'lláh? And short of accomplishing His

work, where else lies hope for this confused and sorely-tried

world?
|P18

In spite of your many problems, he feels confident that you

will find amongst the valiant members of the British Baha'i

community sufficient volunteers to enable you to fill your virgin

territories and islands with at least one pioneer per place. As he

has already pointed out, there can be exchange; in other words,

one Assembly can make use of volunteers for its goals from

amongst believers under the jurisdiction of another N.S.A. if

such are available.
|P19

In spite of your financial position and the work that lies ahead,

the Guardian has felt it wise and necessary for you to take steps

to purchase a national headquarters. When we remember that

England is one of the oldest Bahá'í countries, so to speak, in the

West, and that in spite of her distinction she is still without a

suitable seat for her national Bahá'í administration, we see how

important it is for her, on the eve of this great period of

expansion, to have a National Centre. France, without any

N.S.A. as yet, now has one, and it is high time England had one

too. You will receive aid from others in this undertaking, as well

as from the Guardian. He was pleased that Mr. Joseph took the

first step in enabling you to fulfil this objective.

|P20

His loving thoughts and prayers are with each and every one

of you, as you face your great responsibilities and rise to meet

your priceless opportunities....
|P21

P.S. The Guardian wishes your Assembly to express to Mr.

Albert Joseph his deep appreciation of the assistance he is giving

you in connection with the purchase of a National Headquarters.

|P22
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P23

The successive victories won, in recent years, by the British Baha'i

community, proclaiming, on the one hand, the triumphant conclusion

of the first collective enterprise undertaken in British Bahá'í history on

[\P311]

the morrow of the centenary celebrations of the Founding of the Faith

of Bahá'u'lláh, and on the other, the successful termination of the Two

Year Plan, marking the inauguration of the community's historic

Mission beyond the confines of its homeland, have immensely

enhanced its prestige throughout the entire Bahá'í world, have won for

it the abiding gratitude and profound admiration of all who labour for

our beloved Faith, and entitled it to assume a prominent share in the

conduct of the world spiritual Crusade launched amidst the festivities

signalising the climax of the celebrations of this Holy Year

commemorating the centenary of the birth of the Mission of the

Author of the Bahá'í Dispensation.
|P24

Much has been achieved in the course of the past nine years, both

within the borders of this community's island home, and throughout

the widely scattered Dependencies of the British Crown, on the shores

as well as within the heart of the vast and far-off African Continent,

to merit the pride that fills the hearts of its staunch and stalwart

members, to deserve the applause of the Concourse on High, to evoke

the fondest hopes for the steady unfoldment and ultimate consummation

of the historic Mission entrusted to the care of the British followers of

the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh, and to befittingly usher in a new Era in

British Bahá'í history--an Era that will for ever remain associated

with the systematic introduction of God's triumphant Faith, through

the concerted efforts of the heroic band of Bahá'í pioneers, dwelling

within the British Isles, into the Chief Dependencies of the British

Crown scattered throughout the European and Asiatic continents and

the islands and archipelagos of the Seven Seas.
|P25

The entire community, now firmly entrenched within the

Administrative strongholds, recently and so laboriously established in

England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, must rise as one man to the

occasion that now presents itself. With hearts brimming with the love

of Bahá'u'lláh, with souls entirely dedicated to His Cause, with minds

attuned to the laws and precepts underlying His teachings, steeled with

an inflexible determination to utilise, to the fullest extent, the

administrative agencies which their hands have fashioned since the

passing of `Abdu'l-Bahá, and deriving fresh hope and sustenance from

the rapid and remarkable victories won in both the teaching and

administrative spheres of Bahá'í activity, both at home and abroad, the

members of this high-minded, tenacious and spiritually alive

community must gird up their loins, intensify their efforts a hundredfold

and, through their combined and sustained efforts, write yet another

[\P312]

chapter in British Bahá'í history that will illuminate the annals of the

Faith of Bahá'u'lláh and eclipse the splendour of the feats already

accomplished in the past fifty years by the adherents of His Cause in

their native land.
|P26

The twofold process, already set in motion, which has been attended

by such conspicuous success, must, in the course of the coming decade,

be not only fully maintained but steadily accelerated. While the

structure of the Administrative Order of the Faith within the British

Isles is being steadily reinforced and enlarged, through the multiplication

of the administrative institutions of the Faith in England,

Scotland, Wales and Ireland and the consolidation of the newly-fledged

assemblies already established, an effort, unprecedented in scope

and intensity, must be continually and determinedly exerted to lay the

administrative basis of this Order not only in the islands bordering the

British Isles, but in the Dependencies of the British Crown in the

Mediterranean, and in the African and Asiatic Continents.

|P27

This vital aspect of the Mission committed to the care of the British

Bahá'í community, must, in the course of the Crusade upon which it

has embarked, receive a tremendous impetus, and gather such

momentum as to justify the trust `Abdu'l-Bahá so confidently placed

in this community and the distinctive functions with which its

members have been invested since His passing. The development of the

institutions of the Faith on the home front must be supplemented by,

and afford a constant stimulus to, the rise of similar institutions, first

in the limited number of territories and islands assigned to the elected

representatives of this community, and eventually throughout the

colonies and protectorates comprising the British Empire.

|P28

The opening phase of the Ten Year Plan so auspiciously

inaugurated on the morrow of the memorable victories already

achieved, covering a period of no less than two years, must be

distinguished by the opening, in rapid succession, of the eleven virgin

territories in Europe and Africa and the laying of a firm foundation for

the future erection of a rapidly rising Administrative Order whose

ramifications are destined to encircle within the coming ten years the

entire planet.
|P29

The exertions required to consummate the first stage of this Ten

Year Plan are admittedly arduous, and demand the utmost

attentiveness, and a degree of sacrifice and consecration unequalled in

the entire course of British Bahá'í history. In spite of the smallness of

their numbers, and the limited resources at their disposal, the members

[\P313]

of the community living in the British Isles, including administrators

and teachers, as well as the band of self-sacrificing pioneers who have

already forsaken their homes and are labouring in distant fields in the

African Continent, must, at whatever cost, disperse more widely and

direct their footsteps to the virgin territories and islands assigned to

their National Assembly, contributing thereby, directly and effectively,

to the speedy and successful termination of the initial phase of a

Crusade on which the immediate destinies of the entire community so

largely depend.
|P30

While this supreme effort is being exerted special and immediate

attention must, likewise, be directed to two other objectives which

constitute a vital part of the work now confronting the members of this

community. The selection of the site of the Haziratu'l-Quds in the city

of London, the heart of the British Empire, and the national

administrative seat of the Bahá'ís of the British Isles, and the adoption

of effective measures for its immediate purchase, as well as the

preparation of a suitable pamphlet and its prompt translation and

publication in the thirty-one languages assigned to the British Baha'i

National Assembly, are matters of such urgency as to be given

precedence, during the coming two years, over all the other objectives

of the Ten Year Plan.
|P31

The Plan on which the British Bahá'í community has embarked,

unique in its significance, unprecedented in its scope, so vast in its

potentialities, so meritorious in its objectives, so challenging in its

features, will, if consummated, at the appointed time, open a further

vista, before the eyes of its victorious prosecutors, of such transcendent

glory as none of them can as yet even dimly imagine. The path leading

to the discovery of this brilliant yet at present distant goal, at which a

triumphant community will be enabled to catch a glimpse of its

ultimate destiny, revealed in the plenitude of its splendour, is long,

steep and thorny. The prizes to be won by those who must tread this

path, in the years immediately ahead, are not to be easily secured. The

challenge will be prolonged and severe. The opportunities they now

have to scale loftier heights of heroism, and achieve still mightier

victories during the interval separating the Great and Most Great

Jubilees, will if missed never again recur.
|P32

He Who, in His infinite love and mercy, called into being this

community, more than fifty years ago, at the time of the inception of

His Father's Faith in the West, Who tenderly and vigilantly nursed

it and guided its footsteps in the early years of its infancy, Who twice

[\P314]

conferred upon it the inestimable blessings of personal contact with its

members, Who sustained, from His station on high, its development

in the course of no less than two decades, within the framework of a

rising Administrative Order, Who enabled it to expand and consolidate

itself within its island home, Who launched it, subsequently, on its

mission overseas, will, if its members prove themselves worthy of His

trust, continue to shower His manifold blessings upon them, at this

hour of their greatest need, and will enable them to traverse, speedily

and successfully, the second and momentous stage in the progressive

unfoldment of that same Mission.
|P33

That they may, guided and assisted by the vigilance, the wisdom

and devotion of their elected national representatives, forge ahead with

undiminished vigour, with exemplary fidelity, and with inflexible

determination, along the path of their high destiny, overcome every

obstacle that stands in their way, achieve signal success in the course

of the opening phase of this world-girdling Crusade, and crown

eventually their Ten Year Plan with a victory unexampled in the

annals of the Faith in the British Isles, is my cherished hope for them

and my fervent and constant prayer.
|P34
Shoghi
|N83|P0
28 June 1953
|P1

ADVISE PROMPT MEASURES OUTRIGHT PURCHASE HAZIRA LONDON

CONTRIBUTING TWO THOUSAND POUNDS ENCOURAGING NATIONAL

ASSEMBLIES.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N84|P0
30 June 1953
|P1
GUARDIAN URGES PROMPT HANDLING VOLUNTEERS KAMPALA

NAIROBI DAR-ES-SALAAM FOR IMMEDIATE SETTLEMENT....

|P2
IOAS
|N85|P0
9 July 1953+F1
{Refers to purchase of Haziratu'l-Quds, London.}
|P1
ADVISE FREEHOLD PURCHASE.
|P2
SHOGHI
[\P315]
|N86|P0
18 July 1953+F1
{Refers to purchase of Haziratu'l-Quds, London.}
|P1
IF LESS EXPENSIVE NOT AVAILABLE APPROVE.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N87|P0
21 July 1953
|P1

To the Hands of the Cause, the members of the National

Spiritual Assemblies, the pioneers, the resident believers and

visitors attending the European Intercontinental Teaching

Conference in Stockholm, Sweden (July 21/26, 1953).

Well-beloved Friends,
|P2

With a glad and grateful heart I welcome the convocation, in the

capital city of Sweden, of the third of a series of Intercontinental

Teaching Conferences associated with the world-wide festivities

commemorating the Centenary of the Mission of Bahá'u'lláh and

destined to exert a profound and lasting influence on the immediate

fortunes of His Faith in all continents of the globe.

|P3

I look back with feelings of wonder, thankfulness and joy upon the

chain of memorable circumstances which, a little over a century ago,

accompanied the introduction of the Faith into, and marked the

inception of its nascent institutions within a continent which, in the

course of the last two thousand years, has exercised on the destiny of

the human race a pervasive influence unequalled by that of any other

continent of the globe.
|P4

I feel impelled on this historic occasion, when the members of the

American, the British, the German and the newly formed Italo-Swiss

National Spiritual Assemblies, as well as representatives of the Bahá'ís

of the United Kingdom, of Eire, of Germany, of Austria, of the

Scandinavian and Benelux countries, of the Iberian Peninsula, of

Italy, of Switzerland, of France and of Finland are assembled, to pay

a warm tribute to the valiant labours of the early British and French

Bahá'í pioneers, who at the very dawn of the Faith in Europe, strove

with such diligence, consecration and resolution to fan into flame that

holy Fire which the hand of the appointed Centre of Bahá'u'lláh's

Covenant had kindled in the north-west extremity of that continent

[\P316]

on the morrow of His Father's ascension. I recall the slow eastward

spread of that infant Light which led to the gradual emergence of the

German and Austrian Bahá'í communities, during the darkest period

of `Abdu'l-Bahá'í incarceration in the prison-fortress of Akka. I am

reminded of His subsequent epoch-making visit, soon after His

providential release from His forty-year confinement in the Most

Great Prison, to these newly-fledged struggling communities, of His

patient seed-sowing destined to yield at a later age its first fruits, and

constituting a landmark of the utmost significance in the rise and

establishment of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh in that continent.

|P5

I, moreover, call to mind, on this occasion, the successive episodes

which, on the morrow of `Abdu'l-Bahá'í ascension, in the course of the

initial Epoch of the Formative Age of the Bahá'í Dispensation,

signalised the emergence of those administrative institutions, both local

and national, which proclaimed the germination of those potent seeds

which had lain dormant for more than a decade in these newly-opened

European territories, and which culminated in the construction of the

framework of the Administrative Order of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh

and the erection of the first two pillars destined to sustain in that

continent the weight of the final unit of that Order.

|P6

Nor can I fail to acclaim, as a further milestone in the irresistible

evolution of that Faith, the launching, following the creation of the

administrative agencies designed to provide the effectual instruments

for its propagation, of the Six Year Plan of the British Baha'i

community followed successively by the European Teaching Campaign,

inaugurated in accordance with the provisions of the second

Seven Year Plan of the American Bahá'í community, the Five Year

Plan conceived by the German and Austrian Bahá'í communities and

the Two Year Plan later initiated by the British Bahá'í community--

Plans which, within less than a decade, succeeded in laying the

structural basis of the Administrative Order of the Faith in Wales, in

Scotland, in Northern Ireland and in Eire, in multiplying and

consolidating Bahá'í institutions throughout the British Isles, in

broadening and strengthening the foundations of that same Order in

Germany and Austria, in erecting the National Administrative

Headquarters of the Faith in the city of Frankfurt, in establishing

Spiritual Assemblies in the capital cities of no less than ten sovereign

states in Europe, in reinforcing the administrative foundations of that

Faith in those territories, in providing the means for the convocation

of four European, and a series of regional, Teaching Conferences, and

[\P317]

above all, in the convocation of the historic Convention in Florence,

culminating in the emergence of the National Spiritual Assembly of

the Bahá'ís of Italy and Switzerland, the third in a series of institutions

destined to play their part in the eventual establishment of the Supreme

Legislative Body of the Administrative Order of the Faith of

Bahá'u'lláh.
|P7

The hour is now ripe for these communities, whether new or old,

local or national, already functioning on the northern, the western and

the southern fringes of that continent, as well as those situated in its

very heart, to initiate befittingly and prosecute energetically the

European Campaign of a global Crusade which will not only

contribute, to an unprecedented degree, to the broadening and the

consolidation of the foundations of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh on the

continent of Europe, but will also diffuse its light over the neighbouring

islands, and will, God willing, carry its radiance to the eastern

territories of that continent, and beyond them as far as the heart of

Asia.
|P8

The privileged prosecutors of so revolutionising, so gigantic, so

sacred and beneficent a campaign are, on the morrow of its launching,

and at such a crucial hour in the destinies of the European continent,

summoned to undertake: First, the formation, under the aegis of the

National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States, of

one National Spiritual Assembly in each of the Scandinavian and

Benelux countries, and those of the Iberian Peninsula, and one in

Finland, as well as the establishment, in collaboration with the Paris

Spiritual Assembly, of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís

of France, the establishment under the aegis of the National Spiritual

Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Germany and Austria, of the National

Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Austria, and the establishment,

under the aegis of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of

the United States, and in association with the National Spiritual

Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Italy and Switzerland, of independent

National Spiritual Assemblies in Italy and Switzerland. Second, the

construction of the first Mashriqu'l-Adhkar of Europe in the city of

Frankfurt, the heart of Germany, which occupies such a central

position in the continent of Europe. Third, the purchase of land for the

future construction of two Mashriqu'l-Adhkars, one in the north in

the city of Stockholm, and one in the south in the city of Rome, the seat

and stronghold of the most powerful Church in Christendom. Fourth,

the opening of the following thirty virgin territories and islands:

[\P318]

Albania, Crete, Estonia, Finno-Karelia, Frisian Islands, Greece,

Latvia, Lithuania, Moldavia, Rumania, White Russia, assigned to

the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Germany and

Austria; Channel Islands, Cyprus, Faroe Islands, Hebrides Islands,

Malta, Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands, assigned to the National

Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the British Isles; Andorra,

Azores, Balearic Islands, Lofoten Islands, Spitzbergen, Ukraine,

assigned to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the

United States of America; Liechtenstein, Monaco, Rhodes, San

Marino, Sardinia, Sicily, assigned to the National Spiritual Assembly

of the Bahá'ís of Italy and Switzerland. Fifth, the translation and

publication of Bahá'í literature in the following ten languages to be

undertaken by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the

United States of America, through its European Teaching Committee:

Basque, Estonian, Flemish, Lapp, Maltese, Piedmontese, Romani,

Romansch, Yiddish, Ziryen. Sixth, the consolidation of Belgium,

Denmark, Finland, France, Holland, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway,

Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, allocated to the National

Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States of America; of

Austria, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Russian

S.F.S., Yugoslavia, allocated to the National Spiritual Assembly of

the Bahá'ís of Germany and Austria; of Eire, allocated to the National

Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the British Isles; of Iceland,

allocated to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Canada;

and of Corsica, allocated to the National Spiritual Assembly of the

Bahá'ís of Italy and Switzerland. Seventh, the incorporation of

the thirteen above-mentioned National Spiritual Assemblies. Eighth,

the establishment by these same National Spiritual Assemblies of

national Bahá'í endowments. Ninth, the establishment of a national

Haziratu'l-Quds in the capital city of each of the countries where the

National Spiritual Assemblies are to be established, as well as one in

London and one in Paris. Tenth, the formation of a National Baha'i

Publishing Trust in Frankfurt, Germany. Eleventh, the formation of

Israel Branches of the National Spiritual Assemblies of the Bahá'ís of

the British Isles and of Germany and Austria, authorised to hold, on

behalf of their parent institutions, property dedicated to the Holy

Shrines at the World Centre of the Faith in the State of Israel.

Twelfth, the conversion to the Faith of representatives of the Basque

and Gypsy races. Thirteenth, the appointment during Ridvan 1954,

by the Hands of the Cause in Europe, of an auxiliary board of nine

[\P319]

members who will, in conjunction with the four National Spiritual

Assemblies participating in the European campaign, assist, through

periodic and systematic visits to Bahá'í centres, in the efficient and

prompt execution of the Plans formulated for the prosecution of the

teaching campaign in the European continent.
|P9

A continent occupying such a central and strategic position on the

entire planet; so rich and eventful in its history; so diversified in its

culture; from whose soil sprang both the Hellenic and Roman

civilisations; the mainspring of a civilisation to some of whose features

Bahá'u'lláh Himself paid tribute; on whose southern shores Christendom

first established its home; along whose eastern marches the mighty

forces of the Cross and the Crescent so frequently clashed; on whose

south-western extremity a fast evolving Islamic culture yielded its

fairest fruit; in whose heart the light of the Reformation shone so

brightly, shedding its rays as far as the outlying regions of the globe;

the well-spring of American culture; whose northern and western

fringes were first warmed and illuminated, less than a century ago, by

the dawning light of the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh; in whose heart a

community, so rich in promise, was subsequently established; whose

soil was later sanctified by the twice-repeated visit of the appointed

Centre of His Covenant; which witnessed, in consequence of the rise

and establishment of the Administrative Order of His Faith, the

erection of two of the foremost pillars of the future Universal House of

Justice; which, in recent years, sustained the dynamic impact of a

series of national Plans preparatory to the launching of a world

spiritual crusade--such a continent has at last at this critical hour, this

great turning-point in its fortunes, entered upon what may well be

regarded as the opening phase of a great spiritual revival that bids fair

to eclipse any period in its spiritual history.
|P10

May the elected representatives of the National Bahá'í communities

entrusted with the conduct of this momentous undertaking launched

on the soil of this continent, aided by the Hands of the Cause and their

auxiliary boards, reinforced by the local communities, the groups and

isolated believers sharing in this massive and collective enterprise, and

supported by the subsidiary agencies to be appointed for its efficient

prosecution, be graciously assisted by the Lord of Hosts to contribute,

in the years immediately ahead, through their concerted efforts and

collective achievements, in both the teaching and administrative

spheres of Bahá'í activity, to the success of this glorious Crusade, and

lend a tremendous impetus to the conversion, the reconciliation and the

[\P320]

ultimate unification of the divers and conflicting peoples, races and

classes dwelling within the borders of a travailing, a sorely-agitated

and spiritually-famished continent.
|P11

May all the privileged participators, enlisting under the banner of

Bahá'u'lláh for the promotion of so pre-eminent and meritorious a

Cause, be they from the Eastern or Western hemisphere, of either sex,

white or coloured, young or old, neophyte or veteran, whether serving

in their capacity as expounders of the teachings, or administrators, of

His Faith, as settlers or itinerant teachers, distinguish themselves by

such deeds of heroism as will rival, nay outshine, the feats accomplished

nineteen hundred years ago by that little band of God-intoxicated

disciples who, fearlessly preaching the Gospel of a newly-arisen

Messiah, contributed so decisively to the illumination, the regeneration

and the advancement of the entire European continent.

APPROVE SUBSTITUTION LINGALA LUBA MBUNDO TONGA FOR BUA

WONGO LUIMBI SENA RESPECTIVELY.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N90|P0
23 August 1953
|P1

ASSURE VAKIL PRAYERS APPRECIATION. (Knight of Bahá'u'lláh to

Your letter of 5th August has been received by the beloved

[\P321]

Guardian, and he has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.

|P3

The contributions made by the British Bahá'í community to

the Shrine of The Báb Fund and to the Bahá'í International Fund

are greatly appreciated. Receipts are enclosed herewith.+F1

{600 on this occasion.}
|P4

The beloved Guardian deeply values the unique and outstanding

services of the Bahá'ís of the British Isles. Through their

devotion and sacrifice, they are setting an example for posterity.

|P5

He wishes me to assure you that he prays fervently for the

spiritual confirmation of all of the friends of the British Isles; for

their material and spiritual welfare, and that every obstacle may

be removed from their paths of service, particularly during the

Global Crusade.
|P6

The Shrine of The Báb is rapidly nearing completion. Its

beauty and splendour are difficult to portray. Certainly the

Guardian very aptly described the octagon, the drum and the

dome as the triple crowns on the Shrine of The Báb. Now that

the glory and splendour of the golden dome is revealed by the

removal of all of the scaffolding, it is truly a golden crown for

the Shrine, and each time one looks at it, one becomes more and

more impressed that it is a symbol of the manner in which the

Bahá'ís of the world, led by the beloved Guardian, are crowning

the Bahá'í activities of the past one hundred years by spreading

the knowledge of the Glory of the Lord throughout the world.

|P7

The Guardian sends his loving greetings to you all....

|N92|P0
31 August 1953
|P1

APPROVE RETAIN YAZDIS BENNETT+ GUNG. FIVE THOUSAND WORD

PAMPHLET ADVISABLE INFORM AMERICA.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N93|P0
31 August 1953
|P1

ASSURE LJUNGBERG DEEPEST APPRECIATION PRAYERS. (Knight of

Bahá'u'lláh to Faroe Islands.)
|P2
SHOGHI
[\P322]
|N94|P0
6 September 1953
|P1

ASSURE ASGHARZADIH LOVING APPRECIATION FERVENT PRAYERS.

(Knight of Bahá'u'lláh to Channel Islands.)
|P2
SHOGHI
|N95|P0
8 September 1953
|P1

ASSURE BAXTER LOVING APPRECIATION. (Knight of Bahá'u'lláh to

Channel Islands.)
|P2
SHOGHI
|N96|P0
11 September 1953
|P1

ASSURE DUNNING DEEPEST LOVING APPRECIATION. (Knight of

Bahá'u'lláh to Orkney Islands.)
|P2
SHOGHI
|N97|P0
22 September 1953
|P1

ASSURE HASSELBLATT DEEPEST LOVING APPRECIATION. (Knight of

Bahá'u'lláh to Shetland Islands.)
|P2
SHOGHI
|N98|P0
4 October 1953
|P1

ADVISE TAKE NO RISK OWING POSSIBILITY HIGHER OUTLAY. URGE

SEARCH OTHER PLACES AS NEAR AS POSSIBLE.+F1

{Refers to purchase of National Haziratu'l-Quds, London.}

APPROVE HAINSWORTH
SIX MONTHS LEAVE.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N99|P0
7 October 1953
|P1

ASSURE UNA LOVING PRAYERS. (Una Townshend, Knight of

Bahá'u'lláh to Malta.)
|P2
SHOGHI
[\P323]
|N100|P0
10th October 1953
|P1

ASSURE CRANEY LOVING APPRECIATION. (Knight of Bahá'u'lláh to

Hebrides.)
|P2
SHOGHI
|N101|P0
10 October 1953
|P1

ADVISE ASSIST EGYPT BY PIONEER BRITISH SOMALILAND.

In your recent News Letter the beloved Guardian noted some

quotations from the pilgrims notes of ..., and he wishes me to

tell you that he feels it is wiser, in such official organs as our

News Letters, not to publish such notes as, unfortunately, they

often contain errors. He has recently had occasion to call the

American N.S.A.'s attention to this too....
|P3

His loving thoughts and prayers are often with you all.

|N105|P0
21 November 1953
|P1

APPROVE SUBSTITUTION LANGUAGES REFERRED LETTER DATED

NOVEMBER THIRTEEN SENDING SECOND PIONEER HAS NO GREATER

[\P324]

PRIORITY. REGRET OWING INCREASING EXPENSES UNABLE EXTEND

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE EXERCISE STRICT ECONOMY.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N106|P0
29 November 1953
|P1

DISAPPROVE CIRCULATION STATEMENT MARRIAGE OWING GENERAL

PRINCIPLE ALREADY ESTABLISHED.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N107|P0
12 January 1954
|P1

TRANSMITTING FIVE HUNDRED NATIONAL FUND SENT THROUGH

LANGDON-DAVIES RUG FROM Bahá'u'lláh'S SHRINE AND PHOTOS

FOR NATIONAL HAZIRA LOVE.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N108|P0
12 January 1954 (Teaching Conference)
|P1

DEEPLY APPRECIATE NOBLE SENTIMENTS DEDICATION ATTENDANTS

CONFERENCE. ARDENTLY SUPPLICATING FULFILMENT HOPES

ACHIEVEMENT UNPRECEDENTED VICTORIES. DEEPEST LOVE.

|P2
SHOGHI
|N109|P0
9 March 1954
|P1

CABLE NAMES LANGUAGES ALREADY TRANSLATED UNDER TEN YEAR

PLAN SPECIFY ALSO WHICH LANGUAGES PROCESS TRANSLATION.

|P2
SHOGHI
|N110|P0
24 March 1954
|P1

ADVISE SEND PIONEERS PROMPTLY BRITISH TOGOLAND FRENCH

TOGOLAND FRENCH CAMEROONS. ORME SQUARE TOO EXPENSIVE.

ADVISE TOWNSHENDS ABANDON PLAN MALTA. EXPENDITURE

[\P325]

HUNDRED POUNDS SOMALILAND INADVISABLE. PURCHASE SITE

INSIDE KAMPALA OR WITHIN THREE MILES.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N111|P0
7 April 1954
|P1

FOLLOW LAWYER'S ADVICE REGARDING TEMPLE LAND OUTSIDE

{Joint Convention Message to all National Assemblies. Published "Baha'i

Journal" No. 114 and "Messages to the Bahá'í World 1950-1957", p. 60.}

|P1
Dear Bahá'í Brother:
|P2

At the instruction of our beloved Guardian, I am forwarding

you herewith his Convention Message.
|P3

He wishes you to have it read aloud to the assembled delegates,

and then published and circulated among the believers....

|N114|P0
20 April 1954+F2

{On report that all overseas territories opened and all home Assemblies

assured.}
|P1
HEARTFELT CONGRATULATIONS GREAT VICTORY.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N115|P0
21 April 1954+F1

{Joint Convention Message to all National Assemblies. Published "Baha'i

Journal" No. 114 and "Messages to the Bahá'í World 1950-1957", p. 60.}

|P1
Dear Bahá'í Friends:
|P2

I am forwarding you herewith a copy of the Guardian's

[\P326]

Convention Message which was mailed you a short time ago. As

there is a pilgrim leaving, he is taking the precaution of having

this mailed in Europe.
|P3

I hope it reaches you in time for the Convention....

|N116|P0
24 April 1954
|P1
Dear Bahá'í Friends:
|P2
The beloved Guardian has directed me to write you

concerning the Island of Malta. He attaches great importance to

this Island, and wishes your Assembly to see that the teaching

work there progresses as rapidly and efficiently as possible.

|P3

At the present time, it has again become virgin, according to

our records. Do you know if Miss Townshend intends to return?

If not, your Assembly should undertake to fill the post just as

quickly as possible, with someone else.
|P4

As you have become aware through the Guardian's Convention

Message, he is very happy with the result of the first year of

the Ten-Year Crusade. He is hoping that the second year will

witness even more glorious victories, and this time on the home

front, as well as in foreign fields.
|P5

He would appreciate a report of the plans for Malta, as soon

as possible. In order to save him work, it is suggested it be sent

to me. (Mr. L. Ioas)
|P6
The Guardian sends you his loving greetings....
|N117|P0
25 April 1954 (Convention)
|P1

ASSURE ASSEMBLED DELEGATES ARDENT PRAYERS ABUNDANT

BLESSINGS DELIBERATIONS PROUD RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS BRITISH

Bahá'í COMMUNITY CHERISH GREAT HOPES FUTURE HISTORIC

ACCOMPLISHMENTS DEEPEST LOVE.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N118|P0
29 April 1954
|P1

WELCOME PLEDGE DELEGATES PRAYING SUCCESS ATTAINMENT

Your letter of the 9th of Nur, 110, was received by the

beloved Guardian.
|P4

As he has been tremendously busy during this Holy Year--

and indeed his work is increasing all the time--and there was

nothing urgent that required an immediate reply--he has

delayed in answering you until he had more time.
|P5

He hopes that your committee will be able to gradually assist

in the work allotted to the British National Spiritual Assembly

during the Plan.
|P6

The most important thing of course is to get the believers out

into wholly virgin areas, and keep them there. So far, England

has done nobly, and he is proud of their efforts.
|P7

The Pacific area is also of great importance. If there is any

possibility of British subjects going out to territories that are

under the jurisdiction of other National Bodies, but difficult to

get into, he feels that they should be referred to the committees

concerned, or the National Spiritual Assemblies concerned,

because of the importance of achieving all the goals of the Plan,

regardless of which Assembly has certain goals under its

immediate jurisdiction.
|P8

He assures you he will pray for the success of your devoted

labours, in the Holy Shrine.
|P9
[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty bless your meritorious activities, guide and

sustain you always, and enable you to lend a great impetus to the

splendid work now being accomplished in Europe and in Asia.

Your loving letter of April 30th has just come to hand, calling

attention to the fact that Olga Mills, one of the pioneers in Malta,

[\P328]

is serving there very actively. The beloved Guardian had been

informed by someone that she had left.
|P3

However, the intent of the letter of April 24th still remains--

that no pioneer should leave their goal unless for very urgent

reasons. In the case of Malta, this is a country which can only be

settled by English Bahá'ís, and therefore the Guardian feels it of

great importance that any pioneer who goes there should remain.

It is hoped that it may be possible for Una Townshend to return

in due course, to carry on her work there.
|P4

The Guardian asks that you convey to Olga Mills his loving

appreciation of her devoted services, and assure her of his prayers

in her behalf.
|P5

If Una Townshend finds it impossible to return to Malta, then

the Guardian hopes you can send some other pioneer to that

important post....
|N121|P0
16 May 1954
|P1

I am enclosing, at the instruction of our beloved Guardian, the

original title-deed of one-quarter of an acre of land recently

purchased near the resting-place of the Greatest Holy Leaf on

Mount Carmel; and registered in the name of the Israel Branch

of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the British

Isles.
|P2

The cost of this property was six thousand dollars.

|P3

He feels sure that the British Bahá'ís will rejoice to know that

they now have a part of the International Bahá'í Endowments in

the name of their own special Israel Branch....
|N122|P0
4 June 1954
|P1
British Africa Committee
Dear Bahá'í Sister:
|P2

The various letters of your committee dated June 8 and 25,

July 6, August 13, September 23, October 8, November 25 and

December 31, 1953, and January 27 (3), March 6 and 30 and

April 20, 1954, with their enclosures, have been received by the

[\P329]

beloved Guardian and he has instructed me to answer you on his

behalf. As he has been in constant cable communication with

you during the past year, I will not go into many of the matters

which have already been attended to.
|P3

Of all the places in the world where the Bahá'í Faith exists and

is spreading, the Guardian is definitely most pleased with Africa,

and most proud of Uganda. He feels that the spirit shown by

white and negro pioneers alike in that continent, presents a

challenge to the Bahá'ís everywhere in the world, and that old

and staid communities may well learn from, and emulate the

example of, the believers of Africa, many of them scarcely a year

old in the Cause of God!
|P4

He feels that your committee and the British N.S.A. have

every reason to be proud of the work you have accomplished,

and grateful for the blessings you have received from on High.

|P5

It has particularly rejoiced his heart to see the way almost

every goal was attained at the last minute, before the end of the

first year of the Ten Year Crusade, many of these goals through

the immediate whole-hearted response of some of these new

African Bahá'ís, themselves the spiritual children of other African

Bahá'ís--young in the Faith, but old in their understanding of it.

|P6

The main task, now that the back of the pioneer settlement

work has been broken, so to speak, is the consolidation of these

territories and the maintaining of the pioneers at their posts. He

is constantly urging all National Assemblies to impress upon

those who have gone forth to settle virgin territories, the

importance of staying there, and of only abandoning their posts

if they are forced to do so by the Government in question, and

not for some other reason. The friends have had such difficulty

in gaining access to some of these countries,--visas, housing,

expenses have all been such a problem--that once they get there,

they should really move heaven and earth to remain.

|P7

He is very happy that two of the Temple sites on the African

continent have been purchased, and feels that this will release a

tremendous spiritual impetus. He hopes that the Egyptian Bahá'ís

will soon decide on a site, and that will complete the chain for

the time being.
|P8

Concerning the various questions you have raised regarding

literature and translations, he thinks that it is perhaps better to

have a proper introductory pamphlet on the Faith translated into

[\P330]

... and not give any wide publicity for the time being, than to

spend money translating a lopsided presentation of the Teachings.

However, he believes that, with sufficient effort and good

judgment, a pamphlet could be gotten out that would neither

stress too strongly the racial teachings, nor minimise them too

much, and could discreetly be used for teaching purposes in...

|P9

He has spoken very strongly to some of the pilgrims here

about the teaching work in that country, and impressed upon

them that the whole object of the pioneers in going forth to

Africa, is to teach the coloured people, and not the white people.

This does not mean that they must refuse to teach the white

people, which would be a foolish attitude. It does, however,

mean that they should constantly bear in mind that it is to the

native African that they are now carrying the Message of

Bahá'u'lláh, in his own country, and not to people from abroad

who have migrated there permanently or temporarily and are a

minority, and many of them, judging by their acts, a very

unsavoury minority.
|P10

He hopes that every effort will be made to get out a pamphlet

in each of the languages chosen, or those that you have substituted

for a chosen language. He fully realises that, in many cases, the

people who speak the language are illiterate, and, strictly

speaking, do not require a printed pamphlet in their own tongue.

He considers however the psychological values of having

something translated into their own language, the compliment

implicit in it, so to speak, of great importance, sufficient to offset

the time, effort and expense involved.
|P11

He would like your committee to convey to all the pioneers,

most particularly the negro ones, the expression of his deep

admiration of the wonderful spirit that animates them, his

feeling of affection for them, and the assurance of his ardent

prayers for their success.
|P12

Africa is truly awakening and finding herself, and she

undoubtedly has a great message to give, and a great contribution

to make to the advancement of world civilisation. To the degree

to which her peoples accept Bahá'u'lláh, will they be blessed,

strengthened and protected.
|P13

He hopes that, whilst concentrating on the consolidation of

the work under your jurisdiction, you will give every assistance

within your power to the other National Assemblies who have

[\P331]

difficult places to settle. The Portuguese and Spanish territories

seem to be the hardest of all to gain access to. Any help your

committee can give along this line would certainly be rendering

a great service to the Cause.
|P14

He deeply appreciates the work you have done, and your

committee achievements, during the past year, and assures each

and all of you of his loving prayers on your behalf....

|P15
[From the Guardian:]

Assuring you of my loving and constant prayers for the success of

the efforts you are so devotedly exerting for the promotion of our

The beloved Guardian has been greatly pleased with the

reports he has received of the progress of the teaching work in

Oxford. He feels the friends in that city have undertaken their

responsibility diligently and successfully.
|P3

It is his feeling that the Faith should be firmly established in

Cambridge, which is also one of the great centres of learning in

the British Isles. He understands that Cambridge is a goal city of

the Crusade, and he feels that the time has now arrived for the

opening of that city and the expansion of the teaching work

there.
|P4

He would appreciate a report from you as to the progress of

the Faith in that important city. This report should be addressed

to me, and I will inform him of its contents....
|N124|P0
11 June 1954
|P1
Dear Bahá'í Friends:
|P2

The beloved Guardian has directed me to write you in

connection with the purchase of the Haziratu'l-Quds for the city

of London. The Guardian is very hopeful that your Assembly

will be able to complete this important matter in the near future.

|P3

In connection with the purchase of Haziratu'l-Quds, under the

[\P332]

Ten Year Crusade there are a total of 49 to be procured. 4 of

them were procured during the first year of the Crusade.

|P4

At the Guardian's direction, I have written the National

Assemblies involved, calling for the purchase of 17 Haziratu'l-Quds

of the 45, during this year. One of these 17 Haziratu'l-Quds

is the one in London.
|P5

The Guardian attaches the greatest importance to the

fulfilment of this aspect of the Ten Year Crusade; and sincerely

hopes your Assembly will concentrate on the purchase of the

Haziratu'l-Quds for London, so that it may be consummated as

soon as possible....
|N125|P0
17 June 1954
|P1
Dear Bahá'í Brother,
|P2

Your Assembly's letters dated June 10 (2), 17, 22 and 26, July

3, 7, 8, 9 (2), 16 and 24, August 17, 19 (2) and 24, September 17,

21, 24 and 25, October 1, 8, 12, 22 and 28, November 13 (4) and

18 (2), December 10 (2), 12 and 23, 1953, and January 7, 20 (2),

21 and 22, February 17 (3), 19 (3), 21, 23 (2) and 25, March 1,

23, 24 and 25 (3), April 13 and 28, May 12, 21 and 25, June 1

(4) and 15, 1954, with enclosures, have been received by the

beloved Guardian, and he has instructed me to answer you on his

behalf.
|P3

He regrets very much the long delays in answering the

National Spiritual Assemblies, but is finding it increasingly

difficult to keep abreast of his work. He feels sometimes that he

will soon be forced to give up correspondence with individuals,

although he is reluctant to do so, because so many of the new

believers brought in during the present teaching activities in

Africa and other far goals are writing to him. However, he has

attended to a great many of your questions by cable, and the

visits of a number of English pilgrims have enabled him to send

you messages and to keep the British community in contact with

the work in the Holy Land.
|P4

He greatly appreciated the desire of John and Dorothy Ferraby

to go out as pioneers, but considered that it would weaken the

work of the National Assembly altogether too much. Important

as the pioneer field is, if all the most able workers go out, the

[\P333]

campaigns carried on from different national bases will become

absolutely unwieldy for lack of adequate able management.

|P5

The expression of condolences which your Assembly conveyed

to him at the time of the passing of Fred Schopflocher and

Dorothy Baker, two dear and trusted Hands of the Cause who

could ill be spared from their work at this time, touched him

very much. Others must now arise, and through their services

seek to fill the gaps which such valuable workers have left in the

vanguard of the Bahá'í host.
|P6

He would like you to express to the British pioneers on the

home front, whose names you forwarded to him, his sincere

thanks. Their arising to protect the goals which have been won

by other pioneers at a cost of such sacrifice and effort was noble

and highly meritorious.
|P7

Speaking of pioneers, he was very pleased to hear recently that

Mrs. Shomais Afnan had succeeded in gaining entry into

Ethiopia. Her perseverance in the face of a great deal of

opposition is certainly exemplary.
|P8

As he already cabled you, he did not approve of the statements

you had prepared for circulation amongst the Assemblies

regarding Bahá'í marriage. Some of the remarks were incorrect

in the first place, and in the second place he is strongly against

Statements! He wishes the friends to keep as elastic as possible in

administering the affairs of the Faith, while at the same time

adhering to fundamentals. He knows that at times this

inconveniences the National Bodies and makes their work more

detailed, but believes it to be the lesser, so to speak, of two evils.

|P9

He was very sorry to learn that dear Mr. Townshend's health

is in such a precarious state, and necessitated the return of his

daughter from Malta. His devotion is so single-hearted and

touching, and his determination to carry on at all costs is

exemplary, and should inspire the young people to follow in his

footsteps.
|P10

When compiling the list of African languages into which the

Bahá'í Message should be translated, the Guardian realised that

certain changes would probably be necessary--naturally the

fewer the better. In this connection, if you feel it advisable and

not otherwise, he would like you to convey to Dr. Berry, of the

African Department of the School of Oriental and African

studies, his personal thanks for the valuable advice he has given

[\P334]

your Assembly, and his friendly co-operation. You might also,

at your discretion, extend his thanks to any other members of

the Staff who have assisted you.
|P11

He is very pleased that the Temple land has been bought in

Kampala. Mr. and Mrs. Elston are visiting here at the present

time; and he has told them he feels that at present the Temple

land should merely be held in trust, and all meetings continue in

the Haziratu'l-Quds building. Should this eventually prove too

small, enlarging one of the rooms to accommodate more of the

people at the meetings might be considered as a possibility; but

any work carried out must be of a very economical nature, and

he does not think it is pressing at present, anyway.

|P12

I need not tell you that the work in Africa, and more

particularly in Uganda, is very dear to his heart. The progress

made there during the last year has borne him up and encouraged

him greatly when he was often weighed down with work. He

feels that this country and its peoples, in the very heart of Africa,

are a most precious trust. Their receptivity to the Teachings,

their great desire to serve their new Faith, the number of them

who have arisen to go out as pioneers, mark them as a people

apart in the Bahá'í world, at least for the time being. May many

others in neighbouring countries prove as worthy, and follow

their example.
|P13

In dealing with people who are still backward in relation to

our civilised standards, and in many cases guided by a tribal

system which has strong orders of its own, he feels that you

should be both tactful and forbearing. There is no specific

minimum age mentioned in the Bahá'í teachings at which girls

may marry. In the future, this and other questions unspecified

will be dealt with by the International House of Justice. In the

meantime, we must not be too strict in enforcing our opinions

on peoples still living in primitive social orders.

|P14

The difficulty of getting a Bahá'í into ... has now been

temporarily solved. The Guardian does not see why Bahá'ís

should have to state to any Government that the reason for their

visit to a country is for the purposes of teaching the Bahá'í Faith.

Most of the time, though not perhaps invariably, this is calculated

to arouse suspicion and opposition. One has to deal with cases as

they arise. A blanket rule could never apply over so wide a field

as that in which Bahá'í pioneers are working.
[\P335]
|P15

Although the children of Bahá'í parents are considered to be

Bahá'ís, there is no objection at the present time, for purposes of

keeping a correct census, and also ascertaining whether the

young people are, sincerely, believers, and willing to do their

share in service to the Faith, to asking them to make a declaration

of their intention at the age of fifteen or so. Originally, the

Guardian understands, this was adopted in America to enable

young Bahá'í men to make certain arrangements in connection

with their application for non-combatant status upon their

attaining the age of military service. There is really nothing

about it in the Teachings or in the Administration. Your

Assembly is free to do as it pleases in this matter.

|P16

Regarding the publication of a pamphlet on the Baha'i

Teachings on Monarchy, funds and circumstances permitting,

the Guardian sees no objection to this whatsoever. It might

appeal to a certain type of British mind very much, though he

fears there are other minds to which it may not appeal! However,

considering Bahá'u'lláh has taught these things, there is no reason

why we should not share them with those interested in the

subject.
|P17

He is very sorry that it has not been possible to purchase the

National Haziratu'l-Quds yet. In spite of the fact that he attaches

great importance to this, he does not think that the cost should

become exorbitant merely in order to accomplish a goal before

a certain date. The Bahá'ís, not only in England, but all over the

world, have embarked upon a Plan which will involve over a

period of years a very heavy expenditure. Undoubtedly they

will have to help each other; but they will scarcely have the

financial strength to help each other to the tune of extremely

expensive buildings, Temple sites, etc., in different parts of the

world. He has given instructions to Canada, Germany, Rome,

etc., to cut down on the proposals they made to him, because the

price of these things in different parts of the world, when added

up, would be well beyond the means of the Faith to meet at

present. He feels sure that, however painful and toilsome the

process may be, you will eventually find a suitable spot in

London, and one that your Assembly, with the help of the

British believers and other possible contributions from outside

as well, can afford.
|P18

The remarkable achievements in the pioneer field, a field in

[\P336]

which your own Assembly has been far from backward, are a

source of great encouragement to all the believers as well as to

him. The addition of one hundred countries during one year is

certainly history-making.
|P19

Now that the back of the foreign pioneering work has been

broken, so to speak, a greater measure of attention must be paid

to the home fronts. The consolidation work, though far less

spectacular, constitutes a very weighty task, and will require a

constant measure of sacrificial effort if the goals are to be fulfilled.

He thinks that during the coming year greater attention should

be paid to the home front, while at the same time maintaining

the pioneer posts at their present standard, at least.

|P20

The principle is, and it should be impressed on the minds of

all pioneers, to hold their territory at any cost. Just because they

have left their homes, and gone out and carried the Faith to one

of these virgin areas, does not mean that the task is accomplished.

On the contrary, nothing could be sadder than that these newly-won

territories should be lost after a few months' effort. He

hopes that in your correspondence with the pioneers you will

impress this fact upon them and make them realise that to be a

"Knight of Bahá'u'lláh" is not only a very high and pleasant

position, but involves a truly tremendous responsibility. To

remain at one's post, to undergo sacrifice and hardship, loneliness

and, if necessary, persecution, in order to hold aloft the torch of

Bahá'u'lláh, is the true function of every pioneer.

|P21

Let them remember Marion Jack, who for over twenty years,

in a country the language of which she never mastered; during

war and bombardment; evacuation and poverty; and at length,

serious illness, stuck to her post, and has now blessed the soil of

the land she had chosen to serve at such cost with her precious

remains, every atom of which was dedicated to Bahá'u'lláh.

Perhaps the friends are not aware that the Guardian, himself,

during the war on more more than one occasion urged her to

seek safety in Switzerland rather than remain behind enemy

lines and be entirely cut off. Lovingly she pleaded that he would

not require her to leave her post, and he acquiesced to her

request. Surely the standard of Marion Jack should be borne in

mind by every pioneer!
|P22

Regarding your question about including the Tablet of the

Virgin in a compilation of "Bahá'í Scriptures" which you wish

[\P337]

to publish--the old translation is very poor and has many

inaccuracies. However, the Guardian has no time at all to

retranslate it or correct it himself.
|P23

He leaves it to the discretion of your Assembly as to whether

you wish to include it in a compilation or not.
|P24

I am returning to you the list you sent with suggested

corrections in relation to the pamphlet your Assembly published

last year--"The Bahá'í Faith 1844-1952, Information Statistical

and Comparative". The righthand column marked "Suggested",

he considers quite acceptable. The places where you have put

question marks are correct, with very few exceptions which the

Guardian has corrected, in the column marked "As Listed", with

the exception of the transliteration of the name Shu'a'u'llah,

(Number 12) which the Guardian has corrected.
|P25

Assuring you of the Guardian's loving prayers for the success

of your devoted labours....
|P26

P.S. July 28th. Your letter of July 7th has likewise been

received.
|P27
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P28

The achievements of the members of the tenacious, the valiant and

wide-awake British Bahá'í community, within the borders of their

homeland and beyond its confines, in the course of the opening year of

the Bahá'í World Crusade, deserve the highest commendation and

have considerably heightened its prestige and deepened my own

admiration for it as well as that of its sister communities in both

Hemispheres.
|P29

Called into being through the dispensations of a watchful

Providence, in the middle of the memorable decade that witnessed the

introduction of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh into the Western world;

sharing with its sister community across the Channel the distinction

of being the first to be quickened by the life-giving influences generated

by the newly-established Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh in the Holy Land;

the recipient of untold blessings showered upon it by the Centre of the

Covenant in the days of its infancy; singled out among the newly-fledged

communities in both Europe and the North American

Continent through the twice repeated visits of `Abdu'l-Bahá to the

shores of its homeland; fully equipped with the agencies of a divinely

conceived Administrative Order, patiently and laboriously erected by

its stalwart members in the years immediately following the setting of

[\P338]

the Orb of that same Covenant; enriched by the experience derived

from the successful prosecution of two successive nationwide Plans

formulated by its national elected representatives, this community

finds itself, on the morrow of the termination of the opening year of the

afore-mentioned Crusade, simultaneously firmly rooted within the soil

of its homeland and vigorously branching out on the first stage of its

mission in foreign fields, and exhibiting, both at home and abroad,

evidences of a development that bids fair to eclipse any of its collective

achievements in the past five decades since its inception.

|P30

In both the teaching and administrative spheres of its ever-expanding,

swiftly unfolding activities, whether in the heart and

capital city of the Empire to which it belongs, or in the chief cities

recently opened by its pioneering members in the territories comprising

its island home, or in the diversified and far-flung dependencies of the

British Crown in the African Continent, this virile, forward

marching, securely established community has amply demonstrated its

capacity to be regarded as one of the chief strongholds of a divinely

conceived Faith and one of the principal bastions sustaining the fabric

of Bahá'u'lláh's world-encompassing Order.
|P31

Standing as it does on the threshold of the second phase of a Crusade

with which its immediate destinies are inseparably linked, and to

which it has voluntarily and enthusiastically pledged its combined

resources, the tasks now confronting it demand a degree of concentration,

dedication, co-ordination, resourcefulness and perseverance

hitherto unequalled in any period of its career.
|P32

The prizes won in recent months, since the launching of the Ten

Year Plan to which it stands committed, through the strenuous

exertions and the shining example of its pioneers in the islands situated

to the North, the West and the South of its homeland, as well as in the

far away territories lying in the heart of the African Continent and

situated on both its eastern and western shores, must, however great

the sacrifices involved, be preserved. The acquisition of the national

Haziratu'l-Quds in a centrally located area in a city that ranks as the

chief metropolis of a vast Empire is yet another task of the utmost

urgency and of the highest significance, the consummation of which

should be considered as the chief objective and pre-eminent duty of this

community's elected national representatives, and one which is bound

to exert, in the days immediately ahead, a far-reaching and pervasive

influence on the growth and unfoldment of the Faith which it is their

privilege to serve and promote.
[\P339]
|P33

Of no less importance is the responsibility to reinforce the structure

of the Administrative Order throughout the British Isles, and

particularly in the newly opened territories of Scotland, Wales, Eire

and Northern Ireland, through a rapid and unprecedented increase in

the number of the avowed supporters of the Faith, and a multiplication

of isolated centres, groups and assemblies that constitute the warp and

woof of the fabric of its evolving Order.
|P34

A no less urgent task, which will directly reinforce this fabric, and

heighten the prestige of the Faith itself, and pave the way for the

establishment of Bahá'í local endowments, is the prompt incorporation

of firmly established local assemblies, a process which, as soon as it is

initiated, must gather steady momentum throughout the length and

breadth of the British Isles, and be ultimately reinforced by the

incorporation of all local assemblies destined to be established in the

virgin territories recently opened in the neighbourhood of the British

Isles and in the African territories allotted to your Assembly under the

provisions of the Ten Year Plan.
|P35

Special attention should, moreover, be paid to the no less vital duty

of completing the translation, the publication and the dissemination of

Bahá'í literature in the languages assigned to your Assembly, in

accordance with that same Plan, an achievement which will greatly

stimulate the work to be undertaken in the course of the future phases

of this world spiritual Crusade as it unfolds itself in the African

Continent.
|P36

Whilst these highly meritorious enterprises are being assiduously

carried on, the inescapable and sacred duty of consolidating the nine

African territories and the two additional ones in Europe and Asia

must be adequately discharged, in order to enable the British Baha'i

community to bring to full fruition the noble mission entrusted so

confidently to its care.
|P37

The tasks facing this community in the course of this second and

future phases of a world-encircling Crusade are admittedly vast,

complex and challenging. The resources at the disposal of its doggedly

persevering, wholly dedicated members are, alas, circumscribed and

inadequate. The Mission, however, to which its Founder is calling it,

is unspeakably glorious. Many and divers will, no doubt, be the tests,

the setbacks and trials which teachers and administrators alike within

the ranks of its members, must necessarily experience. The times,

during which the opening phase of its Mission overseas is to yield its

fairest fruit, are fraught with great peril. Both at home and in distant

[\P340]

outposts of the Empire, the opposition which those responsible for its

development and consolidation will encounter from those in authority,

whether civil or ecclesiastic, will progressively hamper their efforts.

The competition from its own sister communities, in various regions

of the globe and in the course of the systematic prosecution of the same

world-embracing task will, in the meantime, grow keener.

|P38

Every ounce of energy its members can muster must unhesitatingly

be expended to further the supreme end for which so sacred, so

formidable and so momentous a Plan has been devised. With every

sacrifice that is made, with every forward step that is taken along the

toilsome and long road they are destined to tread, with every victory

dearly and laboriously won by the champions, the representatives, the

vanguard, the spokesmen, as well as the rank and file of this

community, a measure of blessing from on high will undoubtedly be

vouchsafed, in order to reinforce the exertions, cheer the hearts, and

stimulate the march of all those enlisted in the service of so glorious a

Cause.
|P39

The hour is propitious for a concerted effort which in its scope and

intensity will surpass any united action of which the British followers

of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh have proved themselves capable in the past.

|P40

That they may ascend from height to height, go forward from

victory to victory, is the fervent prayer of one who has invariably

followed the course of their exploits with undiminished confidence and

admiration, who has cherished the brightest hopes for the ultimate

attainment of their Mission, and whose love and esteem for them has

correspondingly increased with every revelation of the capacities and

energies with which they have discharged, and are constantly

discharging, their Mission.
|P41
Your true brother,
Shoghi
|N126|P0
21 June 1954
|P1

APPROVE ASGHARZADEH AND OTHER PIONEERS ISLANDS ATTEND

Thank you for your letter of June 15th, with regard to Dar-es-Salaam.

|P3

The Guardian attaches very great importance to the "incorporation"

and "exemption" of any Assembly; likewise the
acquirement of any endowments.
|P4

Therefore, if you have not already sent directly to the

Guardian a photostatic copy of the Exemption granted the Dar-es-Salaam

Assembly, I would like to suggest that one be sent to

him through me.
|P5

Likewise if anything constructive develops with regard to the

burial ground at Dar-es-Salaam, please let me know as soon as

possible....
|N128|P0
22 July 1954
|P1
Dear Bahá'í Friends,
|P2

...The Guardian has instructed me to write your Assembly,

calling attention to the manner in which questions of teaching

activities in new areas and consolidation areas assigned to any

Assembly, are carried out.
|P3

The National Spiritual Assembly is the Body which is charged

with the administrative responsibility of the tasks of the Ten

Year Crusade. Neither the Hands of the Cause nor their Boards

have administrative responsibilities in connection with this

work.
|P4

The members of the Boards are to report to the Hands of the

Cause in the area regarding all situations, and of course in detail

concerning any problem, so that the National Assembly may

take appropriate action.
|P5

The Hands of the Cause themselves will correspond with the

National Spiritual Assembly involved, calling their attention to

the problem, so that the National Assembly may take appropriate

action.
|P6

The Guardian has instructed that the Hands of the Cause are

not to correspond with the committees of the National Spiritual

[\P342]

Assemblies, but directly with the National Spiritual Assemblies

themselves.
|P7

The beloved Guardian greatly values the outstanding work

which your Assembly is doing. He will pray for your continued

success. He sends you his loving greetings....
|N129|P0
29 July 1954 (Summer School Committee)
|P1

DELIGHTED ASSURE ATTENDANTS LOVING FERVENT PRAYERS.

|P2
SHOGHI
|N130|P0
29 August 1954
|P1

SUBSTITUTE FON FOR POPO COMMITTEES SHOULD NOT CORRESPOND

HANDS WITHOUT EXCEPTION.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N131|P0
16 October 1954+F1

{On signing of contract for Haziratu'l-Quds, London.}

|P1
DELIGHTED HISTORIC ACHIEVEMENT.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N132|P0
27 October 1954+F2

{See letter 5 August 1955 for references to status of Assemblies with fewer

than nine members, use of bequests and Freemasonry.}

|P1

FOLLOW AMERICAN POLICY REGARDING ASSEMBLY STATUS. USE

The content of your letter of October 15th was given to the

beloved Guardian.
[\P343]
|P3

He sincerely hopes the problems surrounding Mr. ... have

now been solved, as you seemed to think they have.

|P4

He advises that Bahá'í pioneers should not become public

charges under any circumstances; and the Assemblies concerned

should see that this does not occur in the case of Mr. ....

|P5

The beloved Guardian assures all the members of the National

Assembly of his appreciation of their devoted services. He assures

them of his prayers in their behalf, and sends them his loving

greetings....
|N134|P0
11 November 1954+F1

{See letter 5 August 1955 for references to status of Assemblies with fewer

than nine members, use of bequests and Freemasonry.}

|P1
DISAPPROVE MEMBERSHIP FREEMASONRY.
|N135|P0
16 December 1954
|P1
GRIEVE PASSING STAUNCH CONSECRATED PROMOTER FAITH

LANGDON-DAVIES HER SERVICES UNFORGETTABLE REWARD GREAT

Abhá Kingdom.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N136|P0
22 December 1954
|P1

PUBLISHING TRUST SHOULD NOT HAVE SEPARATE LEGAL STATUS.

ANY Bahá'í DETERMINED RETAIN MEMBERSHIP FREEMASONRY

LOSES VOTING RIGHTS.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N137|P0
17 January 1955+F2

{This was sent in reply to a cable from a meeting at 27 Rutland Gate,

London, S.W.7, jointly to dedicate the new Haziratu'l-Quds and to hold

Teaching Conference.}
|P1

SHARE JOY FRIENDS SUPPLICATING UNPRECEDENTED BLESSINGS.

|P2
SHOGHI
[\P344]
20 February 1955
Dear Bahá'í Co-workers:
|P3

The beloved Guardian has instructed me to inquire of your

Assembly what the situation is surrounding the translation and

publication of Bahá'í literature into the following languages:

|P4
Erso
Gaelic
|P5

These are not languages of the Ten Year Crusade, but

languages which have been translated prior to the opening of the

Ten Year Crusade. He is very anxious to know what the status

is of these translations and publications. If no work has been done

on them, he would urge that you have the work undertaken at

an early date....
|N138|P0
8 March 1955
|P1
Dear Bahá'í Friends:
|P2

The beloved Guardian is very anxious to secure as quickly as

possible data concerning the Haziratu'l-Quds which have been

acquired in connection with the goals of the Ten Year Crusade.

To this end, he would very greatly appreciate your sending me

by return air mail the information concerning the Haziratu'l-Quds

in London.
|P3

He would like to know the area of land involved, the size of

the building, so far as number of rooms is concerned, the original

purchase price of the Haziratu'l-Quds, the expenses of the

transaction, and then the total cost.
|P4

The Guardian asks that this be sent to me by return airmail....

|N139|P0
29 March 1955
|P1
Dear Bahá'í Friends:
|P2

On April 21st we will enter the last year of the second phase

of the Ten Year Crusade. As you know, one of the objectives of

this second phase was the rapid multiplication of Assemblies,

Groups and Centres throughout the world.
[\P345]
|P3

During the past year, a great deal has been accomplished by

the friends in their efforts to disperse from the large centres of

population in order to build up the goal cities and establish new

centres. However, we have not accomplished a great deal in the

way of increasing the number of Bahá'ís, nor the number of

Spiritual Assemblies.
|P4

The beloved Guardian sincerely hopes you will make it a

point of major study and consideration on the part of your

Assembly, so that the entire community may lend itself to the

accomplishment of this great goal during the coming year.

Foundations must be laid for many more Assemblies. The friends

must disperse from the large centres of population. Our teaching

work must become so sanctified and penetrating that many,

many souls will be confirmed. The friends should go forward on

this great task in a very determined manner in order to establish

as many new Assemblies during the coming year as are possible.

|P5

In letters which have come to the beloved Guardian, he has

noted the friends feel there is no need to establish new Assemblies

until 1963.
|P6

The Ten Year Crusade ends in 1963; but as many of the goals

should be won as quickly as possible. It should certainly be clear

to all of the friends that we cannot hold off on winning the

various goals of our tasks until the last year of the Crusade. They

should be won just as quickly as possible. Furthermore, there are

many tasks of the Crusade which the Guardian is not launching

until preliminary goals have been won. For instance, it would be

impossible to establish National Assemblies in all of the areas

proposed until there are more Bahá'ís, more Groups and more

Assemblies in those countries. On the home front, further tasks

are dependent upon the winning of victories now. The Guardian

hopes the keynote of the teaching work on the home front

during the current year will be the dispersion of the friends on

an unprecedented scale, and the winning of as many Assemblies

as is possible....
|N140|P0
9 April 1955
|P1

URGENTLY APPEAL HIGH MINDED DEVOTED BELIEVERS BRITISH ISLES

EXERT SUPREME EFFORT FILL GAPS ASSEMBLIES DEMONSTRATE

[\P346]

ABILITY MAINTAIN STANDARD HISTORIC ACHIEVEMENTS FERVENTLY

In order not to keep the Assembly waiting for an answer, the

beloved Guardian has instructed me to write you this letter in

reply to yours of April 15th.
|P3

The principle is wherever the Bahá'í laws at the present time

conflict with the civil law of the country, the believers living in

it must obey the civil law.
|P4

The Bahá'ís in England, as regards divorce will consequently

have to follow British law, and in conjunction with this, as far

as possible, uphold the Bahá'í law of divorce as well. The way the

details of this are to be worked out is left entirely to the discretion

of your National Assembly....
|N142|P0
21 April 1955+F1

{On report that all Assemblies maintained; Nicosia had eight with ninth

member en route to arrive 7 May.}
|P1

DELIGHTED LOVING APPRECIATION. REGRET FORMATION NICOSIA

The beloved Guardian has been greatly enthused the last few

days with the reports that have been received of new Assemblies

established in virgin areas. Of great importance and significance

is the word that Spiritual Assemblies have been established in

Mogadiscio, in Italian Somaliland and Djibouti in French

[\P347]

Somaliland. This leaves the only Somaliland without an

Assembly as British Somaliland. The beloved Guardian would

appreciate your Assembly giving consideration to this matter, to

see if there is any way that a pioneer could go from England to

British Somaliland, to firmly establish the Faith there. He

understands fully the problems involved.
|P3

A copy of this letter is being sent to Mr. Banani, Hand of the

Cause, so that he might give consideration to the possibility of

having some native Bahá'ís from Uganda move to British

Somaliland, and either teach or settle there.
|P4

The beloved Guardian assures your Assembly of his prayers

on your behalf. He sends you his loving greetings....

|N144|P0
25 April 1955 (Convention)
|P1

DEEPLY APPRECIATE CONVENTION MESSAGE. APPEAL DELEGATES

URGE ALL COMMUNITIES BRITISH ISLES CONCENTRATE ATTENTION

ENERGIES INTENSIFICATION TEACHING ACTIVITIES MULTIPLICATION

CENTRES STRENGTHENING ALLOTTED NEWLY-OPENED TERRITORIES

INCORPORATION ASSEMBLIES ESTABLISHMENT NATIONAL ENDOWMENT

PRAYING FERVENTLY ATTAINMENT OBJECTIVES COURSE
SECOND LAST YEAR SECOND PHASE TEN YEAR PLAN.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N145|P0
28 April 1955
|P1

REJOICE SPLENDID INITIATIVE ASSEMBLED REPRESENTATIVES VALIANT

BRITISH Bahá'í COMMUNITY ARDENTLY PRAYING FULFILMENT

APPROVE PUBLICISING WORLD PROTEST DO NOT ATTACK GOVERNMENT

APPROVE APPEAL AFRICAN COMMUNITIES.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N148|P0
10 July 1955
|P1

The beloved Guardian has instructed me to inform you that

he feels the time has come for the British N.S.A. to follow the

procedure laid down by him as a general rule, namely that

Spiritual Assemblies should adhere to the civil limits of their

respective towns. All other National Assemblies are following

this procedure and he feels yours should too.
|P2

The events in Persia have, naturally, distressed him greatly,

particularly anxiety for the safety of the Holy House in Shiraz.

However, the publicity will do the Faith a great deal of good....

|N149|P0
26 July 1955
|P1
Dear John:
|P2

Just a line to inform you, and naturally through you the

National Assembly, that the Beloved Guardian has instructed

Varga to send you five hundred pounds for your National Fund,

to be expended as the Assembly thinks best.
|P3

Regarding ... legacy he wishes your Assembly to hold this

sum in trust for him until he gives directions for its use.

|P4

The beloved Guardian is most anxious that the representations

to be made to UNO regarding the bitter and cruel persecutions

in Persia at present should meet with success. I do hope all goes

well....
|N150|P0
5 August 1955
|P1
Dear Bahá'í Brother,
|P2

Your letters of July 7, 13 and 15, August 19, 20 (three) and 31,

September 17 (two) and 27, October 13, 16 (two) and 26,

November 4, 15, 16 and 20, and December 8 (four) and 18,

[\P349]

1954, and January 6 (two), 10 and 25, February 7, 11, 14, 21 and

28, March 11 (two), 16 and 23, April 4, 7, 15, 19, 22 and 27,

May 9, 12 and 27, June 8 and 9, July 5 (four), 11 and 14, 1955,

with enclosures, also the material sent separately, have been

received by the beloved Guardian, and he has instructed me to

answer you on his behalf.
|P3

The matters taken up by cable I will not go into again here in

detail.
|P4

It has been a great source of satisfaction to him to receive here

last winter two members of the National Body, Mr. and Mrs.

John Ferraby, as well as more than one believer from England.

The contact with the British Bahá'ís always pleases him greatly.

As you know, he admires many of the staunch British qualities

very much, and is proud of the accomplishments of this

community during recent years.
|P5

He has been pleased over the progress made in the teaching

field abroad and at home; in the publication of Bahá'í literature

in African languages; and, above all, by the purchase of the

National Headquarters in London, and the formal dedication of

the building, recently held. He feels sure that, now that the

National Assembly has a befitting seat for its national affairs--a

building which at the same time will solve the problem of the

London Spiritual Assembly, through giving them a meeting-place--

the work in both London and throughout the country

will receive a new impetus. With every important step forward

there is a new release of spiritual energy; and the founding of the

National Haziratu'l-Quds is certainly a most important milestone

in the progress of the Cause in the British Isles.

|P6

As regards various questions raised in your correspondence

with him, he sees no reason why the Publishing Trust should

have a separate legal status, as long as it is not essential for it to do

so.
|P7

He approves of returning to Ronga as one of the languages

into which Bahá'í literature should be translated, according to

the provisions of the Ten Year Plan, and giving up Shangaan.

|P8

He would like very much to receive photostats of the actual

Certificates of Incorporation issued to the London and Manchester

and Liverpool Assemblies, to be placed in the Mansion

of Bahá'u'lláh.
|P9

He does not think your Assembly need take any action about

[\P350]

removing archives or other material from London. If, at a future

date, the world situation reaches the point where it is obvious

that things in London are in great danger, then your Assembly

should consider the matter. Fortunately, that is not the case at

present.
|P10

Any monies received from the sale of the property bequeathed

by Mrs. B ... can be used by your Assembly as it sees fit.

|P11

As he already pointed out to the Secretary, when he was in

Haifa, a National Endowment is at the present time to be

considered more in the nature of a token endowment. It need

not be in the capital, and can represent a very small investment;

indeed as little as one thousand dollars, if a suitable piece of

property for that price should be found, would be acceptable.

|P12

He was very sorry to hear of the tragic death of Mrs. Langdon-Davies.

She was a capable, staunch and devoted member of the

community and of the National Assembly as well; and her

services will be missed by her co-workers, and particularly the

friends in Oxford. He prays for the progress of her soul in the

Abhá Kingdom, and that she may be rewarded for her labours in

this world, performed with so much zeal and steadfastness.

|P13

He hopes that Mr. John Mitchell's condition has improved.

He was very sorry indeed to hear that he had been forced to

leave Malta. Please assure him of the Guardian's loving and

fervent prayers on his behalf.
|P14

As regards the question of Bahá'ís belonging to churches,

synagogues, Freemasonry, etc., the friends must realise that now

that the Faith is over a hundred years old, and its own institutions

arising, so to speak, rapidly above-ground, the distinctions are

becoming ever sharper, and the necessity for them to support

whole-heartedly their own institutions and cut themselves off

entirely from those of the past, is now clearer than ever before.

The eyes of the people of the world are beginning to be focussed

on us; and, as humanity's plight goes from bad to worse, we will

be watched ever more intently by non-Bahá'ís, to see whether

we do uphold our own institutions whole-heartedly; whether

we are the people of the new creation or not; whether we live

up to our beliefs, principles and laws in deed as well as word. We

cannot be too careful. We cannot be too exemplary.

|P15

There is another aspect to this question which the friends

should seriously ponder, and that is that, whereas organisations

[\P351]

such as Freemasonry may have been in the past entirely free

from any political taint, in the state of flux the world is in at

present, and the extraordinary way in which things become

corrupted and tainted by political thought and influences, there

is no guarantee that such an association might not gradually or

suddenly become a political instrument. The less Bahá'ís have to

do, therefore, with such things, the better.
|P16

He wishes you to thank ... on his behalf for the spirit of

devotion to the Faith which he has shown in connection with

this matter. He feels sure that he will see the necessity to sever

himself from his previous association with Freemasonry. The

older Bahá'ís, through their example in such matters, form

rallying points around which the younger Bahá'ís, not so steady

yet on their spiritual legs, so to speak, can cluster.

|P17

If you send him five copies of everything published in the

British Isles, it will be sufficient for the libraries here at the

World Centre....
|P18

The Africa Committee should carefully consider such

problems as that of the Negro pioneers being too long apart

from their wives; and, if no other solution is feasible, the pioneer

will have to return to his family. In the case of some of the very

distinguished servants of the Faith who have arisen and gone

forth from Uganda to pioneer, this would indeed be a loss to the

work. If their wives could go and join them, it would naturally

be preferable. This is a matter for the committee in consultation

with your Assembly and the Hand of the Cause, Musa Banani,

to decide.
|P19

Undoubtedly the most important task facing the British

community at the present time, is to increase its membership. It

has performed miracles during the past ten years, through

shifting around devoted volunteers from one centre to another,

in order to maintain or to create Spiritual Assemblies; but,

efficacious as this has been in the past, it is certainly not a

permanent solution to the problem. The only solution is to

bring in more Bahá'ís. This requires patient, prayerful, ceaseless

efforts on the part of, not only the Bahá'í teachers and pioneers,

but every single member of the community. The British people

are traditionally slow to move. Fortunately, once they do move,

it's almost impossible to stop them; but to overcome the inertia

requires great effort. In bringing new people into the Faith, the

[\P352]

friends always come up against this problem. He urges all the

Bahá'ís, however, not to become discouraged, but to persevere

and redouble their efforts, knowing that they can and must

succeed in the end. He, on his part, will reinforce their efforts

with his prayers in the Holy Shrines....
|P20

As regards your question about depleted Assemblies, as there

is nothing in the constitution of the National Spiritual Assembly

covering these matters, every National Body is free to make its

own decision as to what the status of an Assembly is from one

annual election to the next, if they fall below nine for any reason.

|P21

As regards certain matters raised in your recent letters:

|P22

Your Assembly is free to choose the place for the endowment

for the East and Central N.S.A. if you feel Uganda inadvisable.

|P23

The delegates reaching the Conventions in Africa is a matter

for each N.S.A., from whose area of jurisdiction they are elected,

to arrange and provide financial help if needed.
|P24

A prisoner, showing sincere faith in the Cause, may be

accepted as a Bahá'í on the same basis of investigating his

qualifications as to belief as any other individual outside prison.

Each case should be carefully considered on its own merits.

Naturally, a person in confinement cannot be active in any

community and administrative work. When he gets out, he

becomes part of the community in which he resides. No new

ruling is required in this matter. All other details in relation to

prisoners can be decided by the N.S.A. concerned as they arise.

|P25

The Guardian feels that, though it is naturally preferable, it is

not essential for consolidation territories to have a group by

Ridvan, 1956....
|P26
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P27

The contribution made, since the inception of the world-wide Baha'i

Crusade, severally as well as collectively, by the assiduously striving,

clear-visioned, inflexibly resolved, and unswervingly faithful members

of the British Bahá'í community to the progress and development of the

Ten Year Plan, inaugurated on the morrow of the centenary

celebration of the birth of Bahá'u'lláh's Mission, has been such as to

excite the heartfelt admiration of their fellow-workers in every

continent of the globe. The prestige of this valiant community has

soared rapidly, its annals have been notably enriched, the foundations

on which its fortunes now rest have been considerably reinforced,

[\P353]

whilst the variety and solidity of its administrative achievements have

won the unstinted praise of its sister communities in both the East and

the West. My own feelings of unqualified admiration for the tenacity

of the faith of its members, for their unrelaxing vigilance, their

unfailing sense of responsibility and their willingness to sacrifice in

order to meet any challenges that confront them, have deepened with

every advance they have made, and every victory they have won along

the path leading them towards the fulfilment of their destiny.

|P28

The historic triumph achieved as a result of the successful prosecution

of the Six Year Plan, spontaneously embarked upon by this

numerically small yet richly endowed, spiritually resourceful community,

on the morrow of the hundredth anniversary of the founding of

the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, followed immediately by the initiation of a

Two Year Plan which marked the inauguration of this community's

Mission beyond the confines of its homeland, culminated in the formal

association of its members with their brethren in every continent of the

globe for the launching and prosecution of a decade-long world-embracing

crusade, destined to carry that same community through yet

another stage, of the utmost significance, in the fulfilment of its world-wide

and glorious mission among the widely scattered territories of the

British Crown in no less than three continents of the globe.

|P29

The extension and consolidation, in the course of more than a

decade, of the administrative base established so painstakingly for the

prosecution of this community's far-flung mission, through the

formation and multiplication of isolated centres, groups and local

assemblies throughout the length and breadth of England, Wales,

Scotland, Northern Ireland and Eire; the opening of the virgin islands

lying in the neighbourhood of these territories and forming a part of

the British Isles, constituting a most welcome and much needed

reinforcement of the Administrative Structure raised so valiantly and

patiently by its members in their island home; the magnificent success

surpassing, in its quality and scope, the fondest expectations of the

elected representatives of this community, which attended the spiritual

conquest of a number of African territories, situated along the Western

and Eastern shores of that continent and its very heart; the settlement

of pioneers in two Mediterranean islands; the selection and purchase

of a befitting national administrative headquarters situated close to the

heart of the capital city of the British Empire; the acquisition of a plot

in the outskirts of the capital city of Uganda, situated in the heart of

the African continent, to serve as the site for a future Bahá'í House of

[\P354]

Worship; the rapid advancement in the translation and publication of

Bahá'í literature in the thirty-one African languages, allotted, under

the Ten Year Plan to the elected national representatives of this same

community; the steady progress made more recently in the incorporation

of firmly established local assemblies; the formation of the Israel

Branch of the British National Assembly at the world centre of the

Faith in Israel--these stand out as the most prominent and significant

evidences of the uninterrupted development of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh

under the wise leadership, and through the assiduous and incessant

exertions, of the elected national representatives of this virile

community.
|P30

The year that has recently opened, constituting the second and last

year of the second phase of a Ten-Year global crusade, must witness

a development and consolidation of the activities already initiated, in

both the teaching and administrative spheres of Bahá'í endeavour, as

swift and as notable as the progress already achieved in recent years.

Time is indeed short. The responsibilities shouldered by the members

of this community are manifold, pressing, sacred and inescapable. The

eyes of the entire Bahá'í world are upon them, eager and expectant to

witness feats as superb as those that have marked the birth and

establishment of the Administrative Order of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh

in the British Isles, and exploits as meritorious and significant as those

that have accompanied the inception and progress of the mission

entrusted to His British followers, on the morrow of the emergence of

that Administrative Order in their homeland.
|P31

The process aiming at the rapid increase in the number of the

avowed and active supporters of the Faith must continue unabated in

the months immediately ahead. A simultaneous multiplication in the

number of isolated centres, groups and local assemblies must be ensured

in order to reinforce the agencies on which the rising administrative

structure of the Faith must ultimately rest. The process of incorporation

must likewise be strenuously stimulated for the purpose of strengthening

legally, and enhancing the prestige of, these rising institutions. The

newly opened territories forming part of the British Isles, situated in

the Mediterranean, in the Atlantic Ocean, along the western and

eastern coasts of Africa, and in its very heart, must be continually

reinforced, and the prizes won in those distant fields safeguarded,

however great the sacrifice involved. The establishment of national

Bahá'í endowments in the British Isles is yet another task which, ere

the termination of the current year, must be accomplished, as a prelude

[\P355]

to the establishment of a similar endowment in the continent of Africa

following the emergence of the National Spiritual Assembly of the

Bahá'ís of Central and East Africa.
|P32

Above all, the most careful consideration should be given to the

measures required to ensure the emergence of the afore-mentioned

National Assembly in the heart of the African continent, marking the

culmination of the efforts so diligently exerted, and the fruition of

the enterprises so painstakingly inaugurated, since the formation of the

Two Year Plan by the British Bahá'í community.
|P33

The emergence of this institution, signalising the erection of yet

another pillar of the Universal House of Justice in the African

continent, and constituting the first fruit, yielded on foreign soil, of the

Mission entrusted to the British followers of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh,

and which may be hailed as a worthy counterpart of the central

Administrative Institution established, on the morrow of `Abdu'l-Bahá's

Passing, in the heart of the British Isles, will be acclaimed by

posterity as a milestone of far-reaching significance in British Baha'i

history. It will proclaim to the entire Bahá'í world the maturity of the

swiftly rising, highly promising, steadily consolidating British Baha'i

community. Every British follower of the Faith, whether in his home

islands or overseas, must feel proud and deeply grateful for the

impending consummation of so superb and momentous a victory.

Every energy must be lent to ensure a befitting celebration of such an

enduring and magnificent achievement.
|P34

The efforts of the members of this community must indeed be

redoubled, nay trebled, as they view with afflicted hearts the tragic

trend of events transpiring with such dramatic and sudden swiftness in

Bahá'u'lláh's native land. The tribulations suffered, over so wide a

field, by so many of their co-religionists, under circumstances so

appalling and harrowing in their nature, at the hands of redoubtable,

pitiless, barbarous adversaries, should spur them on to still greater

endeavours in a land blessed with freedom of religion and tolerance,

and occupying so conspicuous a position among its sister nations.

|P35

Theirs is an opportunity which they must instantly grasp. Theirs

is a responsibility which they cannot escape. Theirs is the duty to

offset, by the quality of their achievements, the dire losses which are

now being sustained in the cradle of the Faith. That they may in every

field and at all times discharge their heavy responsibilities is my

I am writing you this at the instruction of the beloved

Guardian.
|P3

As you will have no doubt seen by his recent cable, he has

come to the historic decision to build a Temple in Africa, in

Kampala. He has been in communication with Mr. Banani about

this, and from reports received it appears there will be no

objections. The land must be surveyed (this is being done), and

design of the building submitted so as to meet health and

building requirements.
|P4

The Guardian wishes your Assembly to please get busy at

once and have a design, or designs, made for the building; it is

not necessary to try in any way to copy the Wilmette Temple:

the things that are essential are the following:
|P5
1. A nine-sided building.
|P6
2. A dome, in proportion to the building.
|P7

3. A seating capacity between 300 and 500; you could count

floor space at 300 or 400 and provide a balcony around the

auditorium for expansion in seating capacity.
|P8

4. No "chapels" or small rooms should be added; this was a

misapprehension held in the old days.
|P9

As to materials your Assembly and architect can go into that,

but brick or cement would be all right. Stone would seem to be

out of the question.
|P10

It should not be too expensive or pretentious, but dignified

and worthy.
|P11

There is no reason why the architect should be a Baha'i--in

fact your use of someone there would get it done faster, probably.

The imperative thing is to send preliminary drawings to the

Guardian within two months, if possible.
|P12

The terrible situation in Persia makes him most anxious to

have this project go forward speedily. He feels funds will not be

too much of a problem if great costs are not involved.

|P13

He sends you and all N.S.A. members his loving greetings....

[\P357]
|N152|P0
30 August 1955
|P1

The beloved Guardian has received the clippings from English

newspapers and read them with keen interest; he attached

much importance to such publicity in journals of such high standing....

|P2
Regarding your questions--
|P3

It is permissible to use selections from the "Promulgation of

Universal Peace" in compilations.
|P4
Better omit the prayer of The Báb you mentioned.
|P5

The Guardian does not feel the present status of London,

regarding its assembly, should be changed. Other cities should

have their assemblies based, as usual, and already adopted in

other countries, on the civil limits of the city in question....

DELIGHTED GREAT SUCCESS. DEEPLY APPRECIATE RESOLVE LOVING

The beloved Guardian has instructed me to write and inform

your Assembly of the following:
|P3

The National Spiritual Assembly of Central and East Africa

should be elected by 76 delegates, which is four times nineteen.

This number should be apportioned amongst the spiritual

assemblies within the countries the future N.S.A. will represent.

[\P358]

He leaves an equitable distribution of the number of delegates to

the Assemblies, to your Assembly to decide.
|P4

The British N.S.A. certainly has its work cut out for it in the

near future, what with this historic convention in the offing and

a Temple to be built!...
|N155|P0
4 October 1955
|P1

LEAVE MATTERS REGARDING ASSEMBLIES LETTER SEPTEMBER 23

APPROVE APPROACH JANNER EMPHASISE OCCUPATION TIHRAN

HAZIRA BY MILITARY.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N159|P0
18 November 1955
|P1

The drawings for the Temple in Kampala have reached the

beloved Guardian, and he has instructed me to answer you on his

behalf regarding their suitability.
|P2

Frankly, he was very discouraged by these drawings, as he

feels that such an ultra-modern style is wholly unsuitable for a

[\P359]

Bahá'í Temple.... It seems to him that the modern influence is

now so strong and widespread that it is out of the question to get

a discreet and dignified building designed for our purposes.

|P3

...He is sorry to disappoint your Assembly, and regrets the

time, trouble and expense which has been involved in finding a

design.
|P4

As he cabled your Assembly he also feels that to seek a new

Temple site is unwise; from descriptions received at the time of

its purchase it seems satisfactory, and there is enough land around

it for possible expansion in the future....
|P5

He feels therefore that until your hear from him you (had)

better take no further steps as regards a design for Kampala.

|N160|P0
8 December 1955+F1
{Replied "exactly 100".}
|P1

CABLE NUMBER LOCALITIES BRITISH ISLES WHERE Bahá'ís RESIDE

This is just a note on behalf of the beloved Guardian to answer

the point raised in one of your recent letters.
|P3

You say that in Irish, the word "Bab" is not appropriate to be

used; and as the word "Gate" is not as nice in translation in any

language, he suggests that in place of the word "Bab", you use

"Herald"....
|P4

P.S. The Guardian approves your sending "Advice to Bahá'ís

in British Colonies" to other N.S.A.'s, but feels it is not necessary

to send a copy to the Colonial Office itself. He feels teaching

work in Uganda should now be concentrated on consolidation,

primarily.
|P5

The Guardian's decision regard Mr. ... design is final; it is

too extreme for any modification to render it possible as a

temple....
[\P360]
|N162|P0
14 December 1955
|P1
Dear Bahá'í Brother:
|P2

Your loving letter of December 1st has been received.

|P3

The Guardian attaches the utmost importance to the

development of the Faith in the Pacific Islands. Wherever an

opportunity opens for expansion of the work in one of the

Islands, he feels that opportunity should be seized and exploited

to the fullest extent. Thus, if it is possible for anyone to proceed

to the Solomon Islands to assist the Blums there, it would be

very, very helpful.
|P4

As the Guardian understands the situation, the Blums have

not left the Solomon Islands, but are expanding their business

and service. Thus the work which Mr. Blum previously engaged

in, of driving a taxi, is now open to someone else; and therefore

the pioneer to go to the Solomons would find a position waiting

for him.
|P5

The Guardian understands that the Blums are very well

thought of and respected throughout the Solomon Islands.

|P6

I am sending a copy of this correspondence to the Persian

N.S.A., and encouraging them to send pioneers to the Solomon

Islands. You may wish to also correspond with them....

|N163|P0
15 December 1955
|P1
Dear Bahá'í Friends:
|P2

The beloved Guardian has directed me to write you in

connection with the translation of Bahá'í literature into languages

as called for by the Ten Year Crusade.
|P3

31 languages have been assigned to your Assembly; and of

these, 24 translations have been made or are under way. The

Guardian feels this is a very fine record, and one of which you

may be proud.
|P4

At the same time he feels special effort should be made to

complete the translations. He has no record of translations of 7

languages. Will you please send me a letter for him, indicating

what the status of each of these languages is....
[\P361]
|N164|P0
16 December 1955
|P1
Dear Bahá'í Friends:
|P2

The beloved Guardian has directed me to write you in

connection with the purchase of an endowment for East Africa.

|P3

As you know, a contribution has been made by the Hand of

the Cause, Mrs. Amelia E. Collins, of One Thousand Dollars for

the purchase of the endowment for Kampala. The Guardian feels

a small piece of property which can be bought for this One

Thousand Dollars should be procured at once, so that this goal

of the Ten Year Crusade can be concluded. He feels that you

should at once buy a small plot of land in Uganda, at a cost of

approximately One Thousand Dollars. The American N.S.A.

will remit the funds as you direct.
|P4

Will you please let me know just what can be done in

connection with this project?
|P5

The Guardian sends the members of the National Assembly

his loving greetings, and assures them of his prayers in their

behalf....
|N165|P0
1 January 1956+F1
{Refers to Dr. John Mitchell.}
|P1

GRIEVED NEWS ASSURE JOHN DEAREST LOVE FERVENT PRAYERS.

|P2
SHOGHI
|N166|P0
4 January 1956
|P1

DISREGARD PERSIAN STATEMENT REGARDING DIVORCE. ASSEMBLY'S

UNDERSTANDING REGARDING STRIKES CORRECT.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N167|P0
18 January 1956
|P1

DEEPLY APPRECIATE MESSAGE CONFERENCE WELCOME NEW DETERMINATION

BEFITTINGLY RESPOND FRESH CHALLENGE PRAYING
MIGHTY VICTORIES.
|P2
SHOGHI
[\P362]
|N168|P0
26 March 1956
|P1

APPEAL HIGHMINDED VIGILANT STAUNCH UPHOLDERS FAITH

Bahá'u'lláh SCATTERED HUNDRED CENTRES BRITISH ISLES ARISE

THIS CRUCIAL HOUR EXERT SUPREME EFFORT CONCLUDING MONTH

SECOND PHASE WORLD CRUSADE MEET URGENT NEEDS HOMEFRONT

VALIANTLY DEFEND HARD WON PRIZES ENSURE PRESERVATION

PIVOTAL CENTRE. CONFIDENT HIS DEARLY BELOVED HIGHLY

ADMIRED BRITISH FOLLOWERS WILL REFUSE ALLOW ANY SETBACK

CONSOLIDATION WORK THEIR HOMELAND TARNISH SPLENDID

RECORD PIONEER SERVICES ACHIEVED TERRITORIES AFRICAN CONTINENT

PRAYING WHOLE HEARTED UNIVERSAL IMMEDIATE RESPONSE

Attached is a copy of a dispatch issued by Reuters in December,

giving the conclusions of the persecutions in Persia.

|P3

The Guardian considers this a very fine statement, and urges

you to have it given as widespread publicity as possible.

|P4

Dorothy Wigington+ will have a copy, and she should be

given the opportunity to read this at the British National

Convention.
|P5

The Guardian would appreciate your sending copies of any

publicity received on this important statement....

|N170|P0
6 April 1956
|P1
Dear John:
|P2

Enclosed please find the Guardian's long message to all the

Conventions, to be shared with the friends and delegates at the

National Convention soon to be held.
|P3

He hopes that it will be stimulating to the pioneer work at

home and abroad....
[\P363]
|N171|P0
10 April 1956
|P1
BALYUZI'S PRESENCE ESSENTIAL+F1
{As convening Chairman, Kampala Convention.}
UTMOST EFFORT NECESSARY IF
ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE SUBSTITUTE JOHN.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N172|P0
27 April 1956+F2
{Diya'u'llah Asgharzadih.}
|P1

GRIEVED PASSING CONSECRATED PIONEER FAITH LONG RECORD

SERVICES HIGHLY MERITORIOUS UNFORGETTABLE PRAYING PROGRESS

SOUL Abhá Kingdom.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N173|P0
29 April 1956
|P1

ASSURE FERVENT PRAYERS HEARTFELT CONGRATULATIONS GREAT

VICTORIES AFRICA URGE REDOUBLE EFFORTS HOME FRONT DEEPEST

LOVE.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N174|P0
2 May 1956
|P1

WELCOME RESOLVE MEET CHALLENGES LOVING FERVENT PRAYERS

OFFERED SUCCESS DEARLY LOVED VALIANT COMMUNITY.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N175|P0
10 May 1956
|P1

SUGGESTED DISPENSATION LETTER MAY FOURTH NOT POSSIBLE.+F3

{For allocation of delegates to Assemblies lapsing after civic limits rule

imposed.}
|P2
SHOGHI
[\P364]
|N176|P0
26 June 1956
|P1
REGIONAL ASSEMBLY RESPONSIBLE FOR TEMPLE.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N177|P0
11 July 1956
|P1
Dear John,
|P2

As a number of questions raised in your communications

addressed to the beloved Guardian have been answered by cable

or through the Assistant Secretary, I will not go into these

matters here, but merely acknowledge on his behalf receipt of

the letters from your National Body, together with their

enclosures and material sent under separate cover which were

dated as follows: July 22, August 8, 9, 11 (two), 12 (two), and

18, September 7, 9, 10, 23 (three), 26 and 28, October 7 (two),

13 (two), 25, 26, 28 (two), and 29, November 3, 4, 9, 21 (two),

24 and 30, December 1, 2, 9 (three), 19 and 29 (two), 1955, and

January 6, 10, 17, 23, 27, and 30 (two), February 10, 16, and 27,

March 8, 9, 19, and 29, April 2, 10, 13, 16, 17, and 26, May 4,

14, 16, 31, and June 13, 19, 22, and 29, 1956.
|P3

He appreciated receiving copies of the Diary which your

Assembly forwarded to him, and which is invariably gotten out

efficiently and in a pleasing manner. He thinks the five copies

you sent will be sufficient.
|P4

The generous spirit in which the British Bahá'ís, hard-pressed

as they are to meet the requirements of the work in Great

Britain, responded to the needs of their persecuted brethren in

Persia, deeply touched him. These evidences of Bahá'í sacrifice

and solidarity cannot but nourish the very roots of the Faith and

strengthen its institutions.
|P5

As he advised you by cable, he felt it unwise to seek to clarify

the relationship of the Bahá'ís to the advertised holding of

Ahmad Sohrab's conference in Jerusalem. Having a very shrewd

eye to his own advantage, it has become obvious that one of the

means by which he hopes to promote interest in his conference

is to arouse active opposition from the Bahá'ís and create a source

of discussion in the press. In view of this, the Guardian has been

very careful to have the friends avoid rising to this bait. They

should, in their personal contacts with people, and in a quiet

[\P365]

manner, point out when occasion arises that the Caravan

activities have nothing whatsoever to do with the Bahá'í Faith

and are indeed unfriendly to it. Whatever he does cannot but

end in failure, because he has cut himself off entirely from the

living tree of the Faith and is wholly insincere in his motives.

|P6

In spite of the fact that Mr. ... has been expelled from Gilbert

and Ellice Islands, the remarkable progress of the Faith there has

been a source of great satisfaction. It shows that a spiritual

receptivity, a purity of heart and uprightness of character exists

potentially amongst many of the peoples of the Pacific Isles to an

extent equal to that of the tribesmen of Africa. It is indeed an

encouraging and awe-inspiring sight to witness the spread of our

beloved Faith amongst those whom civilised nations misguidedly

term "savages", "primitive peoples" and "uncivilised nations". He

hopes that your Assembly will do all in its power to ensure that

Mrs. ... remains in the Islands. Although for some period at least

this may entail separation from her husband, he believes that

these two dedicated and exemplary pioneers will be willing to

accept this sacrifice in view of the extraordinary work they have

accomplished and are accomplishing. The community there

must not be abandoned, particularly by its "mother", so to speak.

It must be well and profoundly grounded in the Faith before

such a risky step can be taken. He hopes that you will deal most

wisely and co-operatively with the Colonial Office officials in

this matter and any others that may arise. Their esteem, their

good-will, and their co-operation are practically indispensable

for the future work in many islands throughout the Pacific area,

and nothing but the frustration of our objectives can be gained

through alienating them in any way. This should be impressed

upon the pioneers and the local Bahá'ís as well.
|P7

The beloved Guardian regrets very much the entire situation

in which the dear Hand of the Cause, Mr. Townshend, finds

himself. He is much loved, and his services have been of a unique

nature in providing the Faith with so many excellent books, the

latest of which the Guardian hopes will soon be ready for

publication....
|P8

The persecution of the Faith last year in Persia, although no

doubt a great trial to the Persian believers, can be regarded in no

other light than as a triumph. The designs of the traditional

enemies of the Faith, the mullahs, have been entirely frustrated.

[\P366]

The Government has been forced to take action for the first time

in its history to officially protect the Bahá'ís and their institutions

and the Cause of God has received a publicity all over the

world--entirely free of charge--which an expenditure of many

thousands of pounds could not have secured for it.

|P9

In spite of the great anxiety and pain which the crisis of last

summer caused the Guardian, he could not help being highly

gratified that, for practically the first time, publicity of a weighty

nature was given to the Faith in such papers as the "Spectator",

the "Observer", "The Times" and the "Manchester Guardian",

and that the voices of two such distinguished scholars as Professor

Gilbert Murray and Professor Arnold Toynbee were raised in

defence of the believers of Bahá'u'lláh and His Faith. This has

opened the door on a new phase of the unfoldment of the Faith

in the British Isles. However slow the process may seem, the first

inklings of its emergence as a public force can now be

discerned....
|P10

The loss of some of the Spiritual Assemblies in England this

year need not be viewed as an unduly horrible experience. It was

inevitable that the British Bahá'í community would have to get

itself, once and for all, grounded on the same basis as all other

Bahá'í communities, namely, that of having Spiritual Assemblies

function within defined civil limits. Although this seems to have

dealt a set-back to the work, it is purely temporary. The localities

have perforce been increased, which is a step in the right

direction, and which cannot but widen the foundation of the

Administrative Order. In those islands more members of the

community will be given the opportunity to serve on local

Assemblies and their committees; and above all, the new crisis

which developed because of this change-over once more

demonstrated the truly extraordinary and exemplary steadfastness

of the British Bahá'ís which had led them, over and over

again, at great cost to themselves, to throw themselves into the

breach. Although this is a well-known national characteristic, it

provides nevertheless a great example to their fellow-Bahá'ís all

over the world. The Guardian knows of no community, east or

west, which so valiantly and so consistently, one might almost

say ferociously, has arisen to defend its Home Front. He has the

greatest admiration for the spirit which animates them and for

their achievements.
[\P367]
|P11

He was sorry to refuse the request of the National Assembly

to, under certain circumstances, permit the localities that would

achieve Assembly status by next Ridvan, to have a delegate at the

National Convention. He feels that, although this would no

doubt have provided a great stimulus to the friends, it was an

unjustifiable breach of the general administrative procedure. If

there are too many exceptions, the rule has a tendency to lose its

clearly defined character, not to mention encouraging other

communities to want to be exceptions too, under various

circumstances!
|P12

The Guardian hopes that during the coming year there will be

more Assemblies incorporated, as he attaches great importance

to this process.
|P13

He was delighted that the Irish translation had been completed,

and also very happy to hear that the National Endowment for

the British National Spiritual Assembly had been purchased. All

these signs of life and vitality are greatly to be admired, and

prove the intense virility and youthfulness of the British Baha'i

community.
|P14

He was sorry to have to disappoint Mr. ... who was so

enthusiastic about his own design for the Temple. However,

there was no possible question of accepting something as extreme

as this. The Guardian feels very strongly that, regardless of what

the opinion of the latest school of architecture may be on the

subject, the styles represented at present all over the world in

architecture are not only very ugly, but completely lack the

dignity and grace which must be at least partially present in a

Bahá'í House of Worship. One must always bear in mind that

the vast majority of human beings are neither very modern nor

very extreme in their tastes, and that what the advanced school

may think is marvellous is often very distasteful indeed to just

plain, simple people.
|P15

The Hand of the Cause, Mr. Remey, has now completed a

design for the Kampala Temple which meets with the Guardian's

approval. It will shortly be ready to be forwarded to the Central

and East Africa National Assembly.
|P16

It was a great pleasure for Shoghi Effendi to have a number of

pilgrims from the British Isles as his guests this winter. They

brought with them the spirit of perseverance and devotion so

clearly evinced by the British believers; and he feels sure that,

[\P368]

upon their return, they carried back much of inspiration and

encouragement to the friends at home.
|P17

Not the least of the landmarks reached on the international

Bahá'í scene this year has been the formation of the three new

National Bodies in Africa. Your Assembly and the community

you represent have every reason to look with pride and affection

upon the development of the Cause in the African continent, and

upon the many spiritual children and grandchildren, and perhaps

great-grandchildren you have over there. The record has been

truly astonishing, and such as to gladden the heart of `Abdu'l-Bahá

Who so ardently longed, Himself, to go forth "on foot" and

carry the Message to yet another of the far corners of the world.

|P18

No doubt although the Central and East Africa Assembly is

a strong one, it will still welcome and need at least a large

measure of moral support from its parent; and he feels sure that

you will always be ready and willing to help in any way you can

with advice and suggestions, and perhaps teachers and pioneers

and other support as opportunity affords. (As he informed you

when you were here, he does not feel the British National

Spiritual Assembly can support financially its Central and East

Africa one. However, a token contribution would be a kind and

appropriate gesture.) In any case, you should keep in close touch

with the work there, a work dear, not only to the Guardian's

heart, but to all of yours as well.
|P19

As regards certain questions raised in your letters: There is no

objection for the time being in going on including in Prayer

Books the Prayer of The Báb: "In the Name of God, the Victor

of the Most Victorious", etc.
|P20

As regards the question raised in Africa about divorce

connected with adultery, these are matters for the future. No

action of any new kind should be taken at present.

|P21

As regards strikes, the Guardian feels that your own

understanding of the matter as expressed in your letter is quite

correct, and he does not see the necessity of adding anything to

it. We should avoid becoming rigid and laying down any more

rules and regulations of conduct.
|P22

Regarding taking oaths, there is nothing in the Teachings on

this subject. As a Bahá'í is enjoined by Bahá'u'lláh to be truthful,

he would express his truthfulness, no matter what the formality

of the law in any local place required of him. There can be no

[\P369]

objection to Bahá'ís conforming to the requirements of the law

court whatever they may be in such matters, as in no case would

they constitute in any way a denial of their own beliefs as Bahá'ís.

|P23

Concerning the short obligatory Prayer: the Guardian does

not wish to define these things at present; the time will come for

it in future. The friends need not be too strict about it at present.

The Greatest Name is Allah-u-Abha.
|P24

He remembers you and all the N.S.A. members in his prayers

most lovingly, and supplicates for your success and that strength

may be given you to discharge your many important duties.

|P25
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P26

The emergence of the Regional Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís

of Central and East Africa, under such auspicious circumstances, and

after the lapse of such a short period of time since the inception of the

Ten Year Plan, marks a milestone of far-reaching significance in the

unfoldment of the great historic Mission entrusted to the British

Bahá'í community in the vast and far-flung territories beyond the

confines of its motherland. It is, moreover, a striking evidence of the

exemplary and whole-hearted devotion of its members to that Mission,

and of the vigour, the vigilance, the resourcefulness, the tenacity and

the courage with which they have conducted this vast and magnificent

enterprise launched in the heart of that continent, in the face of various

obstacles and with such limited resources at their disposal. The entire

community, now standing on the threshold of still greater and nobler

enterprises in other parts of the world, and particularly its national

elected representatives, who have so splendidly discharged their

responsibilities overseas, and assumed with characteristic resolution,

fearlessness and consecration the direction of the manifold activities of

so dynamic an enterprise, must be heartily congratulated on so

conspicuous a victory, won in such a distant field, within so brief an

interval, at the cost of so much sacrifice, by so limited a number of

pioneers, labouring amidst a people so divergent in language, customs

and manners.
|P27

Its sister communities in both the East and the West, and

particularly its daughter communities, now blossoming into new life,

and marching forth, unitedly and resolutely, along the path traced for

them in the Ten Year Plan, cannot but feel proud of the tremendous

work first initiated in the heart of Africa by British Bahá'í pioneers,

and of the organising ability, the sound judgement, the unquestioning

[\P370]

fidelity, and the dogged determination that have characterised every

stage in the rise, the development and fruition of the first collective

enterprise embarked upon beyond the confines of the British Isles by

the British adherents of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh.

|P28

Though much of the responsibility hitherto discharged by your

Assembly, in both the heart of the continent and the territories situated

on its Eastern and Western shores, will now devolve on the newly

established Regional Spiritual Assemblies, the particular Mission you

have been called upon, through the dispensation of Providence to fulfil,

is by no means concluded. Every assistance within your power,

particularly in matters requiring the aid, support and intervention of

the authorities at the Colonial Office, and in connection with the

translation of Bahá'í literature into African languages, their

publication and dissemination, as well as with any publicity that can

be given in the British press to the marvellous achievements of the

numerous Bahá'í communities recently raised up in Africa, and now

energetically discharging their manifold and sacred duties all over that

continent--such assistance should be constantly and unstintingly

extended to these newly fledged communities which the power of the

Most Great Name has called into being at so crucial a period in

human history, and at so auspicious a stage in the mysterious

unfoldment of God's Plan for all mankind.
|P29

While this beneficent, slowly maturing, irresistibly advancing

enterprise develops and gains momentum, through the concerted and

tireless efforts of its original organisers in the British Isles and those in

charge of its immediate destinies in Africa itself, a corresponding

endeavour, no less consecrated, persistent and enthusiastic, should be

exerted in the Islands of the Mediterranean and the Far East, where

similar exploits must needs be achieved by those who have performed

such unforgettable feats among the Negroes of the African continent.

|P30

Parallel with this highly vital and urgently needed exertion in

foreign fields, a further intensification of effort is required on the

homefront, and particularly throughout the newly opened islands

bordering the homeland itself, now standing in such dire need of a flow

of pioneers and a concentration of material resources unexampled in

British Bahá'í history. There is no reason to doubt that the phenomenal

progress achieved within the span of a few years, amidst an alien

people, and in such distant and backward territories, will be duplicated,

nay surpassed, among people of the same race, speaking the same

language, of the same background, and living in such close proximity

[\P371]

to the Administrative Centre in the British Isles, provided that a

determination no less unyielding, and a dedication no less whole-hearted

and complete, will be displayed by those who have already won

such memorable victories in such far-off and inhospitable regions of the

globe. He Who in recent years infallibly guided from His realms above

the steps of the little band of pioneers and administrators under such

difficult and challenging circumstances, Who galvanised their souls,

blessed their handiwork, raised their status, and noised abroad their

fame, can well enable them, if they but arise to the occasion now

presenting itself, to conquer with no less rapidity and even greater

effectiveness, the citadels of men's hearts, to tear down the barriers

which now confront them, and ignite a fire in the hearts of their own

countrymen as consuming as the one that has set ablaze, in so

conspicuous a fashion, the souls of the African races over the length

and breadth of an entire continent.
|P31

The rapid increase in the number of the avowed supporters of the

Faith, the multiplication of groups, isolated centres and assemblies

within the limits of the homeland and its neighbouring islands, must

be accompanied by a marked acceleration in the process of internal

consolidation, such as the incorporation of firmly established local

Assemblies, expansion in the publication and dissemination of Baha'i

literature, and the adoption of carefully considered measures aimed at

giving a still wider publicity, among circles hitherto unapproached, or

as yet inadequately informed of the tenets, the aims and purposes, as

well as the world-wide achievements of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh in

both the teaching and administrative spheres of its activities.

|P32

The highly gratifying and truly praiseworthy success which has

attended, so unexpectedly, the energetic efforts exerted by your

Assembly in connection with the campaign of publicity initiated for

the purpose of safeguarding the rights of our oppressed brethren in

Persia must be regarded as a most encouraging sign, and should

constitute a prelude and a stepping-stone to a still wider undertaking,

aimed at a more systematic presentation of the ideals animating our

beloved Cause and of its fundamental verities, and an adequate

proclamation of its God-given mission to this distracted, sadly erring,

and increasingly tormented generation.
|P33

The annals of the British Bahá'í community, small in numbers, yet

unconquerable in spirit, tenacious in belief, undeviating in purpose,

alert and vigilant in the discharge of its manifold duties and

responsibilities, have in consequence of its epoch-making achievements

[\P372]

been vastly enriched. The process set in motion and greatly accelerated

through the successive formulation of the Six Year Plan, the Two

Year Plan and the Ten Year Plan, must continue unabated and

unimpaired. Nay with every passing day it must gather momentum.

Every individual believer must, henceforth, encouraged and inspired

by all that has already been achieved, contribute to its future and

speedy unfoldment. That the entire community may befittingly

respond to the call of the present hour and bring to a final consummation

the Mission with which it has been entrusted is the deepest yearning

of my heart and the object of my unceasing prayers.

Your letter of 16 Mashiyyat 113, with enclosures, has been

received by the beloved Guardian, and he has instructed me to

answer you on his behalf.
|P4

He is most hopeful that the second week-end school will

prove as successful and fruitful as the one held in February

apparently was.
|P5

The Guardian is delighted over the progress being made in

Northern Ireland. He greatly admires the tenacity and spirit of

dedication of the believers living in the British Isles, and is

confident the friends in your region will unitedly bend all their

energies toward the fulfilment of the goals they have set their

hearts on attaining by next Ridvan.
|P6

Rest assured of his loving prayers for you all....

|P7
[From the Guardian:]

May the Beloved bless your efforts and those of your dear co-workers,

and aid you to extend the range of your valued activities, and

enable you to win memorable victories in the service of His Faith,

|P8
Your true brother,
Shoghi
[\P373]
|N179|P0
8 December 1956
|P1

REGARDING CHILDREN FOLLOW AMERICAN PROCEDURE. APPROVE

The Beloved Guardian has directed me to write to your

Assembly, with regard to the Tristan da Cunha Island.

|P3

Earlier in the Ten Year Crusade, one of the English Bahá'ís

offered to settle in this Island, in order to establish the Faith there.

At that time, the Guardian felt we must concentrate on the goals

of the Crusade only. Now, however, the Friends have won so

many victories, and the goals of the Crusade are being gained

currently, early in the Crusade, he feels supplementary areas may

be settled--and for that matter, supplementary activities engaged

in.
|P4

Thus, if this friend still wishes to settle in the Island of Tristan

da Cunha, he would welcome it being done.
|P5

If only the home front would surge ahead, then the Crusade

would surely be moving ahead of the schedule. Let us pray those

at home will arise with the same dedication, and consecration as

the valiant pioneers, causing a new life to be manifest on all

home fronts.
|P6

The Guardian sends the members of your Assembly his loving

greetings....
|N181|P0
27 December 1956
|P1

AS NATIONAL AND FEW LOCAL HAZIRAS NOT YET RETURNED LETTER

THANKS INADVISABLE.+F1
{Proposed letter of thanks to a Head of State.}
|P2
SHOGHI
[\P374]
|N182|P0
12 January 1957
|P1
Mr. Arthur Norton
Dear Bahá'í Brother,
|P2

Your loving letters concerning contributions to the Shrine of

The Báb Fund, and the International Fund, have been received by

the Beloved Guardian, and he has directed me to acknowledge

them on his behalf. These contributions from the Friends in

England, and the Friends in the Seychelles, are greatly appreciated

by the Guardian. Receipt is enclosed. Will you please, on behalf

of the Guardian express his appreciation to Mr. & Mrs. ... and

the devoted friends in the Seychelles.
|P3

The Guardian has been deeply touched by the continuing

victories being won by the friends in the Seychelles.

|P4

The Beloved Guardian also wishes the dear Friends in England

to know of his deep appreciation of their consecration, and their

sacrifices for the Faith. This noble spirit cannot do other than

attract the blessings of the Holy Spirit, which will assure victory.

He assures you of his prayers in your behalf, and for the success

of your many labours.
|P5
He sends you his loving Greetings....
|N183|P0
12 January 1957
|P1

To the Bahá'ís who were present at the Birmingham Teaching

Conference, January 5th 1957.
Dear Bahá'í Friends,
|P2

The beloved Guardian has received your letter of greeting,

and was very happy to hear that the Birmingham Teaching

Conference had been such an outstanding success.
|P3

Undoubtedly the Faith in the British Isles is making steady

and sound progress, and he hopes that during the coming months

many of the Spiritual Assemblies which have been placed in

jeopardy will be consolidated in time for the elections. He feels

sure that the British Bahá'ís, who have done more pioneering per

capita than any other Bahá'í community in the world, will do all

in their power to safeguard the precious goals they have won at

the cost of so much sacrifice and valiant endeavour.

[\P375]
|P4

He assures you one and all of his loving prayers for your

success, and that he will remember you in his visits to the Holy

Shrines....
|P5
[From the Guardian:]

May the Spirit of Bahá'u'lláh sustain you in your highly

meritorious labours, guide every step you take in the path of service to

His Faith, and enable you to lend a great impetus, in the days to come,

to the onward march of our beloved Cause throughout the British Isles

and to the consolidation of its divinely appointed institutions,

The Beloved Guardian has directed me to write your

Assembly with regard to showing interior views of the Shrine

of Bahá'u'lláh in slides.
|P3

The Guardian read in some minutes, or in a report of one of

the Summer Schools, that slides were shown of the Holy Land,

and among them one of the interior of the Shrine. He would like

to know whether this is the interior Garden, or the Inner Shrine

itself, and whose slides they are.
|P4

He feels that the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh and The Báb are so

sacred, it is improper for any slides to be shown of the Interiors.

Thus, the slide which was shown at the Summer School should

be destroyed, and if it forms a part of any sets of views of the

Holy Land, this slide be removed from the set.
|P5
He sends you his loving Greetings....
|N185|P0
27 February 1957
|P1

GREATLY DEPLORE LOSS MUCH LOVED JOHN MITCHELL STAUNCH

CONSECRATED PROMOTER FAITH. REWARD HIS ADMINISTRATIVE

PIONEER SERVICES GREAT Abhá Kingdom FERVENTLY SUPPLICATING

Your loving letter of March 4th, with regard to the Shrine of

Bahá'u'lláh, interior view, slide; which was shown or to be

shown at your Summer School.
|P3

The Guardian wishes me to see that all these slides are

destroyed, and all informed that they should not be used.

Therefore, can you send me the name of the person in America

who sent the slide to the Bahá'í in England.
|P4

This will permit me to stop the exodus of these slides at the

source....
|N187|P0
14 March 1957
|P1

APPEAL VALIANT BRITISH Bahá'í COMMUNITY FOCUS ATTENTION

URGENT NEEDS PIVOTAL CENTRES STRENUOUS IMMEDIATE CONCERTED

EFFORTS IMPERATIVE SAFEGUARD OUTSTANDING PRIZES

LABORIOUSLY WON FERVENTLY PRAYING SUCCESS DEEPEST LOVE.

The Beloved Guardian has been greatly impressed by the

number of Teaching Conferences held during the past year,

especially in the virgin areas of the Ten Year Crusade.

|P3

My records are not complete concerning the Teaching

Conference of the Northern Islands. Will you please cable me

on receipt of this where this Conference was held, and the

dates....
|N189|P0
23 March 1957
|P1
Dear Bahá'í Friend,
|P2

Your loving letter of February 20th was duly received by the

Beloved Guardian, and on March 20th, the contributions

referred to therein.
[\P377]
|P3

The Guardian has directed me to acknowledge your letter and

the contributions on his behalf. Receipt is enclosed.

|P4

Will you please write the Bahá'ís of ... on behalf of the

Guardian, and thank them for their contribution for the

construction of the International Archives Building. Their

sacrifices in that difficult area, at this time, shows their depth of

spiritual consciousness. The Guardian will pray for them, and for

the success of their work.
|P5

The Guardian also wishes to assure the Bahá'ís of the British

Isles, of his appreciation of their sacrifice and devotion to the

Cause of God. He is praying for them, for the success of their

historic work, and for the rapid expansion of the Faith. He is sure

the Blessings of the Beloved Master will rest on each and every

one.
|P6

Please send the Friends in Kuwait the enclosed photo, showing

the present stage of construction of the Archives Building.

|P7
He sends his loving Greetings...
|N190|P0
27 March 1957
|P1

DEEPLY MOURN PASSING DEARLY LOVED MUCH ADMIRED GREATLY

GIFTED OUTSTANDING HAND CAUSE GEORGE TOWNSHEND. HIS

DEATH MORROW PUBLICATION HIS CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT ROBS

BRITISH FOLLOWERS Bahá'u'lláh THEIR MOST DISTINGUISHED

COLLABORATOR AND FAITH ITSELF ONE ITS STOUTEST DEFENDERS.

HIS STERLING QUALITIES HIS SCHOLARSHIP HIS CHALLENGING

WRITINGS HIS HIGH ECCLESIASTICAL POSITION UNRIVALLED ANY

Bahá'í WESTERN WORLD ENTITLE HIM RANK WITH THOMAS

BREAKWELL DR. ESSLEMONT ONE OF THREE LUMINARIES SHEDDING

BRILLIANT LUSTRE ANNALS IRISH ENGLISH SCOTTISH BAHA'I

COMMUNITIES. HIS FEARLESS CHAMPIONSHIP CAUSE HE LOVED SO

DEARLY SERVED SO VALIANTLY CONSTITUTES SIGNIFICANT LANDMARK

BRITISH Bahá'í HISTORY. SO ENVIABLE POSITION CALLS FOR

NATIONAL TRIBUTE HIS MEMORY BY ASSEMBLED DELEGATES

VISITORS FORTHCOMING BRITISH Bahá'í CONVENTION. ASSURE

RELATIVES DEEPEST LOVING SYMPATHY GRIEVOUS LOSS. CONFIDENT

concerning a list which he desires, showing the languages into

which the scriptures, or parts of them have been translated.

|P3

He has the book entitled "The Gospel in Many Tongues"

issued by the British and Foreign Bible Society, The Bible House,

146 Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.4, (in 1948). This shows

specimens of 770 languages in which this Society has published

or circulated some portion of the Gospel.
|P4

In the preface, they state "If those versions published by other

agents are included, there are now well over a thousand forms of

speech represented in the Library at Bible House".

|P5

The Guardian would like to secure a list of the additional

some 300 languages into which the Gospel has been translated,

referred to in this quotation. Could you secure it for him, from

The Bible Society, at The Bible House.
|P6

Is it fair to assume this would then be all the languages, from

any source, into which The Bible or parts have been translated?

Your early advice will be appreciated.
|P7

For your information, in the list of languages into which

Bahá'í literature has been translated, there are some 20, not

included in the published book of the 770 languages into which

Christian Scripture has been published, as covered by the Book.

|P8

The question is, are these 20 included in the supplementary

list, which makes the 1,000 or more into which Christian

Scripture has been translated. Your sending the list will enable

us to make the check here.
|P9

If you could secure this list and send it promptly, it might

enable the Guardian to include this interesting point in his

Convention message....
|N192|P0
12 April 1957
|P1
Dear John:
|P2

Enclosed please find the beloved Guardian's Message to the

annual convention; it should be delivered to the Chairman to be

read to and shared with the assembled friends....
[\P379]
|P3

P.S. In order to gain time this is being mailed through a

pilgrim from Rome.
|P4

P.S. No.2. Will you please acknowledge receipt of this letter

by cable to the Guardian.
|N193|P0
19 April 1957
|P1
Dear Bahá'í Brother,
|P2

The Beloved Guardian has been very deeply impressed with

the latest book of our dear departed co-worker, Hand of the

Cause, George Townshend.
|P3

He feels that this Book should be used as the basis of a very

active campaign of teaching and publicity throughout the British

Isles.
|P4

Publicity regarding the book should be arranged, book

reviews secured, if possible. Religious leaders should be sent

copies, even the highest Ecclesiastical leaders. Many copies should

be mailed to the important leaders of the Church of England,

and other religious denominations of the British Isles.

|P5

This book very finely presents the relationship between Christ

and Bahá'u'lláh, and outlines the manner in which the Baha'i

Faith is setting up the Kingdom of God, which the Christians are

praying for.
|P6

The Guardian feels that very beneficial results will be achieved

by this active public programme, with this book, "Christ and

Bahá'u'lláh" even if it stirs up opposition and criticism for the

time being.
|P7

He will pray for your Assembly, and for the success of your

many labours in the Cause of God....
|N194|P0
30 April 1957
|P1

DEEPLY APPRECIATE CONVENTION MESSAGE REJOICE RECENT

VICTORIES GREATLY VALUE SPIRIT ANIMATING ENTIRE BRITISH

Bahá'í COMMUNITY CHERISH BRIGHTEST HOPES FERVENTLY SUPPLICATING

RAPID CONSOLIDATION HOME FRONT ESSENTIAL PRELUDE

UNPRECEDENTED EXPANSION GLORIOUS MISSION BRITISH FOLLOWERS

The beloved Guardian has instructed me to write about the

... situation raised in one of your recent letters....

|P3

It is inconceivable and wholly inadmissible that any Bahá'ís in

a community should be permitted to hold a Feast in their home

and refuse admission to another believer; and your Assembly

should write accordingly in very strong terms to the ...

Assembly, pointing out that the Guardian is not only surprised

to learn of this situation, but disapproves of it in the strongest

terms.
|P4

Any Bahá'í may attend a Feast, a local Baha'i, a Bahá'í from out

of town, certainly an isolated Bahá'í from the neighbourhood.

|P5

It is the duty of the ... Assembly to take strong measures to

remedy this situation, and to ensure that the Feasts are held in a

place and in a manner that conforms to the Bahá'í spirit....

|N196|P0
7 June 1957 (Shetland Summer School)
|P1
SUPPLICATING ABUNDANT BLESSINGS DEEPEST LOVE.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N197|P0
14 August 1957
|P1

DELIGHTED HISTORIC GATHERING ASSURE FERVENT PRAYERS UNPRECEDENTED

Your communications with their enclosures and material sent

under separate cover have all arrived safely, and the beloved

[\P381]

Guardian has instructed me to answer you on his behalf and to

acknowledge receipt of your letters dated: July 24, 27 and 31,

August 24, 27, and 30, September 7, 26, 27, and 28, October 5,

13 (signed by all members), and 15, November 5 (signed by

Dorothy Ferraby), and 28 (three), and December 14, 18, 27, and

28, 1956, and January 8, 16, 20 (one undated), and 22nd,

February 4, 6, 8, 11, 19, 21, 23, and 27, March 7, 8, 13, and 18

(two), May 6, 9, 21, (two), June 3, 11, 14, 19 and 25, July 12, 16,

(two), 19, 21, 26, and August 2, and 5 signed by Ernest Gregory+.

|P3

As a number of questions raised in your letters have been

answered by cable or through the National Assembly Secretary,

I will not go into those again here.
|P4

He was interested to see the Tablets which Dr. Moayad located

in Cambridge, and appreciated having copies of them.

|P5

It has been a great pleasure to have had so many members of

the British Bahá'í community here last winter and spring as

pilgrims.
|P6
He is immensely proud of the work which has been

accomplished during the last year, of the remarkable spirit of

dedication which animates the entire community, and which

invariably produces, at an hour of crisis, a strong and healthy

reaction on the part of the community to rush reinforcements to

its weak Assemblies, when they are in danger of dissolution.

|P7

He realises that the enforcement of the general rule that an

Assembly must function within civic limits has caused considerable

havoc in Britain, as well as other countries. However, it

enables the friends, through splitting up into smaller communities,

to have before their eyes the appetising prospect of forming

yet another Spiritual Assembly, all on their own, so to speak. It

gives more believers the opportunity to serve on these

Administrative Bodies, challenges the teaching activities of them

all, and stimulates them to fresh efforts in the hope of early

victory.
|P8

The news of the success of your Convention this year; the fact

that the community was able to manoeuvre its finances into a

position of equilibrium, a position, incidentally, which it should

make every effort to maintain; the large number of friends who

attended the beautiful memorial meeting held for the dear Hand

of the Cause, George Townshend, also pleased and encouraged

our beloved Guardian.
[\P382]
|P9

He was pleased to hear from Rhodesia of the incorporation of

the Salisbury Assembly, which seems to be in the nature of a

foundation for the future incorporation of all Spiritual Assemblies

throughout the Rhodesias. This is yet another valuable service

which your Assembly has been instrumental in rendering the

Faith in Africa.
|P10

He thanks your Assembly for the coloured photographs of the

Haziratu'l-Quds and also for the film of the Summer School

which you sent him. He was very pleased also to receive copies

of the Irish pamphlets, and hopes the Gaelic translation will soon

be out.
|P11

As regards your question about printing in books the approval

of the National Assembly, he thinks that, if in certain

circumstances this seems inadvisable, there is no objection to

omitting it. The approval of the National Body should be sought

for all Bahá'í publications, so as to protect the Faith from

unofficially disseminating information which may in some

respects be false or inaccurate. Once this has been done, it is not

so essential for the fact to appear in the book, if it will mitigate

the effects of the book and decrease its sales....

|P12

The death of the Hand of the Cause, George Townshend, is a

great loss to the British community as it not only deprives them

of their most distinguished member, their unique Hand, but also

of a most inspiring and faithful co-worker and a distinguished

Bahá'í author. His latest book has been read with great interest

by the Guardian, and he hopes your Assembly is ensuring its

wide distribution to various religious leaders in Britain. If

opposition to the Faith can be aroused through this book, it will

be the greatest service that dear George Townshend has ever

rendered. It was always his hope that, through his pen, sparks

would fly and begin the conflagration in whose light the Faith

would shine forth in all its splendour. Let us hope that this last

service of his will indeed prove to be the vital spark setting off

this process of opposition which will inevitably lead to a wide

recognition and acceptance of the Faith.
|P13

The Guardian hopes that during the present year the home

Assemblies will not only be maintained and groups prepared for

assembly status next Ridvan, but that it will be possible to

reinforce the work in the islands off the shores of the British Isles.

The sooner a nucleus of local people is established in these goal

[\P383]

places the sooner will the pioneers be able to move on to new

fields and to lend their assistance to the teaching work either on

the Home Front or in the Pacific area.
|P14

Please assure the dear pioneers that he greatly admires their

steadfastness of purpose, their self-sacrifice and their exemplary

spirit, and that he particularly prays for them in the Holy Shrines.

|P15

As regards the future work in the Pacific: It is entirely

premature at this time for your Assembly to think about the

work there. The Home Front and the work in the neighbouring

islands around Great Britain, as well as those allotted under the

Ten Year Plan to your Assembly in the Mediterranean, must

receive the concentrated attention of your Body, its Committees

and the believers. When the time comes to become active in the

Pacific area, you may be sure he will let you know!

|P16

He feels that the urgent need now is to get out "Some

Answered Questions", which is one of the most important books

for a proper study of the Faith. When this has been printed, the

next publication of the Master's Works can be considered....

|P17

As to your question about the words used in the marriage

ceremony; the two versions mean practically the same thing,

and either may be used.+F1

{The two versions are: "We will all, verily, abide by the Will of God", and

"Verily we are content with the Will of God".}
|P18

It is most regrettable that the Caravan should have gotten

hold of ...; if this situation is stirred up too much it will only

enable Ahmad Sohrab to make a big fuss and get more publicity.

In view of this the Guardian feels your Assembly should be

watchful and seek out, if possible, a suitable person and a suitable

opportunity to call to her attention the facts that the Bahá'í Faith,

so widely spread and acknowledged, has nothing to do with the

Caravan which is a purely opportunist organisation and so

loosely knit together as to have almost no power of influencing

people one way or another. To do the wrong thing in a situation

such as this would be worse than to do nothing.
|P19

He assures you one and all of his loving prayers for your

success in all you do for the Faith.
|P20
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P21

The year that has just elapsed, following upon the swift and

[\P384]

spectacular success achieved by the firmly grounded, the progressive

and alert British Bahá'í community in the heart of the African

Continent--a success attested by the triumphant emergence of the

Regional Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Central and East

Africa--has witnessed a progress throughout the length and breadth

of the Homefront, as well as in the northern islands in the

neighbourhood of the British Isles, which, though not spectacular,

nevertheless testifies to the earnestness, the devotion and the exemplary

tenacity with which the members of this community are conducting,

in all its aspects, the noble Mission entrusted to their care, and are

grappling with the manifold problems involved in its prosecution.

|P22

This present and crucial year must be signalised in the annals of

British Bahá'í history by a substantial measure of internal

administrative consolidation and a noticeable expansion in the all-important

teaching field, which will enable the members of this

community, now standing on the threshold of a new and brilliant

phase in the unfoldment of their Mission in foreign fields, to reinforce

and broaden the base of their future operations beyond the confines of

their native land.
|P23

The splendid work achieved, in such a short space of time, in a field

so distant, and amongst a race so alien in its background, outlook and

customs, must, if the significance of that Mission is to be properly

assessed, be regarded as only a prelude to the series of future campaigns

which the privileged members of the British Bahá'í community,

residing and firmly rooted in the heart of a far-flung Commonwealth

and Empire, will, if faithful to such a Mission, launch, in the years

ahead, in the islands of the North Sea and of the Mediterranean, as

well as in the remote territories situated in the Pacific area--campaigns

which, in their range and significance, must throw into shade the feats

performed in the African Continent.
|P24

To be enabled to rise to this occasion, to ensure the energetic, the

systematic and uninterrupted conduct of so vast and diversified an

enterprise, amidst peoples and races fully as promising, and even more

remotedly situated, and presenting them with a challenge more severe

than any which has faced them in the past, the small band of the

ardent, the high minded, the resolute followers of the Faith of

Bahá'u'lláh, charged by Destiny and by virtue of the enviable position

they occupy, with so glorious a responsibility for the future awakening

of the great masses, living under the shadow of, or whose governments

are directly associated with, the British Crown, must needs in the

[\P385]

years immediately ahead, acquire greater coherence, increase more

rapidly in numbers, definitely emerge from obscurity, plumb greater

depths of consecration, enrich its store of administrative experience,

become definitely self-supporting, and associate itself more closely,

through the body of its elected representatives and its future Hands,

with the National and Regional Spiritual Assemblies on the European

mainland and in all the other continents of the globe, and particularly

with the Hands already appointed in both the Eastern and Western

Hemispheres.
|P25

The sooner these prime requisites, so essential for a further

unfoldment of the mighty potentialities inherent in so splendid a

Mission, are fulfilled, the sooner will the call be raised for the opening

of a new chapter in the history of British Bahá'í achievements overseas.

|P26

The rapid multiplication of isolated centres, groups and local

assemblies, particularly in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and

Eire; the incorporation of firmly grounded local spiritual assemblies;

a greater measure of publicity; a wider dissemination of Baha'i

literature; a quick and substantial rehabilitation of the vitally

important national Fund; a firmer grasp of the essential verities of the

Faith; a more profound study of its history and a deeper understanding

of the genesis, the significance, the workings, and the present status

and achievements of its embryonic World Order and of the Covenant

to which it owes its birth and vitality--these remain the rock-bottom

requirements which alone can guarantee the opening and hasten the

advent, of that blissful era which every British Bahá'í heart so eagerly

anticipates, and the glories of which can, at present, be but dimly

discerned.
|P27

Now, of a certainty, is not the time for the members of this gallant

band, so thinly spread over the length and breadth of its island home,

and reaching out, so laboriously yet so determinedly to the inhospitable

islands fringing its northern and western coasts, to dwell, however

tentatively, on the nature of the tantalising task awaiting them in the

not distant future, or to seek to probe into its mysterious, divinely

guided operation. Theirs is the duty to plod on, however tedious the

nature of the work demanding their immediate attention, however

formidable the obstacles involved in its proper execution, however

prolonged the effort which its success necessitates, until the signs of its

ultimate consummation, heralding the launching of what is sure to be

the most spectacular phase of their Mission, are clearly discerned.

|P28

A responsibility, at once colossal, sacred and highly challenging,

[\P386]

faces not only the body of the elected representatives of this community,

but each and every one of its members. As the world spiritual Crusade,

to the successful prosecution of which the British followers of the Faith

of Bahá'u'lláh have, singly and collectively, so markedly contributed,

approaches its mid-point, the evidences of this indispensable quickening

of the tempo of Bahá'í activity all over the British Isles and the islands

situated in their neighbourhood and far beyond their confines, must

become more manifest and rapidly multiply. The admiration and

esteem in which a community, relatively small in numbers, strictly

limited in resources, yet capable of such solid and enduring

achievements, is held by its sister and daughter communities in every

continent of the globe, far from declining must be further enhanced.

The historic process originated as far back as the year which witnessed

the formulation of the Six Year Plan on the occasion of the Centenary

of the Declaration of The Báb in Shiraz, which gathered momentum,

as a result of the inauguration of the Two Year Plan which followed

the Centenary of The Báb's Martyrdom in Tabriz, which received a

tremendous impetus, in consequence of the launching of the Ten Year

Crusade, commemorating the centenary celebrations of the birth of

Bahá'u'lláh's Mission in Tihran--such a process must, as the

centenary celebrations designed to commemorate the Declaration of

that same Mission in Baghdad approaches, be so markedly accelerated,

and yield such a harvest, as will astonish the entire Bahá'í world, and

give the signal for the inauguration, by those who have so

spontaneously set this process in motion, more than a decade ago, of a

blissful era designed to carry the chief builders of Bahá'u'lláh's

embryonic World Order, throughout the unnumbered, the diversified

and widely scattered Dependencies of the British Crown, to still

greater heights of achievements in the service and for the glory of His

Faith.
|P29

May they, as they forge ahead along the high road leading to

ultimate, total and complete victory, receive as their daily sustenance,

a still fuller measure of the abounding grace, promised to the believers

of an earlier generation by the Centre of the Covenant, the Author of

the Divine Plan, Himself, on the occasion of His twice-repeated visit

to their shores, and which has been unfailingly vouchsafed to

themselves, in the course of over three decades, since the birth of the

Formative Age of the Faith and the rise of its Administrative Order

On behalf of our beloved Guardian I acknowledge with

thanks the receipt of your letter of 17th August enclosing the

minutes of the meeting of the British N.S.A. held at the Summer

School on August 8th....
|N200|P0
14 September 1957
|P1

WELCOME DETERMINATION ASSEMBLED FRIENDS SUMMER SCHOOL

PRAYING FERVENTLY FRIENDS ATTAIN GOALS SCALE NOBLER

In "The Voice of Youth" for July, page ten, there is an article

by David Solomon in which he quotes some very significant

passages from the Dead Sea Scrolls. The Guardian would like to

have the exact source of these passages, and the quotations in the

paragraphs in which they occur, written out in full....

|N202|P0
11 October 1957+F1

{Sent in reply to a cable expressing gratitude for the appointment of two

British Hands of the Cause of God.}
|P1

CONFIDENT BRITISH COMMUNITY RICHLY DESERVES NEW HONOUR.

|P2
SHOGHI
[\P388]
[\P389]
|BUD-LETTERS_LSAS|N0|P0
THE GUARDIAN'S
MESSAGES
To Local Spiritual Assemblies
---
[\P390]
|P1
The Assemblies are listed
in alphabetical order
but their letters are chronologically
arranged.
|P2
Belfast London
Bristol Manchester
Cardiff Northampton
Dublin Norwich
Eccles Nottingham
Edinburgh Oxford
Glasgow Portsmouth
Leeds Reading
Liverpool
[\P391]
|N1|P0
23 April 1950
|P1
To the Spiritual Assembly of
the Bahá'ís of Belfast
|P2
Dear Bahá'í Friends,
|P3

Your letter of April 12th, conveying such heartening news,

was received by our beloved Guardian, and he has instructed me

to answer you on his behalf.
|P4

He feels your Assembly, a hard-won prize, and occupying an

important position as representative of the Faith in Northern

Ireland, is one of the key assemblies in the British Isles, and he is

immensely proud of your achievement in at last forming it.

|P5

You may be sure he will pray for your protection and success

in the Holy Shrines, and that your numbers may increase in

Belfast and your ship weather every storm triumphantly!

|P6
With loving greetings,
|P7
[From the Guardian:]
|P8

May the Almighty bless sustain and guide you in your meritorious

activities, remove every obstacle from your path and enable you to win

still greater victories in the service of His glorious Faith.

Your message of Oct. 21st reached our beloved Guardian, and

he has instructed me to answer it on his behalf.
|P4

Now that you are six there (judging by your signatures), a

mere three is required to enable you to reach your Goal and have

your Assembly next April.
|P5

You may be sure that he will supplicate in the Holy Shrines

that these three may be speedily found and the Assembly safely

established in accordance with the present Plan.
[\P392]
|P6

He assures you that your devotion and services are very deeply

appreciated.
|P7
With loving greetings,
|P8
[From the Guardian:]
|P9

May the Almighty bless your high endeavours, reward you

abundantly for your historic accomplishments, guide your steps, and

aid you to extend continually the range of your highly valued

Your letter of April 21st reached our beloved Guardian after

a long delay, and he has instructed me to answer it on his behalf.

|P4

The formation of your Assembly, in the face of so many

difficulties, was indeed a noble achievement, and serves to prove

that our struggles as individuals, often handicapped by the sense

of our own inadequacy, are reinforced by the grace of Bahá'u'lláh,

Who enables us to achieve the seemingly impossible!

|P5

He urges you all to persevere in maintaining your Assembly,

which forms one of the vital links in the Bahá'í chain, which will

soon gird the British Isles, never to lose heart, and to redouble

your teaching labours so as to ensure a broader foundation next

year for your Assembly's election and thus guarantee its

permanency.
|P6

His prayers will be offered for you, one and all, for your

success and guidance.
|P7
With Bahá'í Love,
|P8
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P9

I was so pleased and grateful to receive your message, and I wish to

assure you all of my loving and fervent prayers for the progress of your

historic work, the extension of your activities and the realisation of

every hope you cherish for the promotion of our beloved Faith. May

the Almighty watch over you, sustain you in your valued endeavours,

[\P393]

and aid you to render memorable services to His Faith and its

Your welcome letter to our beloved Guardian dated Oct.

16th, has been received, and he has instructed me to answer it on

his behalf.
|P4

He is well aware of the very real sacrifices you have made, and

are making to establish the Cause in Wales, and he wants you to

know he admires your courage and determination, and most

deeply values the dedicated spirit which animates you.

|P5

The news of your first public meeting was good news indeed,

and he feels sure your perseverance and the strong backing which

you are receiving from the N.S.A. and the Teaching Committee,

will crown your efforts with the success you so richly deserve.

|P6

His loving prayers will be offered for the speedy realisation of

your hopes, and he urges you to persevere, conscious of the

historical importance of what you are doing, and of how

important your work is to the progress of the Plan in the British

Isles.
|P7
With warmest greetings to you all,
Yours in His service,
|P8
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P9

I wish to add a few words in person and assure every one of you of

my deep admiration of the spirit you manifest, the services you render,

and the determination with which you are initiating the great historic

teaching enterprise in Wales.
|P10

You are, I assure you, often in my thoughts and prayers, and I will

supplicate the Beloved to bless continually your high and meritorious

endeavours.
|P11
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
[\P394]
|N5|P0
17 October 1948
|P1

The Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Cardiff, Wales

|P2
Dear Bahá'í Friends,
|P3

Your letter to our beloved Guardian of April 21st was

received, after a long delay, and he was most happy to hear of the

formation of your Assembly.
|P4

With an Assembly in Cardiff, in Edinburgh, and Dublin, the

representative character of the Faith in the British Isles is fully

established and the National body greatly re-inforced.

|P5

He fully realises the difficulties which have attended your

work there, and which makes your victory all the more

praiseworthy and precious. He urges you to now courageously

persevere in your work and ensure that Cardiff has, by next

April, a stable membership from which to call on for the

Spiritual Assembly's maintenance.
|P6

You may be sure that he will assist you with his prayers, and

pray that each and every one of you may be protected and

assisted in your devoted services to the Faith.
|P7
With warm greetings,
|P8
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P9

The formation of the first Bahá'í Spiritual Assembly in Wales is

an event of great historical significance. I congratulate you on this

splendid achievement which, I trust, will be a prelude to still greater

victories in the service of our glorious Faith. I will supplicate on your

behalf, the blessings of Bahá'u'lláh, that your work may prosper, your

plans bear abundant fruit, and your hopes realised for the propagation

of the Faith and the establishment of its nascent institutions.

Your letter of January 20th has been received, and our beloved

Guardian was simply delighted to get the Welsh pamphlet, he

[\P395]

wants twenty-five copies of it sent to him for distribution

amongst various Bahá'í libraries here, and for our surplus stock.

This booklet in their own language will do much to convince

sincere Welsh truth-seekers of the respect and consideration with

which we Bahá'ís approach all minorities, also of our devout

desire to share with such a talented race the glory of Bahá'u'lláh's

message.
|P4

He hopes there will be many new Welsh believers in the

coming years, and he assures you all of his loving prayers for the

success of your devoted efforts.
|P5
With Bahá'í love,
|P6
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P7

I was so pleased and grateful to receive your welcome letter, and the

first fruit of your services and high endeavours for the promotion of our

beloved Faith.
|P8

I feel proud of the spirit that animates you, and will supplicate the

Beloved to bless, and sustain and guide you, and enable you to extend

continually the range of your achievements. Persevere, and rest

Your letter of July 18th with enclosure has been received by

the beloved Guardian, and he has instructed me to answer you

on his behalf.
|P4

He is delighted with the way the work is progressing in

Cardiff, and that there are now nine believers living there.

|P5

He particularly values the instant decision made during the

Convention, and consequent action taken, by Dr. Miller+ in

leaving an excellent medical practice in Liverpool, to settle in

Cardiff, with all it entailed of sacrifice in being separated from

his wife, and in being obliged to accept a junior post in a hospital

at Cardiff. It is qualities such as these, which the pioneer carries

[\P396]

to his new post, which attract a reinforcing power from on

High, and enable him to create in the hearts of those who meet

him a longing to have what he possesses, and ignite in these new

hearts the flame of the love of Bahá'u'lláh.
|P6

The Guardian feels sure his non-Bahá'í wife will likewise

receive a blessing for her part in this sacrifice, which helped to

make this move possible.
|P7

He is deeply appreciative of the Welsh translation; and is

confident it will prove to be of great assistance in the promotion

of the Teachings in Wales.
|P8
With warm Bahá'í greetings,
|P9
[From the Guardian:]
|P10

May the Spirit of Bahá'u'lláh guide you and your fellow-members,

and enable you, in the days to come, to reinforce the foundation that

has been laid, and to extend the range of your highly meritorious

Your letter of December 29th was received, and the beloved

Guardian was very happy indeed to hear that the week-end

school had been a success.
|P4

He is delighted to see that the Faith is progressing in Wales,

and he feels sure that the Welsh people will not only respond to

the Message if given opportunity, but contribute to the Faith a

distinctive share of their own, when they arise in its service.

|P5

He hopes that there will indeed be Welsh Summer Schools in

the future.
|P6
Assuring you of his loving prayers,
With warmest greetings,
|P7
[From the Guardian:]
|P8

May the Almighty bless, guide, and sustain you and your dear co-workers

in your constant and highly meritorious activities, remove

[\P397]

every obstacle from your path, and enable you to enrich the record of

your deeply appreciated services to His Faith and its institutions.

|P9
Your true brother,
Shoghi
|N9|P0
27 August 1947
|P1

To the believers who were present in Dublin at the 19 Day Feast

of Kamal
|P2
Dear Bahá'í Friends,
|P3

Our beloved Guardian was very happy to receive your

message and to see that the Cause is now gaining a firm footing

in Eire.
|P4

He is particularly happy to welcome Mrs. Coleman into the

Faith as the first new Bahá'í in Dublin, and he hopes that ere long

you will be able to establish the first historic spiritual Assembly

in that city.
|P5

The Irish are tenacious in their religious beliefs, and once

convinced of the truth and significance of our glorious Faith

should make ardent and devoted Bahá'ís.
|P6

He assures you all of his loving prayers for the success of your

devoted labours.
|P7
With warmest greetings,
|P8
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P9

Your joint message rejoiced my heart. I cherish great hopes for the

future of the work so splendidly initiated in that historic island. I will

pray from the depths of my heart for the extension and consolidation

of your meritorious activities to which I attach the utmost importance.

Persevere in your glorious task, and rest assured that the Beloved,

Who is watching over you, will bless your high endeavours and fulfil

your dearest hopes.
|P10
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
[\P398]
|N10|P0
16 October 1948
|P1

The Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Dublin, Eire

Dear Bahá'í Friends,
|P2

Our beloved Guardian was very delighted to receive your

communication of April 21st, written to him from your newly

elected body.
|P3

He was particularly pleased to read the signatures of three

members of the Townshend family, as Mr. Townshend and his

wife have truly sacrificed in order to stand forward as declared

and active Bahá'ís and assist in the formation of this historic

Assembly.
|P4

The task facing you is great, but very exhilarating. Eire lies

before you, your territory, of which you are the Mother

Assembly, and however difficult your conquest may be, it is a

challenging and wonderful service you are called upon to render.

|P5

The Irish people, with their deep religious instinct, although

they may be at first difficult to convert, once convinced of the

truth, will make staunch believers and will, he hopes, convey

this Faith, with all its promise and healing power, to other

countries in the course of time.
|P6

He assures you his prayers are with you, for your progress and

your success in every field of Bahá'í service.
|P7
With loving greetings,
|P8

P.S. The delay in answering your letter was due to the long

time it took to reach Haifa.
|P9
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P10

The work achieved in Dublin during the last few months,

culminating in the formation of the first Spiritual Assembly in Ireland,

is indeed highly praiseworthy. Such a consummation is an event that

will adorn the annals of the Faith, and is in itself a prelude to still

greater victories in the days to come. I truly feel proud of the British

and Irish believers who have collaborated so devotedly and strenuously,

and won so conspicuous a victory. I will fervently supplicate on their

behalf, and will await eagerly the news of the progress of their historic

Your letter of January 2nd was received, through the kindness

of Mr. Gregory, and the beloved Guardian has instructed me to

answer you on his behalf.
|P4

He will certainly pray in the Holy Shrines that you may

succeed in attaining your objective; but, even should you fail to

establish a spiritual assembly by April, you must not feel

discouraged, because it is much more important to have a solid

foundation in the beginning than to meet a date line--welcome

as the assembly would be!
|P5

He admires very much the spirit animating you, and hopes

that a flourishing community will develop there.
|P6
With warm Bahá'í greetings,
|P7
[From the Guardian:]
|P8

May the Beloved bless your efforts, guide your steps, aid you to

extend the scope of your activities, and win great victories in the

service of His glorious Faith,
|P9
Your true brother,
Shoghi
|N12|P0
22 September 1948
|P1

The Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Edinburgh

|P2
Dear Bahá'í Friends,
|P3

Our beloved Guardian was very happy indeed to receive your

letter to him dated April 21st--which has taken a long time to

reach him, as you can see--and he has instructed me to answer

you on his behalf.
|P4

The formation of the first Assembly of the Faith in Scotland

is a great and promising achievement. He has a profound

admiration for the characteristics of the Scots; their deep

religious feelings, their frank, open and friendly nature, their

tenacity and abilities will enable them to greatly enrich the Faith

[\P400]

in the British Isles, and, he hopes, later in the pioneer fields

abroad.
|P5

He trusts that your Assembly, and especially those members

of it who are natives of Scotland, will soon succeed in attracting

many more serious minded truth-seekers to the Faith there.

Now Edinburgh has become the mother Assembly of Scotland,

and must, by its example, set the pace, and assist in the

development of all future Scottish Bahá'í Assemblies.

|P6

He assures you all he will pray for your success, for your

unity, and that Bahá'u'lláh may guide you all in administering

the affairs of His Cause in that city.
|P7

He was particularly interested to hear that one of the new

believers had met `Abdu'l-Bahá on His visit to Edinburgh many

years ago.
|P8
With loving greetings,
|P9
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
|P10

Your welcome message brought deep joy to my heart and filled me

with gratitude for this latest evidence of the all-conquering power of

Bahá'u'lláh, as well as for the magnificent efforts exerted by British

believers in that historic and ancient city. I will, I assure you, pray

from the depths of my heart for your success, the increase of your

numbers, the multiplication of your activities, and the consolidation of

your achievements. Persevere in your meritorious endeavours, and rest

assured that the Beloved will watch over you and crown your high

endeavours with signal success.
|P11
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
|N13|P0
9 April 1949
|P1

The Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Edinburgh

|P2
Dear Bahá'í Friends:
|P3

As our beloved Guardian is at present very pressed for time in

connection with the tremendous amount of work the building

of the Shrine entails at this juncture, I am answering your loving

Naw-Ruz Message very briefly on his behalf.
|P4

You may be sure the work in Edinburgh is very dear to his

[\P401]

heart and he will continue to pray for its advancement, and for

each and every one of you, in the Holy Shrines.
|P5
With warmest greetings,
|P6
[From the Guardian:]
|P7

May the Almighty bless, continually and abundantly, your high

endeavours, aid you to add to your numbers, deepen your understanding

of the essentials of His Faith, extend the range of your activities,

consolidate your achievements, and win great and memorable victories

Your letter dated 5.7.50 has been received, and the beloved

Guardian has instructed me to answer it on his behalf.

|P3

The progress being made in spreading the Faith in Scotland

pleases him immensely, and he feels the Cause will find many

exemplary and wonderful servants among the Scotch people.

They may be slow to be convinced, but once they embrace a

thing they do so with full conviction and great determination to

serve their belief.
|P4

He will pray that your assembly may confirm many new

souls, and thus gradually free the devoted pioneers, who went

there to teach, for services in new and maybe distant fields.

|P5

You may be sure he deeply appreciates all you have done.

|P6
With loving greetings,
|P7
[From the Guardian:]
Dear co-workers,
|P8

I was so pleased and grateful to receive your most welcome message,

and I profoundly appreciate the noble sentiments you have expressed.

I wish to assure you that I will pray for your success from the depths

of my heart, that the Beloved may guide your steps, bless your high

endeavours, and enable you to lend a tremendous impetus to the spread

Your letter of February 20th has been received by the beloved

Guardian, and he has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.

|P4

The Guardian was very happy to learn of your coming

County Teaching Conference. He has been very happy over the

large number of pioneers who have arisen in the British Isles and

have gone to new territories, both in the British Isles and in

foreign lands, and he considers this a fine record.

|P5

He hopes your deliberations will produce a still greater effort

on the part of all the friends to implant more deeply and scatter

more widely the seeds of the Faith, which are so greatly needed

everywhere.
|P6

The Guardian assures you of his loving prayers for the

abundant success of your endeavours.
|P7
With warm Bahá'í greetings,
|P8
[From the Guardian:]
|P9

May the Beloved bless, guide and sustain you, and enable you to

Your letter dated May 7 was received, and our beloved

Guardian rejoiced over the news of the formation of your

Assembly. He would have answered you sooner had he not been

so overpowered with not only the work connected with the

arcade of the Shrine's completion, but also anxiety caused by the

long and serious illness of Mr. Maxwell, its architect.

|P4

He trusts your Assembly will enlarge its community during

this year, and thus strengthen its foundations and ensure its

future activities.
[\P403]
|P5

The victory won in the British Isles filled his heart with pride,

and encourages him to believe a brilliant future lies ahead of the

community there.
|P6
With warmest greetings,
|P7
[From the Guardian:]
Dear co-workers:
|P8

Your most welcome message cheered my heart, and I wish to assure

you in person of my sincere and profound admiration for the spirit that

animates you in your activities, as well as of my ardent prayers for

you, that the Beloved may guide and sustain you always, and enable

you to win great and memorable victories for His Faith and its infant

institutions.
|P9
Your true brother,
Shoghi
|N17|P0
24 January 1952
|P1

To the believers who were present at the Feast of Sultan in

London Centre, January 1952
|P2
Dear Bahá'í Friends:
|P3

The beloved Guardian was very happy to see that so many of

you had gathered together and united in sending your love to

him, with the first believer to come from England since the door

of pilgrimage has been open.
|P4

He will remember you all in his loving prayers in the Shrines,

and urges you to devote as much of your time individually as

possible to the promotion of the goals of your present Plan.

|P5
With warmest Bahá'í greetings,
|P6
[From the Guardian:]
|P7

May the Almighty guide and sustain you in your high endeavours,

bless and protect you always, aid you to extend the range of your

valued activities, and win memorable victories in the service of His

I am directed by our Guardian to thank you for your welcome

letter of January 11th.
|P4

He has been very pleased to learn of the more rapid progress

of the Cause in Manchester and of a greater measure of unity

among the friends. He is glad that Mr. Hall is taking this

initiative and he sincerely trusts that you will all persevere in

your endeavours, will keep dear the necessity for harmony and

unity and thus make your group a progressive, enthusiastic and

worthy Bahá'í centre in England. He appreciated your efforts

and that of all friends in Manchester. He wishes you please to

convey to them an expression of his heartfelt love and good

wishes.
|P5
With best regards,
Sincerely in His Service,
|P6
[From the Guardian:]
My Dear co-worker,
|P7

I am delighted with the news you give me. The friends in

Manchester occupy a warm and abiding place in my heart. The

fragrant memory of my visit to them is still fresh and vivid in my

mind. I will continue to supplicate at the Beloved's Shrine for each one

of them the Almighty's richest blessings, that they may be guided and

strengthened to render in the days to come inestimable services to the

Shoghi Effendi was greatly pleased to receive your kind letter

of June 24th, 1932, and he has requested me to address you these

[\P405]

few lines expressing his heartfelt appreciation of the precious and

most valuable steps taken by our Manchester friends towards a

greater extension and consolidation of the Cause.
|P4

The Guardian was specially glad to hear that you have

established a new Bahá'í Centre and he fervently hopes that as a

result of this new move the interests of the Faith will be

promoted and its teachings will succeed in confirming some

new souls.
|P5

The precious efforts so continuously exerted by our

Manchester Bahá'ís and particularly by our beloved Mr. Hall

and Mr. Sugar will undoubtedly yield their fruits in a not very

distant future. But the friends should persevere in their task and

not let any obstacle, however great, hinder their onward march.

In these days of sufferings and hardships, patience and hope are

indispensable for the success of any idea or plan.

|P6

In closing may I assure you of our Guardian's best wishes and

ask you to extend to all our Manchester Bahá'ís the expression of

his heartfelt thanks and appreciation.
|P7
Yours in His Service,
|P8
[From the Guardian:]
|P9

May the Beloved bless your high and unsparing efforts, enable you

to extend the scope of your activities, and consolidate the foundations

Your letter has been received, dated June 6th, and our beloved

Guardian has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.

|P4

He feels that the questions of ... could be answered by a better

understanding of the teachings--however, for the sake of his

sincere services to the Faith, he will answer them here:

|P5

(1) Christ received the kiss of Judas, in fact He said one of His

disciples would betray Him. It is not a question of these Holy

[\P406]

Souls seeing the future, but of what, in Their wisdom, They

deem it necessary to accept in the Path of sacrifice. If we are

going to question the wisdom of the Prophets we can question

God's Wisdom too, and the advisability of the whole system we

live in.
|P6

(2) Nabil's suicide was not insanity but love. He loved

Bahá'u'lláh too much to go on in a world that no longer held

Him.
|P7

(3) The "sacrifice" of goats has nothing to do with the Faith.

Bahá'u'lláh was surrounded by Muslim admirers and friends,

and they merely followed the custom of their people on such an

occasion, when many hundreds gathered to console His bereaved

family.
|P8

(4) We cannot, not knowing the factors Bahá'u'lláh weighed

in His own mind, judge of the wisdom of His withdrawal to

Kurdistan. But, studying His life and teachings, we should see in

it an act of wisdom, and not superficially measure Him by our

standards.
|P9

(5) Love is certainly the attribute we associate par excellence

with our Maker. But has He no justice and does not justice fall

on the back of the evil doer as a scourge?
|P10

(6) This question seems to imply a lack of understanding of

love. There is very little Divine love in the world to-day, but a

great deal of intellectual reasoning, which is an entirely different

thing, and springs from the mind and not the heart. The

Martyrs--most of them died because of their love for The Báb,

for Bahá'u'lláh, and through Them for God. The veil between

the inner and outer world was very thin, and to tear it, and be

free to be near the Beloved, was very sweet. But it takes love, not

reason to understand these things. We must also remember the

Martyrs were called upon to deny their faith or die, as men of

principle they preferred to die.
|P11

(7) Bahá'u'lláh's claims are much greater because humanity is

more mature and can afford to hear them. But He draws on the

same Source that was accessible to all the Prophets, it is we who

can now receive more.
|P12

(8) The Guardian feels ... should study more deeply the

teachings, and meditate on what he studies. We liken God to the

Sun, which gives us all our life. So the Spirit of God reaches us

through the Souls of the Manifestations. We must learn to

[\P407]

commune with Their Souls, and this is what the Martyrs seemed

to have done, and what brought them such ecstacy of joy that life

became nothing. This is the true mysticism, and the secret, inner

meaning of life which humanity has at present, drifted so far

from.
|P13

The Guardian will pray that this dear friend may deepen his

understanding and arise and become a wonderful teacher of the

Faith.
|P14

He will also pray for the progress of the work in Manchester

and the success of your devoted labours.
|P15
With Bahá'í love,
|P16
[From the Guardian:]
|P17

May the Almighty bless your efforts, guide and sustain you in your

activities, and enable you to promote effectively the best interests of

Our beloved Guardian thanks you not only for the good news

you conveyed to him in your letter of January 6th, but for the

spirit which prompted you to share it with him.
|P4

He admires greatly the services of your community and the

unity amongst you, which no doubt is largely responsible for

your success.
|P5

He will join his prayers to yours for the success of the labours

of your two latest pioneering members.
|P6
With Bahá'í love,
|P7
[From the Guardian:]
Dear co-workers,
|P8

I feel truly proud of your notable services, and I wish to assure you

of my profound appreciation of your labours, of my loving prayers for

the progress of your meritorious activities, and the realisation of every

[\P408]

hope you cherish in the service of our beloved Faith and of its nascent

Your letter of August 2nd has been received and our beloved

Guardian has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.

|P4

He was very pleased to see that you are girding up your loins

to do your utmost for the Plan in the critical months that lie

ahead.
|P5

Nothing will further your ends more quickly than the greatest

love, unity and co-operation amongst yourselves. These are the

very soul of the order Bahá'u'lláh has come to establish in the

world and when the people see these qualities and characteristics

actively demonstrated in our midst, those who are receptive will

hasten to join our ranks. Likewise when they see the lack of these

virtues they will hesitate to embrace the Faith however much

they may admire its teachings.
|P6

He will certainly pray that your Assembly may be maintained,

your numbers increase, and your devotion be rewarded.

|P7
With Bahá'í love,
|P8
[From the Guardian:]
Dear co-workers,
|P9

I was pleased to hear from you and receive the assurance of your

love, your devotion to the interests of our beloved Faith and your

determination to serve its best interests.
|P10

I will pray from the depths of my heart on your behalf, that the

Almighty may bless and sustain you and enable you to win memorable

Your letter of July 29th with enclosures has been received,

and the beloved Guardian has instructed me to answer you on

his behalf.
|P4

He was most happy to receive the July Jarrold Magazine and

to see the article on the Faith; and also to learn from the copy of

your News Letter of the activities of the believers in that locality.

|P5

The Guardian greatly appreciates the spirit animating the

friends there in the service of the Cause. He sends you all his

loving greetings, and assures you of his prayers for the success of

your devoted labours.
|P6
With warm Bahá'í greetings,
|P7
[From the Guardian:]
|P8

Assuring you of my abiding admiration of your devoted and

constant endeavours for the promotion of our beloved Faith, and of my

fervent prayers for the realisation of every hope you cherish for its

Your letter, dated February 16th, was received and read by

our beloved Guardian with great joy, and he has instructed me

to answer it on his behalf.
|P4

The news of your group having reached Assembly status was

a source of deep satisfaction to him, and demonstrates what the

friends can do, once they put their shoulder to the wheel!

|P5

You have every reason to feel proud of your achievement, and

he hopes you will, through your correspondence and contacts

with your fellow believers, encourage them to follow your

example and forge ahead, in spite of every obstacle, with

determination, confident that once we do our part, God is never

failing in His.
[\P410]
|P6

He hopes your numbers will steadily increase and that many

young people will be attracted to the Faith, as the part they have

to play is very great and, also, their need of the Faith very great.

|P7

You may be sure his loving prayers will be offered for you,

and for the success of your labours, in the Holy Shrines.

|P8
With Bahá'í love,
|P9
[From the Guardian:]
|P10

May the Beloved bless your efforts in the service of our beloved

Faith, and you to deepen your knowledge of the essentials of His

World Order, to increase your numbers, to extend the scope of your

activities, and to fulfil every desire you cherish for its promotion and

Your letter to our beloved Guardian, dated May 4, has been

received, and he deeply appreciates your message of devotion

and affection.
|P4

His burden is indeed a heavy one, and after so many years of

continuous responsibility he often feels very tired. But when he

sees the loyalty of the friends and their steadfast perseverance in

their tasks his heart is lightened and he feels greatly encouraged.

|P5

It is much easier to work when you see results being obtained

under your very eyes, and, although in many ways his service to

the Faith has been lonelier and more complicated than that of the

beloved Master, yet he has had the great blessing of seeing the

Cause spread out all over the world and greatly expand in many

countries--such as England, India, the United State, etc.--as it

never did in the days of `Abdu'l-Bahá, Who worked so

unremittingly towards this end, and Who planted what we now

reap.
|P6

He feels the British believers can and will--indeed must--

succeed in their Plan, and his thoughts and prayers are with them

very often.
|P7
With Bahá'í love,
[\P411]
|P8
[From the Guardian:]
Dear co-workers:
|P9

Your message cheered my heart, and I wish to assure you that I

greatly value your noble sentiments, and will supplicate the Beloved

to bless your efforts, guide every step you take in the path of service,

enable you to extend continually the range of your activities, and

consolidate the work you have so splendidly inaugurated, and are so

devotedly prosecuting in the service of this glorious Faith,

Your letter of September 14 with enclosure was received, and

the beloved Guardian thanks you for it.
|P4

He was pleased to see the enterprising spirit shown by Mr.

Semple+, and hopes his classes will produce many new contacts.

|P5

The progress made in Oxford is heartening, and he trusts still

greater progress lies ahead.
|P6
With loving Bahá'í greetings,
|P7
[From the Guardian:]
|P8

May the Almighty abundantly reward you for your patient and

splendid labours, sustain and guide you at all times and under all

circumstances, enable you to extend the range of your meritorious

activities, and aid you to consolidate your notable and indeed historic

Your letter of December 14th has been received; and the

beloved Guardian has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.

[\P412]
|P4

He was very pleased to hear of the progress being made; and

that it has been possible to give the Message to some of the

"undergrads". It is most important that the Faith should be

conveyed with a sense of dignity at so important a university as

Oxford; and better that the work should go forward slowly

than that any mistakes should be made.
|P5

He assures you all that he deeply appreciates your devoted

labours; and he hopes that you will fulfill your objective of

increasing the number of believers there.
|P6
With warm Bahá'í greetings,
|P7
[From the Guardian:]
|P8

May the Beloved, whose Cause you are serving with such fidelity,

ability and devotion, reward you abundantly for your meritorious

labours, guide every step you take, and enable you to lay a firm and

unassailable foundation for the future institutions of His Faith in that

historic and promising City.
|P9
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
|N28|P0
25 December 1952
The Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Oxford
Dear Bahá'í Friends:
|P1

Your letter of December 10th has been received by the

beloved Guardian, and he has instructed me to answer you on his

behalf.
|P2

He was very happy to see that you have held another meeting

in Manchester College, and hopes that the attracted ones who

attended may become real students of the Faith, and eventually

join its ranks.
|P3

The poem by Miss Masefield was much appreciated by the

Guardian. Please assure Miss Masefield that he liked it very

much, and will consider using it for a future volume of "Baha'i

World". The only thing that he saw that seemed to need

correction was that the word "Abha", was spelled "Abba" instead

of "Abha".
|P4

He hopes that Miss Masefield, through the friendship and

[\P413]

wise association of the members of your Group with her, will

feel moved to declare herself an active member of the Faith. He

will pray that this may come about.
|P5

The Guardian will also pray for the success of the devoted

labours of the believers in Oxford.
|P6
With warm Bahá'í love,
|P7
[From the Guardian:]
|P8

May the Almighty guide and sustain you always, remove all

obstacles from your path, and enable you to win great and memorable

Your letter of January 16th with enclosure has been received

by the beloved Guardian, and he has instructed me to answer

you on his behalf.
|P4

He thanks you very much for the expression of your

sympathy, and for the newspaper clipping you enclosed.

|P5

It has indeed been a great loss to the work of the Faith, to lose

such a valiant, constant and distinguished Hand as dear Dorothy

Baker. It will leave a gap in the pioneer field, as well. No doubt

her noble spirit will be able to assist and inspire from on high,

and this must be the consolation of all her friends and admirers.

|P6

He trusts the work in Oxford is progressing steadily; and he

assures you all of his loving prayers in your behalf.

|P7
With warmest Bahá'í greetings,
|P8
[From the Guardian:]
|P9

May the Almighty bless your meritorious efforts, guide and sustain

you in your activities, and enable you to win great victories in the

Your letter of April 9th has been received by the beloved

Guardian, and he has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.

|P4

Mrs. Winsten invited the Guardian if possible to view in

person her portrait of `Abdu'l-Bahá. Needless to say, he thanked

her for her kind invitation, but informed her this would be quite

out of the question.
|P5

He is very pleased to hear that she has consented to forwarding

a photograph through acquaintances of hers, and he will be very

interested to see it. He will let you know if he considers the

likeness sufficiently good to warrant any of the Bahá'ís purchasing

it. It is a pity to own portraits of `Abdu'l-Bahá which do not in

any way resemble Him.
|P6

Some time ago you asked him to send you a copy of the

description which Miss Campbell+ brought to Haifa of how the

artist made this drawing of `Abdu'l-Bahá. Unfortunately this has

been mislaid, and it is not possible for the Guardian to send you

a copy. However, the original you may be sure is safe in his

papers.
|P7

He is very happy to hear of the progress of the Cause in

Oxford, such a very important centre from every standpoint. He

assures you all of his loving prayers for the progress of your

activities, and for each and all of you.
|P8
With warmest Bahá'í greetings,
|P9
[From the Guardian:]
|P10

Assuring you of my loving prayers for you all, and for the success

of your efforts for the promotion of our beloved Faith,

Your letter of November 30th with enclosure has been

[\P415]

received by the beloved Guardian, and he has instructed me to

answer you on his behalf.
|P4

The news of the opening of the Oxford Bahá'ís' first Centre

rejoiced his heart. He was particularly happy to know that this

project was consummated and the Centre furnished and made

ready for use almost entirely through the united efforts and

devotion of the believers themselves.
|P5

As you know, the Guardian attaches great importance to

Oxford. Now that the friends have a Centre, which in itself will

be a means of attracting seeking souls to them to learn of the

Faith; and also the Bahá'ís have made for themselves a teaching

plan, he feels confident that the work will go forward there with

great strides, and that your community will grow in numbers

and in strength.
|P6

He will remember you all in his loving prayers in the Holy

Shrines.
|P7
With loving Bahá'í greetings,
|P8
[From the Guardian:]
|P9

May the Almighty bless continually your highly meritorious

efforts, and enable you to win great and memorable victories in the

Your letter of February 13th with enclosures has been received

by the beloved Guardian, and he has instructed me to answer

you on his behalf.
|P4

He is hoping that the fact that the believers now have their

own Centre in Oxford will greatly stimulate the work there,

and cause the more rapid expansion of the Faith in this difficult

town.
|P5

The work done among the University students should be

steadily pursued. Perhaps before long some among their number

may determine to accept the Faith and arise whole-heartedly to

serve it.
[\P416]
|P6

The Guardian assures you all of his loving prayers, and sends

his greetings.
|P7
With warm Bahá'í love,

P.S. It is not necessary to send a detailed account of the funeral

of Mrs. Langdon-Davies. A short biographical account of her life

should be sent by the N.S.A. for "Bahá'í World".
|P8
[From the Guardian:]
|P9

May the Almighty bless, guide and sustain you, and enable you to

achieve memorable victories in the service of our beloved Faith,

Your letter of February 27th with enclosure has been received

by the beloved Guardian, and he has instructed me to answer

you on his behalf.
|P4

He appreciates your thoughtfulness in sending to him the

photostatic copy of Canon Cheyne's letter to John Craven+, in

which he declared himself a Baha'i, and is happy to have it.

|P5

He wishes you all a very happy New Year, and great success

in your teaching activities during the coming year.

|P6
With warm Bahá'í greetings,
|P7
[From the Guardian:]
|P8

Assuring you of my loving, my continued and fervent prayers for

your success in the service of our beloved Faith and of its nascent

institutions,
|P9
Your true brother,
Shoghi
\M
Cables to the Oxford Assembly
|N34|P0
25 November 1949
|P1

HEARTFELT CONGRATULATIONS HISTORIC VICTORY ARDENT LOVING

PRAYERS SURROUNDING YOUR NOBLE MISSION.
|P2
SHOGHI
[\P417]
|N35|P0
22 April 1950
|P1

APPRECIATE MESSAGE LOVING REMEMBRANCE SHRINES SUPPLICATING

MANIFOLD BLESSINGS.
|P2
SHOGHI
|N36|P0
26 October 1950
|P1

OVERJOYED NOTABLE INITIAL VICTORY INTRODUCTION FAITH

UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATE CIRCLES ASSURE YOUNGEST PROMISING

Your letter of August 23rd has been received by the beloved

Guardian, and he has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.

|P4

He was happy to learn of the spirit of active service which

animates the friends in that city, and of the practical way you are

approaching the teaching work.
|P5

Through love and unity among the believers, and the wise

and persistent efforts of all the Bahá'ís, great results should be

forthcoming.
|P6

He will certainly pray for the progress of the Faith there, and

for the enrollment of a number of newly-declared believers by

next Ridvan.
|P7
With warm Bahá'í greetings,
[\P418]
|P8
[From the Guardian:]
|P9

May the Beloved of our hearts, guide, bless and sustain you, remove

every obstacle from your path, and graciously assist you to extend the

range of your highly valued activities and consolidate your historic

Your letter of May 8th has been received, and the beloved

Guardian has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.

|P4

He was delighted to receive the news of your activities, and

feels that Reading can be cited as a truly exemplary community

in every way. He hopes you will maintain this enviable position

as the years go by.
|P5

He will certainly pray that your teaching efforts may be

richly blessed, and that you may not only continue to make

Bahá'ís, but to export them, as you have done in the case of

Edinburgh.
|P6
With warm Bahá'í greetings,
|P7
[From the Guardian:]
|P8

May the Almighty bless your highly valued activities, guide every

step you take, remove every obstacle from your path, and graciously

assist you to win great victories in the service of His Faith in the days

Over three hundred letters to individuals residing in the

British Isles have been studied and passages selected which are of

permanent value.
|P2

These excerpts were taken from the letters of no more than

twenty believers of whom only seven corresponded regularly

with the Guardian.
|P3

They have been arranged chronologically; for details of the

subject matter the reader must turn to the Index.
|P4

Almost all these passages are answers given by the Guardian

to questions asked in personal letters to him. It is possible

therefore to catch a glimpse of the changing problems facing the

Bahá'í community and these frequently reflected conditions in

the country as a whole. This is particularly significant in the

years immediately following the Second World War for as the

Guardian, in a letter written on his behalf by his secretary, wrote

of the British believers,
|P5

"... he feels the greatest sympathy for them, and considers

|P6

that when their present achievements are assessed in the future,

|P7

people will give them a double measure of praise for having

|P8
done so much when they were least fit to do it."
[\P421]
|N1|P0
28 September 1925
|P1
[From the Guardian:]

...I wish you, my dearest friend, to make once again a supreme

effort to come to a full understanding with the friends outside....

Extend to them your generous and helping hand, approach them with

a spirit of selflessness and cordiality and the result, I am confident will

be indeed marvellous. My heart rejoices at the news of the growth of

harmony among the friends and I feel paralysed in my work when I

hear to the contrary. I am impressing on the friends in ... the absolute

necessity of cultivating understanding and friendliness and consolidating

the foundation of the National Assembly. For upon these National

Assemblies will the Edifice of the Universal House of Justice be raised.

|N2|P0
28 October 1925
|P1

Shoghi Effendi is much interested to hear of your literary

work. He fully agrees with you that different people must be

approached in different ways and that valuable work for the

Bahá'í Cause can be done within the Christian Churches by

promoting the "Christianity of Christ". `Abdu'l-Bahá said that

when people become true Christians, they will find themselves

Bahá'ís. One or two of the best Bahá'ís I know were very earnest,

sincere, devoted Christians and accepted the Bahá'í teachings

with very little difficulty and without any intervening period of

religious scepticism, as an amplification and fulfilment of the

teachings and prophesyings of Christ and the prophets.

|N3|P0
28 December 1925
|P1

He is very sorry that such undesirable things are every now

and then cropping up in ... and discouraging you in your work,

keeping you from devoting all your spare time in teaching the

Cause and spreading its principles. He does not wish you,

however, to lose heart from such things. As the Cause grows its

difficulties will increase and its problems will become more

numerous. The friends, especially the older ones, should therefore

try and stand unmoved by them. In fact the more their difficulties

[\P422]

will increase the more they have to take courage and try to solve

them. The Master has often said that sorrows are like furrows,

the deeper they go the more productive the land becomes. If this

problem of ... should be settled other problems will arise. Are

the friends to become discouraged or are they to follow the

footsteps of the Master and consider them more as chances to

show their tenacity of belief and spirit of sacrifice? In short,

Shoghi Effendi wishes you to keep on teaching the principles of

the Cause no matter what problems may arise.
|P2
[From the Guardian:]
|P3

...Let not anxieties and disappointments overwhelm you or

oppress your generous and sensitive heart. Turn to Him in prayer and

remember that I am joining you in your supplications for guidance

and strength. Be patient in tribulation and never relax in your efforts

to promote the Divine Teachings.
|N4|P0
28 March 1926
|P1

It must have been very distasteful to you to read some of the

off-hand and ungrammatical translations that more out of

necessity than choice won circulation and were even published.

Furthermore, it was always the expressed wish and desire of

Abdu'l-Bahá to have proper and adequate translations that

would not only convey the true spirit of the original but also

possess some literary merit. And for this he emphasised the

necessity of a board of translators. Such a board it has

unfortunately been impossible to form as yet.
|P2

Meanwhile Shoghi Effendi, realising the urgent necessity of

the translation of some of the important writings, has translated

some of the passages.
|N5|P0
16 October 1926
|P1

We should, however, be careful, as you mention in your

letter, not to make this system develop into a hard and fast creed

or form. The Cause is pure and free from such things and it

ought to be the task of the friends to keep it broad and

progressive. Man is always apt to fall into the habit of doing a

[\P423]

thing in a certain way, and thereby become captive to prescribed

forms. It should therefore be the duty of the assemblies

everywhere to see that, though certain temporary measures are

taken to further the Cause, they do not crystallise into hard and

fast creeds.
|N6|P0
6 April 1928
|P1
[From the Guardian:]

I feel that regarding such interpretations (of verses from the

Scriptures) no one has the right to impose his view or opinion and

require his listeners to believe in his particular interpretation of the

sacred and prophetic writings. I have no objection to your

interpretations and inferences so long as they are represented as your

own personal observations and reflections. It would be unnecessary

and confusing to state authoritatively and officially a dogmatic Baha'i

interpretation to be universally accepted and taught by believers. Such

matters I feel should be left to the personal judgement and insight of

individual teachers....
|N7|P0
12 December 1929
|P1

Ever since its inception (the "Bahá'í World") Shoghi Effendi

has cherished the hope of making it a work that would prove

interesting and illuminating to the reader. Destined mainly for

the non-Bahá'ís, he has tried to attract through its pages the

attention of educated and enlightened people and especially

leaders in every country, with a view to acquaint them with the

broad and fundamental principles of the Faith and to win their

consideration of the Movement as a growing force for good and

for peace throughout the entire world. It is therefore with lively

satisfaction that he has seen the publication grow yearly in

importance and this feeling has been lately enhanced very much

by the words of interest or appreciation which he has received

from many quarters and leading men, among which was a

remarkably encouraging letter from Sir Herbert Samuel. Indeed

Shoghi Effendi has made it a point to send copies to as many

leading men as possible and copies of last year's issue were

presented to the Emperor of Japan, the Shah of Persia and Queen

Marie of Rumania.
[\P424]
|N8|P0
9 February 1930
|P1

The subject you had raised with regard to the date of the

publication of the writings of Bahá'u'lláh is interesting as it is

important. If I remember correctly the same issue was raised as

an open challenge in India by some spokesman of the Ahmadiyya

sect. The earliest published writings of Bahá'u'lláh date from the

nineties of the last century. Over forty years ago the Aqdas, a

volume of general Tablets including Tarazat, Ishraqat, and others

were published in Ishqabad (Russia) and Bombay respectively

and copies of these though rare are still procurable. Simultaneously

with these, if not earlier, some of the writings of

Bahá'u'lláh were published by the Oriental Department of the

Imperial Russian University at St. Petersburgh under the

supervision of its director Baron Rosen (and more particulars

about these could be found in the books of E. G. Browne) and

these of course are not undated like some of those published in

Bombay.
|P2

The main bulk of the writings of Bahá'u'lláh however are to

be found in manuscript form written by noted scribes after the

fashion of orientals. These scribes did not leave all their

manuscripts undated and Jinabi Zain, a very noted Bahá'í scribe,

always dated his copies of the writings of Bahá'u'lláh at the end

of the volume in what E. G. Browne calls `colophenes' and the

description of some of these colophenes could be found in the

works of the Cambridge Professor.
|P3

The son of the above-mentioned scribe is still living in Haifa

and does very much the same work as his father. He claims that

as early as 1868 his father used to write copies of the Iqan for the

Bahá'ís in Persia as a source of livelihood, and that after 1885

when he went to Akka to join Bahá'u'lláh's party his entire work

and time was devoted to copying the sacred writings for sale

among Bahá'ís. These copies are to be found all throughout the

East and are almost invariably dated.
|N9|P0
9 June 1930
|P1

Concerning the accounts of visits to Haifa, published by the

friends during the Master's life-time, Shoghi Effendi is very

[\P425]

reluctant to attribute to them much authority. Most of these are

personal impressions and are to be valued only as such. Bahá'u'lláh

definitely states that only His actual writings are to be relied

upon. Such reports may be interesting but not authoritative, no

matter who the reporter may be...
|N10|P0
22 October 1930
|P1

...If those heroic deeds have made such an impression upon

you, would not the reading of the narrative arouse the friends to

greater sacrifices and stimulate them to more intensive service?

It was not mere physical torture that the friends in Persia had to

endure but also moral persecution for they were cursed and

vilified by all the people, especially when they ceased to defend

themselves ... the Master used to say sometimes that the western

friends will be severely persecuted but theirs will be primarily

moral....
|N11|P0
30 November 1930
|P1

He (the Guardian) is enclosing extracts from Lord Curzon's

"Persia and the Persian Question" giving a detailed and faithful

description of the state of Persia in the middle of the 19th

century. He thinks that references to the extracts ... will be of

great value in showing to the reader the contrast between the

decadent state of the government and the people at that time and

the heroism and nobility of character displayed by the early

disciples of The Báb... Shoghi Effendi is also sending you ... the

Master's words concerning the situation which led to the

defensive action which the early disciples of The Báb were

compelled to take in Mazindaran, Nayriz and Zanjan. From

these words it is evident that a systematic campaign of plunder

and massacre had been initiated by the central government.

Bahá'u'lláh, Who Himself was an active figure in those days and

was regarded one of the leading exponents of the Faith of the

Bab, states clearly His views in the Iqan that His conception of

the sovereignty of the Promised Qa'im was purely a spiritual

[\P426]

one, and not a material or political one... His view of the

sovereignty of the Qa'im confirms the various evidences given

in the text of the narrative itself of the views held by those who

actually participated in these events such as Hujjat, Quddus,

Mulla Husayn. The very fact that these disciples were ready and

willing to emerge from the fort and return to their homes after

receiving the assurance that they would be no more molested is

itself an evidence that they were not contemplating any action

against the authorities.
|P2

Shoghi Effendi is also sending you an account of the doctrines

of Shi'ah Islam from which the Movement originally sprang. It

will help you to connect the origin of the Movement with the

tenets and beliefs held by the Shi'ahs of Persia. The Báb declared

Himself at the beginning of His mission to be the "Bab" by

which He meant to be the gate or forerunner of "Him Whom

God will make manifest", that is to say Bahá'u'lláh, Whose advent

the Shi'ahs also expected in the person of "the return of Imam

Husayn". The Sunnis also believe in a similar twofold

manifestation, the first they call "the Mihdi", the second "the

Return of Christ". By the term Báb, The Báb meant to be the

forerunner of the second manifestation rather than, as some have

maintained, the gate of the Qa'im. When He declared Himself to

be The Báb, the people understood by the term that He was an

intermediary between the absent Qa'im and His followers,

though He Himself never meant to be such a person. All He

claimed to be was that He was the Qa'im Himself and in addition

to this station, that of The Báb, namely the gate or forerunner of

"Him Whom God will make manifest".
|P3

There are many authorised traditions from Muhammad

stating clearly (as explained in the Iqan) that the promised Qa'im

would bring a new Book and new Laws. In other words

abrogating the law of Islam.
|P4

Shoghi Effendi feels that the Unity of the Bahá'í revelation as

one complete whole embracing the Faith of The Báb should be

emphasised... The Faith of The Báb should not be divorced

from that of Bahá'u'lláh. Though the teachings of the Bayan

have been abrogated and superseded by the laws of Aqdas, yet

due to the fact that The Báb considered Himself as the forerunner

of Bahá'u'lláh we should regard His dispensation together with

that of Bahá'u'lláh as forming one entity, the former being an

[\P427]

introductory to the advent of the latter. Just as the advent of John

the Baptist--who according to various authorities was Himself

the originator of laws which abrogated the teachings current

among the Jews--forms part of the Christian revelation, the

advent of The Báb likewise forms an integral part of the Baha'i

Faith. That is why Shoghi Effendi feels justified to call Nabil's

narrative a narrative of the early days of the Bahá'í revelation.

|P5

Shoghi Effendi feels that it should be explained that forbidding

self defence by Bahá'u'lláh should not be taken too literally. To

put it as bluntly as this, he fears that the question might be

misunderstood. Bahá'u'lláh could surely have not meant that a

Bahá'í should not attempt to defend his life against any

irresponsible assailant who might attack him for any purpose

whatever, whether religious or not. Every reasonable person

would feel under such circumstances justified in protecting his

life....
|P6

Regarding Nabil: He was born on the 18th day of the month

of Safar of the year 1247 A. H. in the village of Zarand in Persia.

He was thirteen years old when The Báb declared Himself.

Though still young he himself was preparing to leave for Shaykh

Tabarsi and join the companions of Mulla Husayn when the

news of the treachery and massacre of the besieged companions

reached him. He met Bahá'u'lláh in Kirmanshah and Tihran

before the latter's banishment to Iraq. He was a close companion

of The Báb's amanuensis Mirza Ahmad. He subsequently met

Bahá'u'lláh in Baghdad, Adrianople and Akka and was

commissioned by Bahá'u'lláh to journey several times to Persia

in order to promote the Cause and encourage the scattered and

persecuted believers. He was present in Akka when Bahá'u'lláh

passed away in 1892 and soon after was so overcome with grief

that he drowned himself in the sea. His body was found along

the shore and was buried in the cemetery of Akka. `Abdu'l-Bahá

is reported to have been struck with deep sorrow at the manner

of his death. He states in his narration that he met the maternal

uncle of The Báb, Haji Mirza Siyyid Ali who had visited his

nephew in the Castle of Chihriq and had recently returned to

Tihran. He started writing his narrative in 1305 A.H. four years

before the passing of Bahá'u'lláh. It took him about a year and

half to write it. His chief informants were Mirza Ahmad the

amanuensis of The Báb and Mirza Musa the brother of Bahá'u'lláh.

[\P428]

Parts of his narrative were read in the presence of Bahá'u'lláh and

approved by Him. `Abdu'l-Bahá also went over sections of his

narrative....
|P7

Shoghi Effendi has found in the papers of `Abdu'l-Bahá a

complete set of The Báb's Tablets to the 18 Letters of the Living,

all written in His own hand-writing and bearing His seal. In

addition to these there are two other Tablets both written by

Himself in exquisite hand-writing, the one addressed to the 19th

Letter who was Himself and the other to "Him whom God will

make manifest", i.e. Bahá'u'lláh. This last one has three seals and

is written on blue paper....
|P8

Regarding the question raised in your letter.... The Bahá'ís

in Persia avoid political posts and positions, abstain from any

interference in matters pertaining to the policy of the state, but

fill the more important administrative posts that have no political

character. They feel that in this manner they can best serve the

interest of their country and prove by their action their integrity

and attachment to Persia....
|P9

Shoghi Effendi is enclosing an extremely interesting account

given by a certain Dr. Cormick, an English physician long

resident in Tabriz of his meeting with The Báb. He is apparently

the only Westerner who has met The Báb and recorded his

impressions... Shoghi Effendi thinks of adding it to his notes.

|N12|P0
30 April 1931
|P1

...You could also in a quiet way speak to persons whom you

think are ready for such a message and would appreciate the

light when they see it. Try to form around you a group of

Bahá'ís who are well versed in the teachings and who are ready

to assist you in serving the Cause. In short try to form an

assembly of pure and competent souls. Meanwhile you could

write, for the Cause is in great need of first class literature and

you are gifted along that line.
|P2

The Cause surely needs sacrifices, in fact it is only through

sacrifice that it can progress, but such determined activity should

be coupled with wisdom and caution if it is not going to be a

temporary flare. Intimate talk and personal contact has proven

the surest and quietest way for establishing a group....

[\P429]
|N13|P0
7 November 1931
|P1

The present social and economic problems that are facing the

British people are surely occupying their whole attention, but

they should also operate as a reminder and draw them closer to

spiritual matters. The people have to be made conscious of the

fact that without a complete change in our outlook and a total

reform of the guiding principles of our life, such as the Cause

advocates, our social and economic problems cannot be solved

nor our conditions ameliorated. Nothing short of the full

message of Bahá'u'lláh can end the sufferings that are befalling

humanity.
|N14|P0
2 January 1932
|P1

It is strange how much suffering man has to put up with while

on this earth. Our consolation should be however that it is part

of a divine plan whose worth we cannot yet fathom....

|P2

...Shoghi Effendi wishes ... to encourage those who are

talented to give expression to the wonderful spirit that animates

them. We need poets and writers for the Cause.... Some of the

poems are written by very youthful persons yet they ring so true

and give expression to such thoughts that one should halt and

admire. In Persia the Cause has given birth to poets that even

non-Bahá'ís consider them as great. We hope before long we

will have similar persons arise in the West.
|N15|P0
10 January 1932
|P1

In Persia the Cause gave birth to many poets of national

standing. Let us hope that the west will follow suit and produce

similar talents.
|N16|P0
23 February 1932
|P1

The exact date in which the Hidden Words was written you

can find on the opening page of Mrs. J. E. Stannard's translation

published in Cairo. She gives a line in the Master's own

handwriting giving the date as 1274 A.H. (1857-8 A.D.). It is

[\P430]

generally believed that the Hidden Words was dictated by

Bahá'u'lláh to His secretary as He strolled on the banks of the

river in Baghdad--in sections rather than all at one time.

|P2

As to the date of the Iqan, I think it can be calculated from the

actual text and I have it in my papers as 1278 A.H., i.e. 1861 A.D.

You will find that in the text itself. It was written in answer to

questions put by a distinguished Bábi.
|N17|P0
16 May 1932
|P1

Even though outwardly the number of the friends has not

been increasing so rapidly, yet the spirit has not remained idle.

The leaven of spirituality has been working, and when the time

will come it will manifest itself in a sudden awakening. All that

we need is a little more courage, perseverance and patience.

There are many important men that are attentively watching

the progress of the Faith but are reluctant to come forward and

extend a helping hand. In time they will, and then we shall see

the Cause of God spread by leaps and bounds....
|N18|P0
10 August 1932
|P1
Your touching words of condolence and sympathy in

connection with the sudden removal of the Greatest Holy Leaf

from our midst have greatly comforted (the Guardian's) aching

heart and relieved the burden of sorrow that lies so heavily upon

him.
|P2

In this great calamity which has seized the entire body of the

followers of the Faith in both East and West our Guardian's loss

is the greatest and the most cruel. His sole comfort, at this

terrible hour, is to see the friends united and working together

for the realisation of our departed Khanum's dearest wishes.

|N19|P0
15 March 1933
|P1

He deeply appreciates your sincere, well-expressed reference

to the Tribute he has written to the dearly beloved Greatest

Holy Leaf.
[\P431]
|P2

You cannot imagine to what an extent our dear Guardian has,

in this loss, been deprived for ever of the sustaining influence and

kindness that this Most Exalted Leaf used to shower daily upon

him. In this beautiful Tribute we can trace the life of this

beautiful soul, witness with anguish all the sufferings and

deprivations that she has endured. Now we should, all of us, try

in turn to follow her saintly path and direct all our energy to

serve the Cause which has been so dear to her.
|N20|P0
6 May 1933
|P1

What the Faith needs, even more than teachers, is books that

expound the true significance of its principles in the light of

modern thought and social problems.
|N21|P0
29 May 1933
|P1

He was deeply touched by the strong attachment of the friends

to one who, besides being the beloved daughter of Bahá'u'lláh,

exemplified perhaps more than any one the true spirit that

animates His Teachings. His (the Guardian's) sincere hope is that

your love for our departed Greatest Holy Leaf will attain such

depth and intensity as to enable you to follow in her footsteps

and to carry out with increasing devotion and vigour all that she

cherished so much during the entire course of her earthly life.

The memory of her saintly life will undoubtedly sustain and

feed your energies and will provide you with that spiritual

potency of which we are all in such a great need.
|N22|P0
17 October 1933
|P1

How much the Faith is in need of able and devoted souls like

you who are ready to suffer every possible deprivation for its

sake. If every believer was ready to contribute his share, however

humble and small, and through any means, whether intellectual

[\P432]

or material, the Faith would have undoubtedly made a

tremendous progress in the world....
|N23|P0
12 November 1933
|P1

You use the expression "till time ends". This is misleading, for

there is no end to time. The Guardian suggests that you should

either use the term used in the Iqan "till the end that has no end",

or express it in such a manner that would give the idea that time

has no end....
|P2

Jehovah is a title of God, whereas Bahá'u'lláh is the title of the

Manifestation of God.
|P3

... you count the period of the Christian Dispensation as

having lasted for 1844 years. As in the Bahá'í teachings

Muhammad is considered as an independent prophet of God,

you have to consider His Dispensation as having begun in 622

A.D. The Christian Dispensation must, therefore, end in 622

A.D. and from that date till 1844 is the era of Muhammad. 1260

is the calculation based on the lunar system. In other words, it is

the Hegira year or A.H. You should either specify this fact, or

base your calculation on the solar year, in which case it will be

less than 1260, as there is a difference of one year in every 33

years.
|P4

... you should point out that, only so far as it is recorded in the

Gospel, Jesus gave two material ordinances only. Our knowledge

of Jesus' life and teachings is rather fragmentary and so it would

be more correct if you specify that these ordinances are only

those recorded in the Gospel, and they may not be the only ones.

There may be other teachings and ordinances too, of which no

record is left.
|P5

...Muhammadanism is not only the last of the world

religions, but a fuller Revelation than any one preceding it. The

Quran is not only more authoritative than any previous religious

gospel, but it contains also much more; ordinances, teachings

and precepts, which taken together constitute a fuller Revelation

of God's purpose and law to mankind than Christianity, Judaism

or any other previous Dispensation. This view is in complete

accord with the Bahá'í philosophy of progressive revelation, and

should be thoroughly accepted and taught by every loyal ...

Baha'i.
[\P433]
|N24|P0
1 December 1933
|P1

One more European is reported to have seen Bahá'u'lláh from

a distance, but Professor Browne was the only Westerner who

actually met Him.
|N25|P0
4 June 1934
|P1

You should, nevertheless, persevere in your efforts until your

immediate objective has been fully attained. God cannot, indeed,

withdraw from so devoted and so capable a Bahá'í like you all

the guidance and assistance you need for the effective discharge

of your responsibilities and obligations to the Cause. Be,

therefore, confident in Bahá'u'lláh's help. His Spirit will lead

you, and will feed your soul with that spiritual sustenance

whereby you will be able to overcome the obstacles which seem

to so hopelessly beset your path.
|N26|P0
10 November 1934
|P1

When you quote The Báb, or anyone of His disciples you

should make it clear that the words attributed to them are by no

means their exact words. They constitute the substance of their

message, and thus are not as definite as the quoted words of

Bahá'u'lláh or the Master. So, the Guardian suggests that you

should either omit the quotation marks, or to specify that the

passages quoted are not the exact words used by The Báb and His

disciples. In the future edition of Nabil's Narrative a similar

explanation will have to be inserted in the "Dawn Breakers".

|P2

You state that the Christian Dispensation "was six hundred

and twenty-two years old at the time of the Hegira". The

Guardian suggests that the words "at the time of the Hegira" be

omitted as they may give the impression that the Revelation of

Christ extended beyond the date of the Hegira.
|N27|P0
8 February 1935
|P1

Religious conservatism, particularly in England, constitutes

indeed a serious obstacle which the friends have to meet when

[\P434]

spreading the Message, and not until such an obstacle has been

completely removed can the Cause effectively spread and

establish itself in the West. This religious conservatism is in

many respects far more dangerous and more difficult to wipe out

than the religious apathy which is so rapidly invading all classes

of society.
|P2

In view of that, it is, at least for the present, more advantageous

to teach the Message in an indirect way, so as to gradually attract

and confirm those who have the spiritual capacity of appreciating

the Cause in its fullness.
|N28|P0
29 May 1935
|P1

As to your question concerning the meaning of physical

suffering and its relation to mental and spiritual healing. Physical

pain is a necessary accompaniment of all human existence, and as

such is unavoidable. As long as there will be life on earth, there

will be also suffering, in various forms and degrees. But suffering,

although an inescapable reality, can nevertheless be utilised as a

means for the attainment of happiness. This is the interpretation

given to it by all the prophets and saints who, in the midst of

severe tests and trials, felt happy and joyous and experienced

what is best and holiest in life. Suffering is both a reminder and

a guide. It stimulates us better to adapt ourselves to our

environmental conditions, and thus leads the way to self

improvement. In every suffering one can find a meaning and a

wisdom. But it is not always easy to find the secret of that

wisdom. It is sometimes only when all our suffering has passed

that we become aware of its usefulness. What man considers to

be evil turns often to be a cause of infinite blessings. And this is

due to his desire to know more than he can. God's wisdom is,

indeed, inscrutable to us all, and it is no use pushing too far

trying to discover that which shall always remain a mystery to

our mind.
|P2

In connection with your question relative to the Baha'i

solution of sex problems. On the question of sex the Bahá'ís are,

in most of their fundamental views, in full agreement with the

upholders of traditional morality. Bahá'u'lláh, like all the other

Prophets and Messengers of God, preaches abstinence, and

[\P435]

condemns, in vehement language, all forms of sexual laxity,

unbridled licence and lust. The Bahá'í standard of sex morality

is thus very high, but it is by no means unreasonably rigid.

While free love is condemned, yet marriage is considered as a

holy act which every human being should be encouraged,

though not forced, to perform. Sex instinct, like all other human

instincts, is not necessarily evil. It is a power which, if properly

directed, can bring joy and satisfaction to the individual. If

misused or abused it brings, of course, incalculable harm not

only to the individual but also to the society in which he lives.

While the Bahá'ís condemn asceticism and all extreme forms of

self-mortification they at the same time view with disfavour the

current theories of sex ethics which cannot but bring ruin to

human society. In the Bahá'í Cause marriage has been encouraged,

but made somewhat difficult, conditioned as it is upon the

consent of the four parents. Divorce, on the other hand, has been

made relatively easy, and the sociologists are just beginning to

realise the importance of this law....
|N29|P0
6 April 1936
|P1

He (the Guardian) is of the opinion, however, that while the

secondary aspects of Bahá'í Administration should be left out, a

comprehensive statement as to its origin and significance in the

Bahá'í Dispensation is of vital importance in any work of the

Cause, especially if it is written by a believer. The main thing is

to properly present the subject so that the reader may be able to

grasp it.
|N30|P0
21 November 1936
|P1

With reference to the absolute pacifists, or conscientious

objectors to war; their attitude, judged from the Baha'i

standpoint, is quite anti-social and due to its exaltation of the

individual conscience leads inevitably to disorder and chaos in

society. Extreme pacifists are thus very close to the anarchists, in

the sense that both these groups lay an undue emphasis on the

rights and merits of the individual. The Bahá'í conception of

[\P436]

social life is essentially based on the principle of the subordination

of the individual will to that of society. It neither suppresses the

individual nor does it exalt him to the point of making him an

anti-social creature, a menace to society. As in everything it

follows the `golden mean'. The only way that society can

function is for the minority to follow the will of the majority.

|P2

The other main objection to the conscientious objectors is that

their method of establishing peace is too negative. Non-co-operation

is too passive a philosophy to become an effective

way for social reconstruction. Their refusal to bear arms can

never establish peace. There should be first a spiritual revitalisation

which nothing, except the Cause of God, can effectively

bring to every man's heart.
|N31|P0
3 February 1937
|P1

Do not feel discouraged if your labours do not always yield an

abundant fruitage. For a quick and rapidly-won success is not

always the best and the most lasting. The harder you strive to

attain your goal, the greater will be the confirmations of

Bahá'u'lláh, and the more certain you can feel to attain success.

Be cheerful, therefore, and exert yourself with full faith and

confidence. For Bahá'u'lláh has promised His Divine assistance to

every one who arises with a pure and detached heart to spread

His Holy Word, even though he may be bereft of every human

knowledge and capacity, and notwithstanding the forces of

darkness and of opposition which may be arrayed against him.

The goal is clear, the path safe and certain, and the assurances of

Bahá'u'lláh as to the eventual success of our efforts quite emphatic.

Let us keep firm, and whole-heartedly carry on the great work

which He has entrusted into our hands.
|N32|P0
31 March 1938
|P1

With reference to your question as to whether individuals can

help each other by accepting to suffer for each other's sake.

Surely such sacrifice for our fellow humans can have helpful

[\P437]

results. This law of sacrifice operates in our own lives, as well as

in the lives of the Divine Manifestations.
|N33|P0
18 April 1940
|P1

In these stormy days his thoughts are often with you and our

dear English believers, and his prayers continue to be offered on

your behalf, that you may all be protected and remain safe, so

that when this great ordeal of war which is threatening to engulf

the whole world will have passed, you may all be able to

continue serving our beloved Cause, and this time through more

effective means and on a larger scale than ever before.

|P2

The immediate future, as clearly predicted by the Master,

must necessarily be very dark for the Cause as well as for the

whole world, but the promises He has repeatedly given us of a

glorious future for the Faith and for mankind as a whole are of

such character as should assuredly sustain and strengthen us

amidst the trials and tribulations of the days ahead.

|N34|P0
2 June 1941
|P1

There can be no doubt that after the present suffering of

humanity many souls, who at present show only a mild interest

in the Faith, will turn to it as the sole road which can lead them

out of the valley of blindness and misery to the "green pastures"

promised by their Lord....
|N35|P0
1 August 1941
|P1

Wherever the Cause is being spread, as it grows in strength,

people increasingly will take sides both for and against it.

Therefore he (the Guardian) is not surprised to learn that you are

finding yourself in the position, sometimes being upheld and

sometimes being attacked! It is a great bounty from God that

you have had a training in this world which so admirably suits

you for a champion of His Faith and an exponent of His

doctrines....
[\P438]
|N36|P0
19 October 1941
|P1

The English Bahá'ís are being tested in both faith and character

very severely, and the Guardian is deeply gratified to see the

manner in which they are responding, a manner that proclaims

to all who witness it that these souls are true Bahá'ís.

|P2

The Master longed so to see the believers perfect their faith in

living. Now is the supreme hour of test applied, not only to the

whole world, but to the Bahá'ís too; how they act, to the degree

they adhere to the spirit and the letter of their Faith, will point

the way to watching humanity and demonstrate the worth of

being a follower of Bahá'u'lláh ... the good news you convey of

the spirit and devotion of the English friends greatly pleases

Shoghi Effendi.
|P3

His hope and prayer is that during these times of danger,

stress, and misery, the Bahá'ís will seek out amidst their fellow-countrymen

those jewel-like souls that belong to Bahá'u'lláh and

bring them the blessing and comfort of His Faith.
|N37|P0
30 October 1941
|P1

He (the Guardian) feels that the great point is to confirm

people of true capacity and ability--from whatever social

stratum they may be, because the Cause needs now, and will ever

increasingly need, souls of great ability who can bring it before

the public at large, administer its ever-growing affairs, and

contribute to its advancement in every field.
|P2

As the Guardian's thoughts are very often with the English

friends, and he feels deeply conscious of both their trials and the

wonderful Bahá'í spirit in which they are meeting them, he feels

they have almost a special right to call on him, and he welcomes

their letters and any news of them he receives. So you must feel

free to turn to him whenever you feel the necessity of doing

so....
|N38|P0
14 March 1942
|P1

He also approves of the idea of advertising the name "Baha'i"

as widely as possible, as we can never tell at what future date the

[\P439]

remembrance of that word may aid some soul to seek and find

the Faith.
|P2

At present people are too engulfed in hopes, events, desires,

and various partizanships, to realise that there is no way out for

humanity except to accept the Divine Plan for this Day, and put

its healing principles and laws into practice. But gradually their

eyes will be opened, and it is for this time that the friends must

labour to bring the knowledge of the Cause before as wide a

public as possible.
|N39|P0
September 1942
|P1

He (the Guardian) fully realises how much strain you are

subjected to, but he also feels that in so far as is compatible with

your health you should persevere in all your Bahá'í activities, as

your services could ill be spared in any field at this time.

|N40|P0
25 September 1942
|P1

There is an answer in the teachings for everything;

unfortunately the majority of the Bahá'ís, however intensely

devoted and sincere they may be, lack for the most part the

necessary scholarship and wisdom to reply to and refute the

claims and attacks of people with some education and

standing....
|P2

It is hard to foresee at present the way in which humanity is

going to become spiritualised. At present it seems, the increased

sufferings yet to be borne, combined with a far wider diffusion

of the Divine Message, will bring about unbelievable changes in

the days to come....
|N41|P0
5 May 1943
|P1

Unless and until the believers really come to realise they are

one spiritual family, knit together by a bond more lasting than

mere physical ties can ever be, they will not be able to create that

warm community atmosphere which alone can attract the hearts

of humanity, frozen for lack of real love and feeling.

[\P440]
|N42|P0
May 1943
|P1

If, however, you find your health affected by keeping the Fast

the Guardian would advise you to consult a physician, and if he

tells you you are unable to fast then of course, you should abstain

from doing so.
|N43|P0
26 May 1943
|P1

He (the Guardian) feels that Bahá'í children like you have a lot

of wonderful work to do for others in the future. But you don't

even have to wait until you grow up, you can help your dear

Mother teach the Cause to others right now, and also tell your

playmates about it. The Guardian is going to pray that you may

grow up to be a shining light in the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh.

|N44|P0
6 August 1943
|P1

The Master reflects the qualities of the Manifestations as if He

were a mirror. He reflects not only those of Bahá'u'lláh but also

of Christ as He is the exemplar of the spirit of the Prophet....

|P2

...These matters are left to the discretion of the N.S.A. The

principle the Guardian has stated ... the addition of further

regulations and rulings to those already laid down in the bye-laws

he strongly discourages; he feels it is better, as far as possible,

to settle problems as they arise rather than create too much red

tape and hem in the spirit of the Cause into a rigid form.

|N45|P0
17 October 1944
|P1

There is a difference between character and faith; it is often

very hard to accept this fact and put up with it, but the fact

remains that a person may believe in and love the Cause--even

to being ready to die for it--and yet not have a good personal

character, or possess traits at variance with the teachings. We

should try to change, to let the Power of God help recreate us

and make us true Bahá'ís in deed as well as in belief. But

sometimes the process is slow, sometimes it never happens

because the individual does not try hard enough. But these things

[\P441]

cause us suffering and are a test to us in our fellow-believers,

most especially if we love them and have been their teacher!

|P2

The Guardian would advise you to leave your friend to

himself, to associate with him, his wife and sister-in-law with

love and forbearance in every way possible, but not to agonise

over the past or let it cloud your Bahá'í life. You have given him

the greatest gift in the world: the Faith. Now he must be

responsible for his own soul. Your prayers and example can no

doubt reach and help him.
|P3

It is true the Bahá'ís should try and live a normal healthy life.

But we cannot for a moment overlook the abnormal state of the

world. If there had not been believers ready to give their health,

comfort, pleasure--everything, for the Cause in these dark days,

the work would not have gone on. What are these sacrifices

compared to keeping a beacon of the Light of Bahá'u'lláh

burning in dark London all these war years?
|P4

The Guardian is very glad to hear you are so active, both in

teaching and administrative work, and he will pray that

Bahá'u'lláh may bless and guide you and enable you to serve the

Cause in an ever increasing measure. He will also pray for your

personal happiness....
|N46|P0
27 November 1944
|P1

The work in England has, indeed, progressed slowly from the

standpoint of enlarging the Faith's membership and establishing

new centres and assemblies. On the other hand, however, the

British Bahá'ís have consolidated the administration and thus

prepared the way for intensified teaching activities when

conditions make life easier for the people in that country. They

have also built up a very helpful institution in the Publishing

Trust, one calculated to impress the public and aid greatly in

their own and other countries' teaching programmes. The Faith

there needs more active, devoted, young believers like yourself.

|N47|P0
27 January 1945
|P1

He was very happy to hear of the marked progress the Cause

has made in ... and that you have not only a number of new

[\P442]

believers but also are actively conducting fireside classes and

hold public meetings. All these are evidences of progress, and

you should feel happy and encouraged about them.
|P2

The believers, as we all know, should endeavour to set such an

example in their personal lives and conduct that others will feel

impelled to embrace a Faith which reforms human character.

However, unfortunately, not everyone achieves easily and

rapidly the victory over self. What every believer, new or old,

should realise is that the Cause has the spiritual power to re-create

us if we make the effort to let that power influence us, and

the greatest help in this respect is prayer. We must supplicate

Bahá'u'lláh to assist us to overcome the failings in our own

characters, and also exert our own will-power in mastering

ourselves.
|P3

He will certainly pray for the work of the beloved Cause

there and especially that new souls may be attracted and embrace

the Faith. He will also pray that the believers may, for the sake

of God, draw close to each other and not permit each other's

short-comings to be a source of disunity and consequently a

means of depriving thirsty souls of this life-giving Message! The

world is full of evil and dark forces and the friends must not

permit these forces to get hold of them by thinking and feeling

negatively towards each other....
|N48|P0
Undated
|P1

His (the Guardian's) burden is truly so heavy--no doubt in

the future people will see his life in its proper perspective and be

able to appreciate what he has done, to all intents and purposes

entirely alone, for the Cause.
|N49|P0
10 May 1945
|P1

Many of the most valuable, enkindled and erudite teachers the

Cause has possessed were formerly members of the clergy,

Islamic or Christian.
[\P443]
|N50|P0
7 July 1945
|P1

What England needs is a higher percentage of people able to

meet and attract the public on a large scale, and he hopes you

will, in the course of giving the Message to every soul that

yearns for it, make a special effort to confirm people who in their

turn will be able to arise and broadcast the teachings.

|P2

The efforts of the friends are, of course, needed to accomplish

the objectives of the Six Year Teaching Plan, and they should be

encouraged to do their part, even though they may imagine

themselves incapable of discharging such duties!
|P3

The Tablet of Visitation is a compilation of words of

Bahá'u'lláh, revealed at different times for those who were far

from Him, made by Nabil, at the Master's instruction, after the

Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh....
|N51|P0
3 March 1946
|P1

A city like London needs a really impressive, central and

suitable room which will, on its own merits, create a favourable

impression, and he hopes the friends will bear this in mind, and

at the earliest possible date get quarters that are not in a basement.

|P2

As to attracting the youth; there must be a great number of

serious-minded people coming back to civilian life. Of course

youth attracts youth, and if once an active nucleus of young

Bahá'ís could be formed, and conduct their own meetings no

doubt they would soon get others interested.
|N52|P0
4 March 1946
|P1

He (the Guardian) was very sorry to hear that ... has left the

Cause, and suggests that you point out to her, and to any other

of the friends who are confused and upset over this matter, that

the Manifestation of God only gives us teachings and instructions

designed for our good and protection, and that if each person

reserves the right to obey his own conscience, the logical

conclusion is we don't need any spiritual authority to guide and

protect us, the authority of our own consciences is sufficient!

[\P444]
|P2

What `Abdu'l-Bahá always pointed out in this matter is that

these psychic powers were not to be used in this world, and that,

indeed, it was dangerous to cultivate them here. They should be

left dormant, and not exploited, even when we do so with the

sincere belief we are helping others. We do not understand their

nature and have no way of being sure of what is true and what

is false in such matters.
|P3

If children are inclined to be psychic they should not be

blamed for it too harshly, they should not be encouraged to

strengthen their powers in this direction.
|P4

People who do not feel they can obey or accept the Teachings

on a subject cannot be considered Bahá'ís, voting or otherwise.

If a time comes when they feel ready to surrender their opinions

to One we believe divinely guided, they should be joyously

welcomed back into the Faith.
|P5

P.S. These friends you mention are being upset over this

question should realise that if they reserve the right to disregard

the Teachings on one subject, they must give the same right to

other Bahá'ís, and obviously there can be no unity or strength in

a Faith composed of individuals who only believe in part and not

all of it. We must never prefer our wills to the Will of God.

|N53|P0
19 March 1946
|P1

The Bahá'ís should refrain from signing petitions designed to

bring pressure on the Government which may have any political

character whatsoever. There are so many other people who can

carry on progressive types of activity, but only the Bahá'ís can do

the work of Bahá'u'lláh....
|N54|P0
21 May 1946
|P1

Keeping the Fast is enjoined upon all Bahá'ís, regardless of

nationality; it has a very salutary effect both physically and

spiritually, and the friends should realise Bahá'u'lláh never would

have instituted it if it were detrimental to the health. The Master

referred to the Fast in talks to pilgrims, and some Tablets, but

most material on this subject is not yet translated.

[\P445]
|N55|P0
20 November 1946
|P1

The Master unceasingly emphasised the importance of unity

among the friends, and, if anything, it is of even greater

importance in this present chaotic state of the world than it was

in His days. The people are longing for an example--proof that

harmony and love can actually exist in a community--and it is

one of the primary duties of the Bahá'ís to demonstrate these

great principles in their relations with each other.

|N56|P0
15 February 1947
|P1

Philosophy, as you will study it and later teach it, is certainly

not one of the sciences that begins and ends in words. Fruitless

excursions into metaphysical hair-splitting is meant, not a sound

branch of learning like philosophy.
|P2

We have no historical proof of the truth of the Master's

statement regarding the Greek philosophers visiting the Holy

Land, etc. but such proof may come to light through research in

the future.
|P3

As regards your own studies: he would advise you not to

devote too much of your time to the abstract side of philosophy,

but rather to approach it from a more historical angle. As to

correlating philosophy with the Bahá'í teachings; this is a

tremendous work which scholars in the future can undertake.

We must remember that not only are all the teachings not yet

translated into English, but they are not even all collected yet.

Many important Tablets may still come to light which are at

present owned privately.
|N57|P0
18 February 1947
|P1

He (the Guardian) wishes he more often got such glad news

in one letter! It seems that at last the Cause in England is really

getting into its stride, and that the British community of

believers are beginning to show forth the fruits of the many

blessings showered on them--for England was one of the first

[\P446]

countries of the West to hear the Divine Message, and was

blessed by two visits from the Centre of the Covenant! Surely

the older Bahá'ís must be astonished to see new centres springing

up in a matter of months after years of an almost static condition!

It shows that wherever and whenever the friends arise to serve,

the mysterious power latent in this Divine Cause rushes in to

bless and reinforce their labours far beyond their fondest hopes.

|P2

He is very happy to hear you are established as a pioneer, with

a business of your own, and you may be sure he will pray for

your material as well as spiritual success in this goal town....

|N58|P0
27 September 1947
|P1

There is no objection to children who are as yet unable to

memorise a whole prayer learning certain sentences only.

|P2

He (the Guardian) does not feel that the friends should make

a practice of saying grace or of teaching it to children. This is not

part of the Bahá'í Faith, but a Christian practice, and as the Cause

embraces members of all religions we should be careful not to

introduce into it the customs of our previous beliefs. Bahá'u'lláh

has given us the obligatory prayers, also prayers before sleeping,

for travellers, etc., we should not introduce a new set of prayers

He has not specified, when He has given us already so many for

so many occasions....
|N59|P0
27 September 1947
|P1

He (the Guardian) does not feel you should permit your

speech impediment to give you a sense of inferiority. Moses

stammered! And what you are and what you believe as a Baha'i

give you a tremendous advantage over others. This does not

mean that you should not make every effort to overcome it, and

go to doctors for advice and assistance. He also assures you he

will pray that you may overcome this difficulty entirely, also

that wherever you are the way will open for you to teach and

serve the Faith.
[\P447]
|N60|P0
13 October 1947
|P1

Regarding your own condition: he (the Guardian) strongly

urges you not to dwell on yourself. Each one of us, if we look

into our failures, is sure to feel unworthy and despondent, and

this feeling only frustrates our constructive efforts and wastes

time. The thing for us to focus on is the glory of the Cause and

the Power of Bahá'u'lláh which can make of a mere drop a

surging sea! You certainly have no right to feel negative; you

have embraced this glorious Faith and arisen with devotion to

serve it, and your labours are greatly appreciated by both the

Guardian and your fellow-Bahá'ís. With something as positive

as the Faith and all it teaches behind you, you should be a

veritable lion of confidence, and he will pray that you may

become so.
|P2

There is, unfortunately, no way that one can force his own

good upon a man. The element of free will is there and all we

believers--and even the Manifestation of God Himself--can do

is to offer the truth to mankind. If the people of the world persist,

as they seem to be doing, in their blind materialism, they must

bear the consequences in a prolongation of their present

condition, and even a worsening of it. Our duty as Bahá'ís is to

build up such a love and unity within our own ranks that the

people will be attracted by this example to the Cause. We also

must teach all we can and strengthen the Bahá'í community in

the Administration. But more we cannot do to avert the great

sufferings which seemingly still lie ahead of the world in its

present evil state.
|N61|P0
14 October 1947
|P1

Summer School is, indeed, a wonderful experience, for at the

present time it is the only institution that affords the Bahá'ís of

England an opportunity of all living together, for however short

a time, as a community, and this and the spirit it engenders, has

a very inspiring affect.
|N62|P0
19 October 1947
|P1

He (the Guardian) does not feel that it is desirable to lay down

any conditions for giving to the Bahá'í Fund. This is an entirely

[\P448]

personal matter, and each believer must act according to his own

judgment and the needs of the Faith. In times of crisis, whether

in the affairs of the Cause or in one's own family, people naturally

behave differently from under normal circumstances. But

decisions in these matters must rest with each individual Baha'i.

|P2

Generally speaking the secretary of an assembly must be

careful to convey exactly what the majority decision or advice

of the body was. There can surely be no objection to his putting

it in proper terms and clarifying the matter according to the

decision or instruction of the assembly. But he should of course

not introduce his personal views unless endorsed by the assembly.

|P3

The nature of assembly minutes is a matter for the body itself

to decide. Naturally all important subjects brought up and notes

must be recorded, but how detailed the record must be is for the

members themselves to decide.
|P4

`Abdu'l-Bahá said we must sacrifice the important for the

most important. The most important thing now for the English

Bahá'ís is to accomplish their Plan. The sacrifice of other

activities, cultural or otherwise, is not of very much importance

compared to their goal. They can always return, when they have

more time, to such pursuits. To serve any great Cause or purpose

requires sacrifice....
|P5

Bahá'u'lláh is not the intermediary between other Manifestations

and God. Each has His own relation to the Primal Source.

But in the sense that Bahá'u'lláh is the greatest Manifestation to

yet appear, the One who consummates the Revelation of Moses,

He was the One Moses conversed with in the Burning Bush. In

other words, Bahá'u'lláh identifies the glory of the God-Head on

that occasion with Himself. No distinction can be made amongst

the Prophets in the sense that They all proceed from one Source,

and are of one essence. But Their stations and functions in this

world are different.
|N63|P0
4 March 1948
|P1

It is not surprising, in view of the gloom overhanging the

entire world, and in conjunction with their run-down, exhausted

state due to war conditions and present circumstances of life in

England, that the British Bahá'ís should sometimes reflect the

[\P449]

state of their countrymen! It is a pity, and they should certainly

try, as believers, to be cheerful and radiant; but he (the Guardian)

feels the greatest sympathy for them, and considers that when

their present achievements are assessed in future, people will give

them a double measure of praise for having done so much when

they were least fit to do it. The spirit of determination, and their

perseverance, are truly outstanding.
|P2

Just because some people have lost their vision of the Cause, or

never had a proper grasp of its implications before entering it,

and leave the fold, should not cause undue discouragement.

There are bound to be such cases, and although every moral

support should be given them, if they still wish to withdraw,

they fall off--as you said--like withered leaves from the Tree

of the Faith, and do it no real harm.
|P3

He likes to be provided with facts by the friends, when they

ask his advice, for although his decisions are guided by God, he

is not, like the Prophet, omniscient at will, in spite of the fact that

he often senses a situation or condition without having any

detailed knowledge of it....
|N64|P0
26 March 1948
|P1

One of the greatest problems in the Cause is the relation of the

believers to each other; for their immaturity (shared with the

rest of humanity) and imperfections retard the work, create

complications, and discourage each other. And yet we must put

up with these things and try and combat them through love,

patience and forgiveness individually, and proper administrative

action collectively.
|N65|P0
8 April 1948
|P1

We Bahá'ís firmly believe that it is possible, if we have the

right spirit, to make our stumbling blocks stepping-stones to

progress. You have already, through at last facing yourself and

acknowledging that you have both failed and erred in managing

your life so far, set your feet on the right path. But now this new

and spiritual condition in you is going to be proved--and the

[\P450]

proving, the testing, will surely consist of the way you determine

to take your punishment.
|P2

Life is based on laws: physical, man-made, and spiritual. As

you have broken the laws of the society in which you live, you

will have to stand up like a man and take your punishment. The

spirit in which you do this is the most important thing, and

constitutes a great opportunity for you. He (the Guardian)

advises you to turn your face towards the future, to realise that

when you are set free you have loving and helpful friends to go

to, an upright job awaiting you, and you can also become active

in serving our glorious Faith. So really everything lies before

you. But at present, until your sentence is up, you must live

within yourself in a way not to spoil the new future awaiting

you. You must not become bitter--for after all you are only

reaping what you planted. Bahá'u'lláh and `Abdu'l-Bahá, through

no crime of their own, spent the better part of their lives in exile

and imprisoned, but they never became embittered although

they were the victims of injustice. You, on the other hand, are

the victim of injustice which you have inflicted on yourself--

therefore you certainly have no right to be bitter towards the

world.
|P3

He urges you to grasp firmly the teachings of our Faith, the

love of your family and many Bahá'í friends, to put the past

behind entirely, realising that it can do you no more harm; on

the contrary, through changing you and making you spiritually

aware, this very past can be a means of enriching your life in the

future! He will certainly ardently pray for your happiness, your

victory over yourself, and that you may become an exemplary

and active Baha'i.
|N66|P0
9 June 1948
|P1

"Reciting" the Greatest Name means to repeat it over and

over, silently or out loud....
|P2

The chairman of the local assembly is, if present, the logical

and appropriate person to take charge of the consultation period

between the assembly and the community members at the

Nineteen Day Feast.
[\P451]
|N67|P0
23 June 1948
|P1

He (the Guardian) encouraged him to face manfully the

future, accept the legitimate sanction of society as punishment

for his admittedly anti-social conduct, and realise that his very

suffering, humiliation and punishment can--if he will let it--be

the means of freeing him from many of his past weaknesses and

mistakes, and making him a worthy member of society. He

should look to the future, for there is in his power, with

Bahá'u'lláh's help, to shape into a worthy and constructive way

of life....
|P2

The English Bahá'ís did gloriously succeed after all! Hitching

one's wagon to a star, however impractical it may seem, does

bring results, for man, with God to help him, does possess

strengths far beyond the mere materialist's ken!
|P3

As regards your question about p. 41, Kitáb-i-Iqan; to say that,

after 622 A.D., Christendom was Islam in disguise is a little

misleading. The Sun of Truth, after the advent of Muhammad,

no longer shone from the Christian horizon. Islam was, from

then until The Báb's advent, the Path of Truth.
|P4

We should never insist on teaching those who are not really

ready for the Cause. If a man is not hungry, you cannot make

him eat. Among the Theosophists there are, no doubt, many

receptive souls, but those who are satisfied should be just

associated with in a friendly way, but let alone. Once a seeker

comes to accept the concept of progressive religion, and accepts

Bahá'u'lláh as the Manifestation for this day, the reincarnation

concept will fade away in the light of truth; we should try and

avoid controversial issues in the beginning if possible.

|P5

Mirza Abu'l-Fadl was a very excellent and erudite Baha'i

teacher. Although he did err sometimes, yet in identifying

Abraham with Zoroaster, he is not confusing the Prophet

Abraham with the Prophet Zoroaster, as the name of Zoroaster

was supposed to have been "Abram".
|N68|P0
20 September 1948
|P1

He (the Guardian) is very happy indeed to see the change in

your attitude and to hear that you are now not only a recognised

member of our Faith, but a prospective Bahá'í pioneer!

[\P452]
|P2

It is quite natural for anyone, observing the present state of the

world, to feel very depressed and apprehensive of the future.

Any intelligent person must be wondering what you are

wondering. It is indeed hard to see what lies ahead of us in the

near future--but we, as Bahá'ís, unlike most people, have

absolute assurance that the distant future is serene and bright. We

do not know if there will be another Great War; what we do

know is this: that unless people become spiritually awakened in

time, great suffering, maybe in the form of war, will come upon

them, for humanity must be unified, must be redeemed. If men

refuse absolutely to take the easier road of faith, of seeking out

God's Manifestation for this age and accepting Him, then they

will bring upon themselves a fresh crisis in human affairs and

very great affliction. What we, as Bahá'ís, must do is our duty;

we cannot do other people's duty for them, alas, but we can fulfil

our own sacred responsibilities by serving our fellow-men,

living a Bahá'í life, teaching the Faith, and strengthening its

budding world order.
|P3

He urges you, just as you have surmounted the crisis in your

own life, through faith and courage, to now go out and serve the

Cause with that same faith and courage. We must leave to God

the final reckoning with His creatures today--but meantime we

must give them His Message.
|N69|P0
17 October 1948
|P1

The Cause in England seems, in spite of financial handicaps, to

be going forward in Seven League boots. He (the Guardian) is

truly proud of the British believers, and this is more than he

could say in the past, when the work for years seemed to be

stagnating! Those days are now passed forever, he feels sure.

|N70|P0
23 December 1948
|P1

He (the Guardian) is very glad to see you are now living the

life of an active Bahá'í and keeping in close touch with dear ...

who is a fine friend to have, with his devotion to the Cause and

his optimism.
[\P453]
|P2

The Guardian urges you not to be discouraged by any setbacks

you may have. Life is a process of trials and testings, and these

are--contrary to what we are prone to thinking--good for us,

and give us stamina, and teach us to rely on God. Knowing He

will help us, we can help ourselves more.
|P3

He does not know how, in the present very chaotic state of the

world, you could find just the kind of job you want of driving

abroad. Positions are difficult to obtain and travel so complicated.

Unless you can migrate out to Africa or Australia, in some

regular government scheme, he would urge you to persevere in

Great Britain and do the best you can. He urges you, in the next

job you have, to pray whenever you feel the conditions at work

are too much for you. You will find you are helped and

strengthened and once you get established in some position you

may work yourself up, or go on with good references to a better

employment later on....
|N71|P0
8 January 1949
|P1

The only people who are truly free of the "dross of self" are

the Prophets, for to be free of one's ego is a hall-mark of

perfection. We humans are never going to become perfect, for

perfection belongs to a realm we are not destined to enter.

However, we must constantly mount higher, seek to be more

perfect.
|P2

The ego is the animal in us, the heritage of the flesh which is

full of selfish desires. By obeying the laws of God, seeking to live

the life laid down in our teachings, and prayer and struggle, we

can subdue our egos. We call people "saints" who have achieved

the highest degree of mastery over their egos.
|P3

There is no contradiction between Gleanings p. 66 and p. 262.

In one place He says the mirror will never be free from dross, in

the other place He says it will be "so cleared as to be able" etc. It is a

relative thing; perfection will never be reached, but great and

ever greater, progress can be made.
|P4

The word "Guardian" in the Seven Valleys has no connection

with the Bahá'í Guardianship.
|P5

The Quran should be to some extent studied by the Bahá'ís

but they certainly need not seek to acquire a mastery over it,

[\P454]

which would take years, unless they really want to. All Divine

Revelation seems to have been thrown out in flashes. The

Prophets never composed treatises. That is why in the Quran

and our own Writings different subjects are so often included in

one Tablet. It pulsates, so to speak. That is why it is "Revelation".

|P6

Life is a constant struggle, not only against forces around us,

but above all against our own ego. We can never afford to rest

on our own oars, for if we do, we soon see ourselves carried

down stream again. Many of those who drift away from the

Cause do so for the reason that they had ceased to go on

developing. They became complacent or indifferent, and

consequently ceased to draw the spiritual strength and vitality

from the Cause which they should have. Sometimes, of course,

people fail because of a test they just do not meet, and often our

severest tests come from each other. Certainly the believer

should try to avert such things, and if they happen, remedy them

through love. Generally speaking nine-tenths of the friends'

troubles are because they don't do the Bahá'í thing, in relation to

each other, to the administrative bodies or in their personal lives.

|P7

No doubt to the degree we Bahá'ís the world over strive to

spread the Cause and live up to its teachings, there will be some

mitigation of the suffering of the peoples of the world. But it

seems apparent that the great failure to respond to Bahá'u'lláh's

instructions, appeals and warnings issued in the 19th century, has

now sent the world along a path, or released forces, which must

culminate in a still more violent upheaval and agony. The thing

is out of hand, so to speak, and it is too late to avert catastrophic

trials.
|P8

You should never be too depressed about your dissatisfaction

concerning not finding a job you like, a place in the world that

fits you. If you analyse it this general sense of mis-fit is one of the

curses of your generation, one of the products of the world's

disequilibrium and chaos. It is not confined to your life, it is

pretty general.
|N72|P0
20 March 1949
|P1

He (the Guardian) fully realises that some decisions are very

hard to take in life, and he urges you in this case to do two

[\P455]

things: in the first place, are you quite sure two years voice-training

will really carry you where you hope it will? In other

words, he presumes that your teacher's opinion has been backed

up by the opinion of other professionals? It would be a great pity

to, in any way, sacrifice your service to the Cause for a career

which in the end might not prove a substantial one. And in the

second place he advises you to remain in ... and continue your

studies (once you are quite assured about the outcome), providing

the Plan does not reach such a critical point that it is imperative

for you to go as a pioneer in order to really help save the

situation. If this need arises in such urgency, he certainly feels you

should temporarily give up your singing lessons, for, of course,

no sacrifice is too great for the Cause. What we put into serving

it we know serves a useful and worthy purpose, whereas the

outcome of our struggles in life is never assured completely, and

is certainly insignificant compared to the Faith's importance.

|N73|P0
22 July 1949
|P1

The work on the Shrine--now beginning to rise visibly at the

corners--and the spread of the Faith which brings many

communications from new places, and many problems too,

keeps us all busy as never before, especially the Guardian. But to

see the course going ahead so fast fills our hearts with gratitude

and the work involved seems a small contribution to make to

such a Holy Cause.
|P2

As regards to the question you asked me to put to the Guardian

about the Aqdas and the House of Justice elections: as most of the

laws of the Aqdas cannot at present be enforced anywhere he has

not deemed it necessary or wise to translate and promulgate

them. You can orally translate them for any of the believers

anxious to know exactly what they are. The National Assemblies

(or Houses of Justice) will elect directly the International House

of Justice, but just what form this election will take must be

decided in the future when the proper time comes. Neither the

Master nor the Guardian have made any pronouncements about

punishments stipulated in the Aqdas.
[\P456]
|N74|P0
25 July 1949
|P1

There are no quotations from the Quran to support the

Master's statement that European thinkers acknowledge the

influence of Islam in shaping the thought of Europe. In the

"Gleanings", page 95 (third printing Jan. 1943) Bahá'u'lláh

says:--"Of old it has been revealed: Love of one's country is an

element of the Faith of God!" Here Bahá'u'lláh is quoting not the

Quran but an Islamic tradition, and it is this statement which the

Guardian has used as the basis of his argument in the "Promised

Day" that nationhood grew out of the direct influence of

Muhammad's teachings, and was one of the great contributions

to mankind's evolution of Islam. The building up of nations

came after Muhammad, and was a step forward in the direction

of a unified world which the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh has

provided for.
|N75|P0
22 October 1949
|P1

We must not only be patient with others, infinitely patient!,

but also with our own poor selves, remembering that even the

Prophets of God sometimes got tired and cried out in despair!

|P2

The end of the Plan is in view, and a long last push will, he

sincerely hopes and believes, bring success and a breathing space.

|P3

Regarding your questions: it is not the City State, but the

National State which Muhammad's teachings fostered. Christ

had nothing to do with the City State concept in any direct

manner.
|P4

The 100 years respite is only the phrase used by the Guardian

to convey the idea that for a 100 years or so the Cause had not

been recognised. It draws no parallel between this century and

the last one, nor does it imply a repetition of events.

|P5

The Hidden Words have no sequence. They are jewel-like

thoughts sent out of the mind of the Manifestation of God to

admonish and counsel men. Unfortunately Bahá'u'lláh was never

asked, and never, as far as we know, stated, what the force was

mentioned by Him in the "Epistle". There is nothing in the

"Mysterious Forces of Civilization" implying that these great

conquerors were not blood thirsty.
[\P457]
|P6

A healthy social life and Bahá'í work can go hand in hand, but

not always in times of crisis, such as these days the Cause is

passing through--and the world--when great sacrifice can alone

meet the demands of the situation.
|P7

He urges you to persevere and add up your accomplishments,

rather than to dwell on the dark side of things. Everyone's life

has both a dark and bright side. The Master said: turn your back

to the darkness and your face to Me.
|N76|P0
18 February 1950
|P1

He (the Guardian) feels that if you consider it too much of a

strain to keep the Fast you should not do so. Bahá'u'lláh has

exempted people who are travellers at the time; if you could

keep it the days you are not travelling, and thus partake of its

bounty, it would be advisable, but it is not essential.

|N77|P0
28 March 1950
|P1

The beloved Guardian, having been in touch with you by

cable, and being more over-worked this year than ever, delayed

answering. You know, from what you saw here, how

inefficient--to under-state the matter--his servants are. The

work at the Shrine has vastly increased and of necessity, for as the

first part of the building will soon be finished, the grounds

around it have been entirely remodelled to fit it better and show

it off. All this he has been forced to superintend and plan

personally. The attacks and status of the enemies you know

about. So that in all he is very tired.
|N78|P0
4 October 1950
|P1

We must never take one sentence in the Teachings and isolate

it from the rest: it does not mean we must not love, but we must

reach a spiritual plane where God comes first and great human

passions are unable to turn us away from Him. All the time we

see people who either through the force of hate or the passionate

[\P458]

attachment they have to another person, sacrifice principle or

bar themselves from the Path of God.
|P2

We know absence of light is darkness, but no one would assert

darkness was not a fact. It exists even though it is only the

absence of something else. So evil exists too, and we cannot close

our eyes to it, even though it is a negative existence. We must

seek to supplant it by good, and if we see an evil person is not

influenceable by us, then we should shun his company for it is

unhealthy.
|P3

We must love God, and in this state a general love for all men

becomes possible. We cannot love each human being for himself,

but our feeling towards humanity should be motivated by our

love for the Father who created all men.
|P4

The Bahá'í Faith teaches man was always potentially man,

even when passing through lower stages of evolution. Because

he has more powers, and subtler powers than the animal, when

he turns towards evil he becomes more vicious than an animal

because of these very powers.
|P5

Many Theosophists accept Bahá'u'lláh as a Prophet, but we

have no special relation to theosophy. It would seem that the

Master had some special reason for not mentioning Bahá'u'lláh

specifically in His talk to the Theosophists in Budapest. What it

was we do not know, but we can assume His great tact and

wisdom impelled Him not to on that occasion.
|N79|P0
20 October 1950
|P1

He (the Guardian) feels that in as far as possible the African

pioneers should seek to get a job which will take them to one of

the countries chosen and ensure employment for them there. It

does not seem wise or necessary for a Bahá'í to stress the fact he

or she is going to teach. A person's religion is their own business,

and they can talk about it privately as much as they like without

neglecting their employer's work.
|P2

Also, he feels no rules can be laid down about how to teach.

Usually one teaches those receptive souls one finds. The same

should apply to the beginning of the work in Africa. Any direct

teaching work with the more primitive tribes would have to be

done after finding out the best and most tactful way of doing it.

[\P459]

The first step is to get to Africa, and, in view of the cost involved,

and the state of the Fund, the pioneers should make every effort

to get sent out there or at least get employment after arriving,

thus relieving the Bahá'í Fund as much as possible. If this fails,

then of course all the expense will have to be paid by the Fund.

|N80|P0
11 January 1951
|P1

You have voiced the same suffering, the sign of the same

mystery, as has been voiced by almost all those who have been

called upon to serve God. Even the Prophets of God, we know,

suffered agony when the Spirit of God descended on Them and

commanded Them to arise and preach. Look at Moses saying,

"I am a stutterer!". Look at Muhammad rolled in His rug in

agony! The Guardian himself suffered terribly when he learned

he was the one who had been made the Guardian.
|P2

So you see your sense of inadequacy, your realisation of your

own unworthiness is not unique at all. Many, from the Highest

to the humblest have had it. Now the wisdom of it is this: it is

such seemingly weak instruments that demonstrate that God is

the Power achieving the victories and not men. If you were a

wealthy, prominent, strong individual who knew all about

Africa and looked upon going out there as fun, any service you

render, and victories you have, would be laid to your personality,

not to the Cause of God! But because the reverse is true, your

services will be a witness to the Power of Bahá'u'lláh and Truth

of His Faith.
|P3

Rest assured, dear sister, you will ever-increasingly be

sustained, and you will find joy and strength given to you, and

God will reward you. You will pass through these dark hours

triumphant. The first Bahá'í going on such an historic mission

could not but suffer--but the compensation will be great....

|N81|P0
10 February 1951
|P1

Whenever you see tremendous personal problems in your

private lives, such as those the parents of ... have been called

[\P460]

upon to face, you must remember that these afflictions are part

of human life; and, according to our teachings one of their

wisdoms is to teach us the impermanence of this world and the

permanence of the spiritual bonds that we establish with God,

His Prophet, and those who are alive in the faith of God. You

must always remember that the Manifestations of God,

Themselves, were not immune to suffering of the most human

nature; and that from the hands of their relatives, they drank the

bitterest potions, Bahá'u'lláh even being proffered poison by His

half-brother, Mirza Yahya. Beside their afflictions, our afflictions,

however terrible for us, must seem small in comparison.

|P2

Regarding your personal affairs, the Guardian will pray that

your cherished hopes may be fulfilled; and that the way may

open, if you both desire it, for you to serve together the Faith

you are so deeply attached to. Never lose heart, and always

remember that the power in this Cause is of a nature not

understood or accessible to those who have not our faith in

Bahá'u'lláh.
|N82|P0
30 August 1951
|P1

The progress being made in Africa is truly miraculous, as if a

special benediction from on High is being extended to this work...

He (the Guardian) feels sure that the work in Uganda will

now go forward rapidly. The news from Dar is wonderful too...

The racial question all over Africa is very acute, but, while

being wise and tactful, believers must realise that their standard

is far from that of the white colonials. They have not gone there

to uphold the white man's supremacy, but to give the Cause of

God to, primarily, the black man whose home is Africa.

|N83|P0
11 November 1951
|P1

Many times the young Bahá'ís these days seem to be living the

lives of soldiers, and in a way the pioneers are the soldiers of

Bahá'u'lláh, going out to plant the banner of His dominion in far

corners of the earth!
[\P461]
|N84|P0
5 October 1952
|P1

What the Master meant in the words you quoted is simply

that joy gives one more freedom to create; if the Prophets, the

Master Himself, and the Guardian, had less problems and

worries, They could give forth a great deal more creatively to

the Cause. When He said that "grow to be as a fruitful tree" he

meant that, by lifting burdens from the Guardian and trying as

much as possible to do our share of the work of the Faith, we

would help Shoghi Effendi to develop his full powers as Guardian

and, through the Covenant, the Cause would spread its shadow

over all men. This we have seen happen in the last 30 years, but

that does not mean we must not try to our utmost to help him

by our lives and our services.
|P2

Teaching is an individual matter; one has to sense when it is

right to go further in revealing the Source of our Message; no

rules exist, really, for such things.
|N85|P0
3 March 1955
|P1

As we almost never attain any spiritual goal without seeing

the next goal we must attain still beyond our reach, he urges you,

who have come so far already on the path of spirituality, not to

fret about the distance you still have to cover! It is an indefinite

journey, and, no doubt in the next world the soul is privileged

to draw closer to God than is possible when bound on this

physical plane.
|N86|P0
6 March 1955
|P1

As regards the questions you have asked, as Bahá'u'lláh says

categorically that God commanded Abraham to offer up Isma'il,

as far as we are concerned, it is Isma'il who was the intended

sacrifice.
|P2

In view of the great antiquity of Genesis, it is quite possible

that at some period the names were changed, and the error was

propagated.
[\P462]
|P3

Whatever happened, we Bahá'ís must follow the words in our

own Scriptures as being the most authentic.
|P4

In the Tablet of the Holy Mariner, the Youth means

Bahá'u'lláh, Himself.
|N87|P0
12 January 1957
|P1

In the Bahá'í Teachings it is made quite clear that when one is

ill, one should seek the best available medical advice. This

naturally leaves a person free to choose what they consider good

in medical opinion. If you and ... feel that she is improving

under the care of your own doctor, and ... is willing to wait and

be patient and see if she goes on making progress, there can

surely be no objection to her doing this. There are a great many

as you know mental diseases and troubles at present, and the one

thing Bahá'ís must not do is take a defeatist attitude toward

them. The power in the Faith is such that it can sustain us on a

much higher level in spite of whatever our ailments might be

than other people who are denied it. This however does not

mean that we should ignore medical opinion and treatment. On

the contrary, we should do our best to procure the opinion of

specialists and competent doctors.
|N88|P0
15 August 1957
|P1

You should not allow the remarks made by the Bahá'ís to hurt

or depress you, but should forget the personalities, and arise to do

all you can, yourself, to teach the Faith.
|P2

Bahá'u'lláh enjoins work on all. No one need ever be ashamed

of his job.
[\P463]
|N89|P0
"THEIR DAILY SUSTENANCE"
|P1

In his last message to the British Bahá'í community as a whole

the Guardian wrote:
|P2