Unfolding Destiny

UNFOLDING DESTINY
(U.K., 1981)
FILENAME: UD.FN
FILEDATE: 08-06-94

"...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."
Shoghi


v
"...The annals of the British &Baha'i 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.
"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."
Shoghi

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THE SEEDS ARE TENDED
1922-1944

+P2

+P3
5 March 1922+F1

Dear Fellow-workers in the Cause of &Baha'u'llah,
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.
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.
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.

+F1 Printed also in "&Baha'i Administration". (See para. 3, page xvii.)

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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 &Baha'u'llah,
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.
Does not &Abdu'l-Baha 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 &Baha'i 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

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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.
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.
A perusal of some of the words of &Baha'u'llah and &Abdu'l-Baha 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.
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 &Abha 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

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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.'"
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."
Furthermore, &Abdu'l-Baha 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."
"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 &Baha 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;

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but if, the Lord forbid, differences of opinion should arise, a majority
of voices must prevail."
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
So great is the importance and so supreme is the authority of these
assemblies that once &Abdu'l-Baha 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."
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).
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

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friends, the full, speedy and efficient working of the spiritual activities
of His loved ones.
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 &Baha'i 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.
The time is indeed ripe for the manifold activities, wherein the
servants and handmaidens of &Baha'u'llah 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.
Your brother and co-worker in His Cause,
Shoghi

16 December 1922

To my spiritual brethren and sisters in Great Britain.
Care of the members of the Spiritual Council.+F1

My dearest brethren and sisters in the faith of God!
May I at the very outset of this, my very first letter to you, convey

+F1 Dr. Esselmont+ and E. T. Hall+ were "chosen" to represent Bournemouth
+F1 and Manchester respectively and they met with seven others representing
+F1 "The London Groups" to form the first "All-England &Baha'i Council" which
+F1 met at the London home of Mrs. Thornburgh-Cropper+ 6 June, 1922. Mr. G.
+F1 P. Simpson+ was elected Chairman.

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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 &Baha'u'llah.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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

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parts of the &Baha'i 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.
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
&Baha'u'llah.
Your brother,
Shoghi

23 December 1922

To my beloved brethren and sisters throughout Great Britain.
Care of the members of the &Baha'i Council.

Dearest Friends,
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.
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....
Ere long, an able and experienced teacher recently arrived from
Persia will visit your shores and will, I trust, by his thorough

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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 &Baha'i literature. I
am sure he will considerably enrich the store of your knowledge of the
various phases and stages of the &Baha'i 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.
I am now starting correspondence with every &Baha'i 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 "&Baha'i 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 &Baha'u'llah 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.

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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.
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.
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,
I am as ever your devoted brother,
Shoghi

17 February 1923

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

Dearest brethren and sisters in &Abdu'l-Baha,
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.
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.
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

+F1 The first meeting of the elected "National Spiritual Assembly" took place
+F1 in London on 13 October 1923.

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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.
The all-conquering Spirit of &Baha'u'llah 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.
I have been reading lately some of the oldest Tablets of &Abdu'l-Baha
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.
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.
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.
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

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of the Master regarding the future of that land and the spiritual re-awakening
of its people.
Your brother and fellow-worker,
Shoghi

24 February 1923

Dear Spiritual Brother,
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.
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.
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.
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
Although unable to write individual letters he will gladly
welcome all letters that you will send him in the future...


29 November 1923

To the members of the English National Spiritual Assembly

My dearly-beloved fellow-workers in the Vineyard of God!
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
&Baha'u'llah 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.
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.
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.
I am sure you all realise the seemingly unsurmountable difficulties
in the way of individual correspondence with the ever-increasing
multitude of &Baha'is 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.
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 &Baha'i 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.
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.
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.
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.
I am enclosing for the friends recent translations of the wonderful
prophetic utterances of &Baha'u'llah, and I trust you will find them of
great value in your work of teaching and spreading the Cause.
Awaiting eagerly your letters, individually as well as collectively,
I am your brother,
Shoghi

+P18
9 December 1923

My dear Mr. Simpson,
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.
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-Baha's 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.
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.
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
[From the Guardian:]
My beloved brother,
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
within the British Empire.
Your brother,
Shoghi

6 January 1924

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
Your letter of Dec. 23rd furnishing necessary information
concerning the Conference on Religions arrived and made our
dear Guardian highly pleased and delighted.
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.
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.
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.
Here at the Holy Shrine of our Beloved we remember all the
dear friends in England and supplicate humbly for their
happiness.
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...

[From the Guardian:]
My dear friend,
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 &Baha'u'llah and &Abdu'l-Baha which might interest the
friends in Great Britain. Pray convey my love to all of them.
Shoghi

4 January 1924 (Enclosure)

To the members of the American National Spiritual Assembly.

My dearest friends!
On Nov. 28th I received the following communication from the
President of the National Spiritual Assembly of Great Britain!
"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."
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
&Baha'i 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.
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 &Baha'i world should not be missed, as this chance, if
properly utilised, might arouse and stimulate widespread interest
among the enlightened public.
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.
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.
I am enclosing an article on the &Baha'i 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
The greatest care and caution must be exercised in choosing those
who can best provide and fulfil the above-mentioned requisites and
conditions.
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.
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 &Baha'is. 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 &Baha'i 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.
I am enclosing recent translations of the prophetic and most
remarkable words of &Baha'u'llah and &Abdu'l-Baha which I trust you
will all find of great value and interest in the great work you are doing
for the Cause.
May this great project yield an abundant harvest for the Cause, and
your efforts be richly blessed by the guiding Spirit of &Abdu'l-Baha.
Your fellow-worker,
Shoghi

18 January 1924

My dear Mr. Simpson,
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 &Baha'u'llah's great Message for which the
faithful servant must strive with heart and soul.
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.
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 &Baha'u'llah with his brothers and sisters in the West....

[From the Guardian:]
My dear fellow-worker,
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
personally of my affection, esteem and gratitude,
Your brother,
Shoghi

6 February 1924

My dear Mr. Simpson,
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 &Baha'i 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.
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.

[From the Guardian:]
My esteemed brother:--
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 &Baha'i Group.
Shoghi

11 June 1924

To Mr. Simpson, President of the &Baha'i National Spiritual
Assembly of England.

My dear and revered &Baha'i Brother,
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.
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 &Baha'i 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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
Your humble brother and co-worker in His service,

(Enclosure)
&Bahiyyih &Khanum, Haifa
ARTICLE MAILED ELEVENTH BOTH HAIFA LONDON GLADLY ACT
CONFERENCE.
MILLS

16 July 1924

My dear &Baha'i Brother,
...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.
I presume by now you have already received a copy of the
address that is to be read...

+P27
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 &Baha'is, 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.
The confusion and disorder in Persia which had aroused so
much apprehension on the part of the helpless &Baha'is and had
even led in one case to actual martyrdom, has apparently
subsided for the moment.
Here in Haifa everybody is in good health. With heartfelt
greetings to all the friends in London....


23 September 1924

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.
SHOGHI

24 September 1924+F1

The beloved of the Lord and the hand-maids of
the Merciful in Great Britain.

Care of the National Spiritual Assembly.

Dear Friends,
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

+F1 Also addressed to America and published in "&Baha'i Administration".

+P28
mature and anxious reflection as to the best way to safeguard the
interests of a precious Cause.
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.
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.
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.
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 &Baha'u'llah.
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.
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-Baha, who from His station above
is the sure witness of all that you have endured and suffered for Him.
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
beloved Cause?
Shoghi

10 October 1924

My dear good brother,
Your letter of Sept. 30th written to our beloved Guardian,
Shoghi Effendi, arrived and rejoiced his dear heart with its very
interesting contents.
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.
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....
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....


10 October 1924

My dearly-beloved brother,
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 brother,
Shoghi

25 October 1924

My dear &Baha'i Brother,
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.
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 &Abha 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-Baha
is watching over you and guiding your steps in life.
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.

[From the Guardian:]
My dearest friend,
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-Baha 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
unceasingly for my friends in England.
Shoghi

+P31
4 November 1924

My dear Mr. Simpson,
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.
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 &Baha'i 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.
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....

[From the Guardian:]
My dear fellow-worker,
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
brotherly greetings.
Affectionately,
Shoghi

22 November 1924

My dear Mr. Simpson,
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.
The &Baha'i 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 &Baha'i 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 &Baha'is 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.
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 &Baha'i 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.
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...
...just of late we had the very sad news of the martyrdom of
a &Baha'i 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 &Baha'u'llah infused into every such &Baha'i 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.
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
[From the Guardian:]
My most precious fellow-worker,
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.
I am your true and affectionate brother,
Shoghi

24 November 1924+F1

To my dearly beloved brothers and sisters in &Abdu'l-Baha.
Care of the English National Spiritual Assembly.

Dearest friends!
The day is drawing near when for the third time we shall
commemorate the world over the passing of our well-beloved &Abdu'l-Baha.
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?
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.
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,

+F1 Printed also in "&Baha'i Administration".

+P34
whether individually or collectively, preparing the way? Are we
hastening the advent of the Day He so often foretold?
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
&Baha'i 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 &Baha'i spirit
is in this day the sole agency that can translate a long cherished ideal
into an enduring achievement.
With this vision clearly set before us, and fortified by the knowledge
of the gracious aid of &Baha'u'llah and the repeated assurances of
&Abdu'l-Baha, 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:

"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!"

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 &Baha'u'llah.
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?
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.
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.
Shoghi

13 February 1925

"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)


26 March 1925

My dear &Baha'i Brother,
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.
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.
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....

[From the Guardian:]
My precious fellow-worker,
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
&Baha'i world and more is expected. What an admirable and convincing
testimony of the reality of the &Baha'i 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,
Your true brother,
Shoghi

2 November 1925

&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 &BAHA'U'LLAH'S SACRED HOUSE.
SHOGHI.

+P38
6 November 1925+F1

To the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful
throughout the East and throughout the West.

Dearly-beloved friends:
The sad and sudden crisis that has arisen in connexion with the
ownership of &Baha'u'llah's sacred house in &Baghdad has sent a thrill
of indignation and dismay throughout the whole of the &Baha'i world.
Houses that have been occupied by &Baha'u'llah for well nigh the whole
period of His exile in &Iraq, ordained by Him as the chosen and
sanctified object of &Baha'i 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.
I have instantly communicated with every &Baha'i 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 &Baha'i 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.
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 &Baha'is 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.
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.
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.
Your brother and fellow-worker,
Shoghi

+F1 Printed also in "&Baha'i Administration".

+P39
11 November 1925

Dear Friends,
I have been asked to enclose for your kind attention the
following papers:--
1. Circular letter concerning the residential house of &Baha'u'llah
in &Baghdad.
2. Circular letter concerning the purchase of land around the
Holy Shrines in Haifa.
3. The system of transliteration to be used in all &Baha'i references.
4. A plan of the immediate neighbourhood of the Shrines in
Haifa showing in approximate proportions the different plots
around it.

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 &Baha'is as your
distinguished assembly deems fit and advisable....


12 November 1925

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
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.
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.
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
[From the Guardian:]
My dear self-sacrificing brother,
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.
Your grateful brother,
Shoghi

23 November 1925

BELOVED ESSLEMONT PASSED AWAY, COMMUNICATE FRIENDS AND
FAMILY DISTRESSING NEWS URGE BELIEVERS DEDICATE SPECIAL DAY
FOR UNIVERSAL PRAYER AND REMEMBRANCE.
SHOGHI

27 November 1925

My dear &Baha'i Brother,
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.
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.
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 &Baha'i doctors Yunis &Khan and &Mirza &Arastu, whom you
must have met in London very gladly put themselves at his
disposal.
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.
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 &Baha'i 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.
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.
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.
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....


30 November 1925+F1

To the beloved of God and the handmaids of the Merciful in the East
and in the West.

Dear fellow-workers,
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 &Baha'is of the Orient celebrated the twin Festivals of the
Declaration of the &Bab and the Birthday of &Abdu'l-Baha--Dr. John
E. Esslemont passed on to the &Abha 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

+F1 Printed also in "&Baha'i Administration".

+P43
physicians nor the devoted care of his many friends could possibly
deflect.
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 &Baha'u'llah. 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.
With tearful eyes I supplicate at the Threshold of &Baha'u'llah--
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.
He has been laid to rest in the heart of that beautifully situated
&Baha'i 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 &Bab 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
immortal Cause.
May he eternally rest in peace.
Shoghi

+P44
5 December 1925

My dear Mr. Simpson,
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.
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.
Shoghi Effendi has already heard from Miss Esslemont.
Everybody is well here. Shoghi Effendi and the family send
you their heartfelt greetings....

[From the Guardian:]
My dear indefatigable co-worker,
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.
Shoghi

9 December 1925

URGE FRIENDS INQUIRE IN COURTEOUS TERMS BY CABLE AND
LETTER FROM &IRAQ HIGH COMMISSIONER RESULTS OF
INVESTIGATIONS.
SHOGHI

+P45
14 December 1925

My dear Mr. Simpson,
I am sending you enclosed a copy of the pamphlet written by
Dr. Esselmont.
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.
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....


23 January 1926

My dear &Baha'i Brother,
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.
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.
The biographical sketch which you have written for the
different &Baha'i 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.
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 &Baha'is 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 &Bab
which is close to that of Dr. Esslemont and which Shoghi Effendi
also intends to build will be very simple.
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.
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....
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.

[From the Guardian:]
My dear fellow-worker,
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
the memory of such a staunch and precious friend.
Shoghi

1 April 1926

My dear Mr. Simpson,
Many thanks for your letter of Feb. 21, and I am so sorry I
could not answer you earlier.
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.
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....

[From the Guardian:]
My esteemed and valued friend:
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
in Hamburg.
Shoghi

11 April 1926

My dear &Baha'i Brother,
I thank you very much indeed on behalf of our dear Guardian
for your kind letters of March 29th and 31st.
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.
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
&Baha'i 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.
As I write you these lines we are all sorely distressed with the
ghastly news of the martyrdom of twelve &Baha'is in one of the
towns of southern Persia....

[From the Guardian:]
My dear and valued friend:
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.
Lovingly,
Shoghi

11 April 1926+F1

I gratefully acknowledge the receipt of the sum of seventeen pounds
from my dear friends the &Baha'is of England as their much appreciated
contribution for the purchase of land around the Holy Shrines on Mt.
Carmel.
Shoghi

22 April 1926+F2

To the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful
throughout the West.

Fellow-labourers in the Divine Vineyard:
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.

+F1 This is the first example of a receipt from the Guardian. A few such
+F1 receipts appear in this book as they illustrate his meticulous attention to
+F1 detail. They do not, however, represent the total contributions made by
+F1 members of the British &Baha'i community during the thirty-five years
+F1 covered by the book.
+F2 Printed also in "&Baha'i Administration."

+P50
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.
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 &Baha'is
of Persia a special message addressed in the name of the &Baha'is 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 &Baha'i 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 &Baha'i 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.
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.
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 &Baha'i Cause.
It is to you, dearly beloved friends of the West, who are the
standard-bearers of the emancipation and triumph of the &Baha'i 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-Baha's explicit utterance, the West will "seize the Cause"
from Persia's fettered hands and lead it to glorious victory.
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?
Ours is this supreme opportunity; may we fulfil our trust.
Your true brother,
Shoghi

11 May 1926+F1

To the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful
throughout the West.

Dearly beloved brothers and sisters in &Abdu'l-Baha!
Grave and manifold as are the problems confronting the struggling
Faith of &Baha'u'llah, none appear more significant nor seem more

+F1 Printed also in "&Baha'i Administration".

+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 &Baha'is 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.
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.
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
&Baha'u'llah.
Your true brother,
Shoghi

20 May 1926

My dear Mr. Simpson,
I thank you on behalf of Shoghi Effendi for your letter of May
8th.
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.
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.
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.
Shoghi Effendi is well but as usual very busy. The recent
atrocities in Persia have been a source of deep grief to his
heart....

[From the Guardian:]
My dear fellow-worker,
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.
I will remember their needs and difficulties in my prayers at the
Holy Shrines and will continue to supplicate for them Divine guidance
and blessings.
Shoghi

28 June 1926

Dear Mr. Simpson,
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....
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.

[From the Guardian:]
My dear fellow-worker,
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....
Assuring you of my earnest prayers for your continued and
unsparing efforts for the promotion of the Cause you serve so well,
I am your grateful brother,
Shoghi

+P55
16 July 1926

Dear Mr. Simpson,
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.
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....

[From the Guardian:]
My dear and able friend,
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 has achieved is a great incentive and example. Your own
splendid efforts are deeply and lovingly appreciated by me.
Shoghi

+F1 Martha Root.

+P56
17 October 1926+F1

To the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful
throughout the West.

Dearly-beloved brothers and sisters in &Abdu'l-Baha!
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.
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 &Baha'i 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 &Baha'u'llah.
It was indeed a never-to-be-forgotten occasion when, on the eve of
the day commemorating the passing of &Baha'u'llah, 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.
With bowed heads and grateful hearts we recognise in this glowing
tribute which Royalty has thus paid to the Cause of &Baha'u'llah an
epoch-making pronouncement destined to herald those stirring events
which, as &Abdu'l-Baha 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

+F1 Printed also in "&Baha'i Administration".

+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.
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.
Moved by an irresistible impulse, I have addressed to Her Majesty
in the name of the &Baha'is 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
&Baha'i 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
"Indeed a great light came to me with the Message of &Baha'u'llah
and &Abdu'l-Baha. 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...."
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.
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 &Baha'u'llah, 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.
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.
Your true brother,
Shoghi

23 October 1926

My dear Mr. Simpson,
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.
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....

[From the Guardian:]
My dear and precious co-worker,
I am glad and grateful to feel that the joint efforts of Martha and
Mountfort+F1 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.
Your true brother,
Shoghi

29 October 1926+F2

To the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful
throughout the West.

Dear fellow-workers in the Divine Vineyard!
It will gladden and rejoice every one of you to learn that from

+F1 Martha Root and Mountfort Mills.
+F2 Printed also in "&Baha'i Administration".

+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 &Baha'u'llah's mystic
strength, continue to flow with ever-increasing vitality into the heart
of this troubled world.
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 &Baha'u'llah, we can
increasingly discern, bids fair to become that force which, though not
as yet universally recognised, none can afford to belittle or ignore.
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 &Baha'u'llah and
&Abdu'l-Baha 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.
From &Baghdad, moreover, where the sacred habitation of &Baha'u'llah
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.
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 &Baha'u'llah, 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.
Your true brother,
Shoghi

29 November 1926

Dear Mr. Simpson,
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.
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.
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 &Baha'is keep in the dark
so as not to be criticised and perhaps ostracised by so called
society people.
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.

[From the Guardian:]
My dearly-beloved co-worker:
I am hoping that our deliberations with our English &Baha'i 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
elbow!
Shoghi

29 January 1927

Dear &Baha'i Friend, Mr. Simpson,
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.
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 baby Convention!
I had not realised before that the annual &Baha'i 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!...
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.
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.
With all best wishes to yourself.
Your sincere friend in His service,
Ethel Rosenberg

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.
Yours ever,
E. Rosenberg
Shoghi+F1 Effendi emphatically urges that the 19 friends elected as
delegates should meet together during &Ridvan--Shoghi Effendi
has sent you three copies of the &Baha'i Year Book, one for
London, one for Manchester and one for Bournemouth.
Read and approved. Shoghi

Editor's Note:
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:

1. It is the only one from Miss Rosenberg which carried the handwriting of
Shoghi Effendi where he "Approved" what had been written.
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 "&Baha'i Administration").
3. It insisted upon Convention being held in London during &Ridvan.
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.

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.

+F1 In a different handwriting from Miss Rosenberg's.

+P65
12 February 1927+F1

To the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful
throughout the West.

Dearly-beloved brothers and sisters in &Abdu'l-Baha:
The trend of various events, affecting directly and indirectly the
interests of the &Baha'i 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.
Of all the diverse issues which today are gradually tending to
consolidate and extend the bounds of the Revelation of &Baha'u'llah, the
decision of Egypt's religious Tribunal regarding the &Baha'is 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 &Baha'is 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 &Baha'u'llah as the believers in
heresy, offensive and injurious to &Islam, and wholly incompatible with
the accepted doctrines and practice of its orthodox adherents.
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 &Baha'i 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 &Baha'i Faith, they proceed in
a formal manner to declare in the text of that very decision their belief,
that the &Baha'i 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

+F1 Printed also in "&Baha'i Administration".

+P66
gleaned from a number of &Baha'i 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.
It cannot be denied that in the course of the inevitable developments
of this present situation the resident &Baha'is 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 &Baha'i Faith from the fetters of orthodox
&Islam. And in order to insure the complete rupture of &Baha'i official
relations with Muslim Courts they lay down in unmistakable terms
the condition that under no circumstances can the marriage of those
&Baha'is 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 &Qur'an 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.
While unwavering in their belief in the Divine station of the
Author of the &Qur'an and profoundly convinced of the necessity and
worldwide influence of His Divine mission, &Baha'is 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 &Baha'u'llah.
In the face of such an outspoken and challenging declaration, the
&Baha'is 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.
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-Baha 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:--
"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!'"
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.
Your true brother,
Shoghi

+P68
26 February 1927

...quite in order to utilise the &Baha'i 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".
(Quoted in National Spiritual Assembly Minutes)

22 March 1927

LOVING APPRECIATION AFFECTIONATE REMEMBRANCE.
SHOGHI

27 April 1927+F1

Dearly-beloved friends:
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 &Bab suffered His last
confinement and martyrdom. Addressed to the National Spiritual
Assembly of the &Baha'is 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.
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

+F1 Printed also in "&Baha'i Administration".

+P69
Faith of &Islam, who, by boldly rejecting the repeated entreaties
showered upon him to execrate the &Baha'i name, had lawfully incurred
the penalty of immediate death at the hands of every pious upholder of
the Muslim tradition.
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.
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-Baha'i relatives in whose eyes they
deserve to be treated only with the meanest contempt.
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.
Dearest friends! Any measure of publicity the concerted efforts of
the &Baha'i 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.
Your true brother,
Shoghi

29 April 1927

MAY DELIBERATIONS FIRST BRITISH &BAHA'I CONVENTION BE
DIVINELY GUIDED AND BLESSED.
SHOGHI

13 May 1927

My dear Mr. Simpson,
I thank you on behalf of our dear Guardian for your welcome
letter of the 2nd.
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
&Baha'i Faith, and although this is far from being accomplished
yet it is time for us to share with many others what we firmly
believe....
Miss Rosenberg left only a few days ago and I suppose she will
arrive back home earlier than this letter.
As she will have plenty of news to give you I hardly need add
any....

[From the Guardian:]
My dear and valued co-worker:
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 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.
Your true brother,
Shoghi

22 May 1927

My dear Mr. Simpson,
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.
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....

[From the Guardian:]
With loving greetings and apologies for inability to write more due to
mental fatigue and strain.
Your true brother,
Shoghi

25 May 1927

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AFFECTIONATELY REMEMBERED HOLY
SHRINES
SHOGHI

8 October 1927 }
17 October 1927 } Referred to in Minutes; no text available.

+F1 As there were two believers with an equal number of votes for the ninth
+F1 place it had been decided to have all ten on the National Assembly!

+P72
15 November 1927

LOVING APPRECIATION REMEMBRANCE.
SHOGHI

28 November 1927

LOVING APPRECIATION TENDEREST REMEMBRANCE.
SHOGHI

5 January 1928

"...Nothing should be attempted that would, in the least and however
indirectly, interfere with the unqualified freedom of local and national
elections...."
(Quoted in National Spiritual Assembly Minutes)

16 January 1928

My dear Mr. Simpson,
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.
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.
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
[From the Guardian:]
My dear and valued co-worker:
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
noble task.
Affectionately,
Shoghi

8 February 1928

My dear Mr. Simpson,
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.
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
&Baha'is 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.
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.
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
[From the Guardian:]
My very dear and valued co-worker:
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.
Your true brother,
Shoghi

22 March 1928

LOVING APPRECIATION.
SHOGHI

15 April 1928

My dear and valued co-worker:
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.
Your true brother and well-wisher,
Shoghi

24 April 1928

BROTHERLY GREETING LOVING APPRECIATION.
SHOGHI

24 May 1928

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY TENDERLY REMEMBERED HOLY SHRINES.
SHOGHI

+P75
13 November 1928

CONVEY NATIONAL ASSEMBLY LOVING APPRECIATION.
SHOGHI

29 November 1928

LOVING REMEMBRANCE.
SHOGHI

6 December 1928+F1

To the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful
throughout the West.

Dearly-beloved brothers and sisters in &Abdu'l-Baha,
Events of a startling character and of the utmost significance to the
Faith of &Baha'u'llah, 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 &Baha'u'llah. 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 &Baha'u'llah 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.
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 &Baha'u'llah. 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.

+F1 Printed also in "&Baha'i Administration".

+P76
From a communication addressed to me recently by the National
Spiritual Assembly of the &Baha'is 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
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
&Baha'u'llah's native land.
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 &Baha'is 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 &Bab and the birth of &Abdu'l-Baha, at the chief of which no less
than two thousand representative &Baha'is and &non-Baha'is, 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 &Baha'is 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.
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 &Baha'u'llah, 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 &Baha'u'llah. 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 &Baha'i schools, for the holding of
public gatherings, for the establishment of &Baha'i 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 &Kitab-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-Baha, cannot but marvel at the range, the
potency and accuracy of the prophecies of their departed Master.
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 &Baha'u'llah twice proclaimed
Himself, was thrice exiled and banished, and finally ascended to the
&Abha Kingdom, and where &Abdu'l-Baha 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 &Baha'u'llah'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 &Baha'is 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
&Baha'i activity in that town. No sooner were the representative &Baha'is
in that locality arrested and conducted to the Law Courts for purposes
of investigation, than the President of the &Baha'i 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 &Baha'i 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 &Baha'u'llah. 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.
From Constantinople in European Turkey to the eastern confines
of Anatolia, on the banks of the river Euphrates, where a small and
flourishing &Baha'i 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 &Baha'i 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 &Baha'u'llah, 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.
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 &Baha'u'llah 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 &Baha'i 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 &Baha'u'llah. 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
&Baha'u'llah'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 &Baha'is of the world.
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-Baha's cherished desire. How great our
responsibility, how immense our task, how priceless the advantages
that we can reap!
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 &Baha'i 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
&Baha'u'llah.
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.
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 &Baha'u'llah: "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."
Your true brother,
Shoghi

6 December 1928+F1

To the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful
throughout the East and West.

+F1 Printed also in "&Baha'i Administration".

+P83
Dear fellow-workers,
I desire to convey to you in a few words my impressions of the
recently published "&Baha'i 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.
This unique record of world-wide &Baha'i 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 &Baha'u'llah 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.
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 &Baha'u'llah. 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.
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 &Baha'u'llah. Whatever assistance, financial or moral, extended
by &Baha'i 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 &Baha'u'llah.
Your true brother,
Shoghi

21 December 1928+F1

To the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful
throughout the West.

Dearly-beloved brothers and sisters in &Abdu'l-Baha!
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 &Baha'u'llah, 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.
A pioneer of the Cause of &Baha'u'llah ever since its celestial light
first warmed and illuminated the West, he has, by his close association
with the person of &Abdu'l-Baha, 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-Baha's passing, achieved a standing which few
have as yet attained.
The days of his spiritual communion with &Abdu'l-Baha 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

+F1 Printed also in "&Baha'i Administration".

+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 &Baha'u'llah'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
&Baha'i 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-Baha's 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.
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 &Baha'u'llah, 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 &Baha'i Faith in the Western
world.
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-Baha's passing, he was a sustaining and comforting
companion, a most valued counsellor, an intimate and trusted friend.
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.
May he forever rest in peace.
Shoghi

31 December 1928

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
May they be guided and inspired to do His Will and achieve His
Purpose.
Shoghi

29 August 1929

My dear Mr. Simpson,
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.
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 &Baha'i publications but they must never forget that their
market lies unfortunately mainly across the Atlantic....
...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....


27 September 1929+F1

GUARDIAN WIRES DEEPLY REGRETS INABILITY PARTICIPATE PERSONALLY

+F1 On the occasion of the opening of the new &Baha'i Centre on 19 September,
+F1 at Walmer House, Regent St., London.

+P87
DEDICATION GATHERING OVERJOYED BRIGHT PROSPECTS
LOVING GOOD WISHES, SHOGHI.
&BAHA'IYYIH
(taken from National Spiritual Assembly Minutes of 16
November.)


29 November 1929

My dear Mr. Simpson,
Thank you so much for your letter of Sept. 19th and for the
copy of the "Hidden Words" you sent me later.
Evidently enough I kept them until our Guardian's arrival
and I now hasten to reply.
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.
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.
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....


26 December 1929

EARNESTLY APPEAL ENGLISH FRIENDS REINFORCE HEROIC EXERTIONS
AMERICAN BRETHREN IN BEHALF &MASHRIQU'L-ADHKAR.
SHOGHI

+P88
January 1930 (Circa)

Through Mrs. Coles+:--
"...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."
Shoghi

Through Miss Challis+:--
"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...."
Shoghi

Through his Secretary to Sister Challis:--
"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."
"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)


31 January 1930
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 &Baha'is of the British
Isles.")
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--
"WELCOME TOWNSHEND'S SPLENDID SUGGESTION REGARDING
COLLECTION TABLETS, ADVISE SEND ORIGINALS TO HIM FOR
PRESENT.")

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 &Baha'i teachings and
outlook.
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.
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.
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....


29 April 1930
CONVEY CONVENTION DELEGATES AND FRIENDS ASSEMBLED
FEAST OF &RIDVAN LOVING APPRECIATION REMEMBRANCE HOLY
SHRINES.
SHOGHI

+P90
20 September 1930

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.


November 1930

(on the death of Miss Ethel J. Rosenberg, 17 November 1930)

DEEPLY GRIEVED PASSING ROSENBERG ENGLAND'S OUTSTANDING
&BAHA'I PIONEER WORKER. MEMORY HER GLORIOUS SERVICE WILL
NEVER DIE &ABDU'L-BAHA'S FAMILY JOIN ME IN EXPRESSING
HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES HER BROTHER RELATIVES URGE FRIENDS
HOLD BEFITTING MEMORIAL SERVICE.
SHOGHI

Editor's Note:
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.
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
24 January 1934+F1

Dear &Baha'i Friend,
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.
Trusting that you are in the best of health, and with the
assurance of Shoghi Effendi's ardent prayers on your behalf and
on behalf of all the friends in London.
Yours in His Service,

11 February 1934

Dear &Baha'i Friend,
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.
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

+F1 Addressed to Mrs. Slade.

+P92
aims and objectives of the society and specially the methods it
advocates for the carrying out of its ideals before definitely
joining it.
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.
He will continue to supplicate on behalf of you all at the Holy
Shrines, so that &Baha'u'llah may sustain you in your efforts to
spread His message.
With best wishes for Mr. Slade and yourself,
Yours in His Service,

[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.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

5 May 1934

Dear &Baha'i Friend,
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.
In regard to Mr. Townshend's book+F1 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.

+F1 "Promise of All Ages"

+P93
Shoghi Effendi feels rather surprised that no acknowledgment
has thus far been made of his last general letter, Feb. 8+F1, 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.
With the renewed assurance of his best wishes and of his
continued supplications for the speedy development of the Cause
in your country.
Yours in His Service,

[From the Guardian:]
With the assurance of my continued prayers for the extension of
the range of your splendid activities and for the success of your constant
and high endeavours,
Your true brother,
Shoghi

15 May 1934

Dear &Baha'i Friend,
The Guardian has received and deeply appreciated your
message dated May 7th, and was gratified to learn of the results
of your national &Baha'i 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 &Baha'i 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.
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,

+F1 Published under the title, "The Dispensation of &Baha'u'llah".

+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.
With the renewed assurance of his prayers on your behalf and
on behalf of the friends in London.
Yours in His Service,

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-worker,
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

2 July 1934

Dear Mrs. Slade,
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.
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.
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.
Yours in His Service,

+P95

[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
the consolidation of its institutions,
Your true brother,
Shoghi

11 July 1934

Dear Mrs. Slade,
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.
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 &Baha'u'llah's Mansion at &Bahji for the benefit of the
&Baha'i as well as &non-Baha'i visitors.
With the renewed assurance of his best wishes and of his
continued prayers on your behalf.
Yours in His Service,

[From the Guardian:]
May the Almighty bless your incessant and meritorious
endeavours and crown them with unprecedented success,
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

2 September 1934

Dear Mrs. Slade,
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.
Shoghi Effendi would advise that you should also communicate
with the N.S.A. of the &Baha'is 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.
With his renewed greetings and best wishes to you and to all
the friends in London,
Yours in His Service,

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-worker,
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
I possibly can.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

30 September 1934

Dear Mrs. Slade,
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.
The Guardian has 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 &Baha'i 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.
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 of 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.
There is another point to which the Guardian wishes to draw
the attention of your N.S.A. It is the importance which national
&Baha'i 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 &Baha'i 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 &Baha'i 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 &Baha'i Bureau at
Geneva. &Baha'is 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.
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.
With warmest greetings to you and to all the friends,
Yours in His Service,

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-worker:
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 "&Baha'i World" and constitutes a
pattern for all national &Baha'i 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
place of teachers and representatives in Europe.
Your true brother,
Shoghi

+P99
22 November 1934

Dear &Baha'i Sister,
Your letters dated September 21st and November 16th have
been received and their contents carefully noted by the Guardian.
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.
With regard to Mr. Townshend's suggestion to procure the
copyright of the portraits of the Master taken in Paris, Shoghi
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.
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.
With his fervent prayers and loving greetings to you and to
all the friends in London,
Yours in His Service,

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-worker:
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 &Baha'i 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.
Praying for your success and protection.
Your true brother,
Shoghi

17 December 1934

Dear Mrs. Slade,
The Guardian has directed me to thank you for your welcome
letter dated December 8th, and also for the undated one just
received.
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.
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.
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.
He would deeply appreciate if you send him photostatic copies
of the registration documents as soon as they will be ready.
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.
It will interest you to know that the N.S.A. of the &Baha'is 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.
Yours in His Service,

[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
sound, permanent and unassailable basis.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

27 December 1934

Dear Mrs. Slade,
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 &Baha'is of India and Burma.
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 &Baha'i constitutions throughout
the world.
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.
With heartiest greetings to you and to all the friends,
Yours in His Service,

15 February 1935

Dear Mrs. Slade,
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.
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.
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....
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.
Shoghi Effendi is fervently praying that through the
confirmations and blessings of &Baha'u'llah you may all be assisted
in effectively attaining this objective.
Yours in His Service,

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-worker:
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.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

7 April 1935

Dear Mrs. Slade,
Shoghi Effendi has received your letters dated March 8th and
April 1st, and wishes me to thank you for them.
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.
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.
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....

[From the Guardian:]
Dear co-worker,
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
Faith will ultimately conquer.
With my best wishes for all of you,
Shoghi

9 December 1935

Dear Mrs. Slade,
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.
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.
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.
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.
Wishing you complete success in your labours in this
connection, and awaiting the news of the progress of the action
that you will take in this matter,
Yours in His Service,

+P105
26 December 1935

Dear Mrs. Slade,
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.
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.
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.
The Guardian hopes that the N.S.A. will do its very best to
speed up this matter.
With his renewed thanks to you and to the friends,
Yours in His Service,

13 March 1936

Dear Mrs. Slade,
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 "&Baha'i World". He hopes there will be no delay in
forwarding to him these photographs.
Thanking you in anticipation,
Yours in His Service,
16 March 1936

Dear Mrs. Slade,
The Guardian has been very pleased to learn, from the report
you have submitted for the next issue of the "&Baha'i 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.
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 "&Baha'i World"
(Vol. VI).
With many thanks and warmest greetings,
Yours in His Service,

April 1936

The National Teaching Committee of the N.S.A. of the British
Isles.

Dear &Baha'i Friends,
The Guardian has read with profoundest interest the second
number of the "Teaching Bulletin" issued by the N.S.A. of the
&Baha'is 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.
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.
May the Almighty ever bless and sustain you in your
labours....


27 April 1936 (Convention)

DEEPLY APPRECIATE MESSAGE FERVENTLY PRAYING SUCCESS
DELIBERATIONS LOVE.
SHOGHI

3 May 1936

The National Teaching Committee of the N.S.A. of the British
Isles.

Dear friends and co-workers,
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 &Baha'u'llah 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.
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.
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 &Baha'u'llah, 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.
With cordial greetings and every good wish....

[From the Guardian:]
With the renewed assurance of my loving and constant prayers for
the extension of your meritorious activities and services,
Your true brother,
Shoghi

9 May 1936

Dear Mr. Hofman+,
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.
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
&Baha'u'llah to ever bless, sustain and guide you in your labours.
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.
With his renewed and most loving greetings, also to the
members of the N.S.A....

[From the Guardian:]
Wishing you the fullest success in your high and deeply appreciated
endeavours,
Your true brother,
Shoghi

+P109
3 September 1936

Beloved &Baha'i Brother,
Your welcome letter of August 7th together with the enclosed
programme of the English &Baha'i Summer School and Mrs.
Bishop's notes on the &Baha'i 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.
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 &Baha'i and &non-Baha'i speakers.
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 &Baha'i 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.
With every good wish and hearty greetings to you, and to
your fellow-members in the N.S.A....

[From the Guardian:]
Dearest co-workers,
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
&Baha'i 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.
Persevere and never feel disheartened.
Affectionately,
Shoghi

17 October 1936

Dear Mr. Hofman,
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.
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 &Baha'i 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
&Baha'i 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-Baha'i 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.
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....

[From the Guardian:]
Dearest co-worker,
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.
Affectionately,
Shoghi

2 December 1936

Dear &Baha'i Friend,
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.
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.
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.
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
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....

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and prized co-worker,
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.
Your true brother,
Shoghi

10 January 1937

Beloved &Baha'i Brother,
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.
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 &Baha'u'llah, and may prove to be the signal for
fresh conquests and unprecedented developments in the Cause
throughout the British Isles.
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.
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.
With his warmest greetings and sincere good wishes to you
and your fellow-members in the N.S.A....

[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
furtherance of the Cause of &Baha'u'llah,
Your true brother,
Shoghi

24 February 1937

Beloved &Baha'i Brother,
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 "&Baha'i 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.
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.
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 &Baha'is 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.
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.


5 March 1937+F1

Dear and prized co-worker,
Your subsequent letters dated Jan. 29th enclosing the minutes of the
National Assembly meeting, and February 26th enclosing copy of the
&Baha'i 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 &Baha'i 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 &Baha'u'llah will, if you remain steadfast in your
purpose, enable you to attain your goal.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

25 March 1937

ANNOUNCE ASSEMBLIES CELEBRATION MARRIAGE BELOVED GUARDIAN
IMPERISHABLE HONOUR BESTOWED UPON HANDMAID OF
&BAHA'U'LLAH &RUHIYYIH &KHANUM MISS MARY MAXWELL.
(Sgd. &ZIAIYYIH, MOTHER OF THE GUARDIAN)

2 April 1937

GREATLY VALUE MESSAGE ABIDING LOVE.
SHOGHI

+F1 Added as footnote to letter of February 24th.

+P116
1 May 1937

Dear Mr. Hofman,
I am charged by our beloved Guardian to acknowledge the
receipt of your communications of March 21st, 31st and of
April 22nd with enclosures.
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.
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....

[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,
Your true brother,
Shoghi


+P117
3 May 1937 (Convention)

ASSURE DELEGATES FRIENDS LOVING APPRECIATION REMEMBRANCE
HOLY SHRINES SUPPLICATING UNPRECEDENTED SUCCESS TEACHING
FIELD ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITIES.
SHOGHI

10 July 1937

Dear Mr. Hofman,
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.
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.
With regard to your Assembly's request for permission to
publish in the "&Baha'i 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.
With his loving &Baha'i greetings and with his renewed and
abiding appreciation of your labours for the Cause....

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-worker,
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 &Baha'i 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.
Shoghi

7 September 1937

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
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....

[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.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

16 November 1937

Beloved &Baha'i Brother,
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.
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.
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.
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.
With his loving greetings and deepest appreciation of your
efforts....

[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.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

+P119
22 April 1938 (Convention)

DEEPEST LOVING APPRECIATION FERVENT SUPPLICATION SUCCESS
DELIBERATIONS.
SHOGHI

24 April 1938 (Convention)

DELIGHTED URGE INCOMING NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PERSEVERANCE
SUBORDINATE ALL ACTIVITIES TEACHING OBJECTIVE.
SHOGHI

28 April 1938

&BAHA'I WORLD MOURNS LOSS HOLY MOTHER MUNIRIH &KHANUM
STOP &RIDVAN FESTIVITIES SUSPENDED. ADVISE ALL CENTRES HOLD
MEMORIAL GATHERINGS COMMEMORATE HER OUTSTANDING
SERVICES RENDERED DURING ONE OF MOST CRITICAL STAGES IN
EVOLUTION BELOVED FAITH.
SHOGHI

17 May 1938

Dear Mr. Hofman,
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 "&Baha'i Journal", all of which he has
read with closest attention and keenest interest.
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
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.
The Guardian wishes me to inform you that you have been
appointed by him a member of the International staff of editors
of the "&Baha'i 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.

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-worker,
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 &Baha'i 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
them of my constant prayers for their success.
Shoghi

30 June 1938

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
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 "&Baha'i Journal",
and the report of the Convention proceedings for this year.
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
"&Baha'i World", as an appendix to the International Survey of
activities.
Although the range of &Baha'i 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 &Baha'i 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.
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
&Baha'i community....

[From the Guardian:]
Wishing you and your dear co-workers the utmost success in your
high and meritorious endeavours,
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

October 1938 (Third Summer School)
ASSURE YOU PRAYERS HEARTILY RECIPROCATE GREETINGS.
SHOGHI

24 October 1938

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
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.
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....
The Guardian has read with considerable interest Mr.
Balyuzi's+ booklet on "&Baha'u'llah", and hopes that the two
companion essays on the &Bab 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.
With the renewed assurances of his prayers for the confirmation
of your services, and reciprocating your greetings....

[From the Guardian:]
Dear co-worker,
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.
Shoghi

27 November 1938

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
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.
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.
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.
With the renewed assurances of his prayers for you and for
your dear fellow members of the N.S.A....

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and trusted co-worker,
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.
With a heart filled with pride and gratitude I pray continually for
their triumph.
Shoghi

29 November 1938

&RAHMATU'LLAH &ALA'I OUTSTANDING PROMOTER FAITH &IRAN SOON
ARRIVING LONDON FOR TREATMENT EXTEND CORDIAL WELCOME
EVERY POSSIBLE ASSISTANCE.
SHOGHI

+P124
15 January 1939


URGE &ALA'I FOLLOW WHATEVER TREATMENT PRESCRIBED DOCTOR
PRAYING.
SHOGHI

10 February 1939

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
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.
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.
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.
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.
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....

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
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 &Baha'u'llah fulfil every hope you cherish in the service of
His Faith.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

22 March 1939

LOVING APPRECIATION PRAYING UNPRECEDENTED TRIUMPHS.
SHOGHI

March 1939

"...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."
(&Baha'i Journal 17--cited in an article).


+P126
30 April 1939 (Convention)

DELIGHTED NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS+F1, GRATEFUL PRAYING RICHEST
BLESSINGS DELIBERATIONS DEEPEST LOVE.
SHOGHI

31 May 1939

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
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.
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.
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.
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.
In connection with the problem of &Baha'i 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,

+F1 In reply to the Convention's cable stating that two new Assemblies--
+F1 Bradford and Torquay--were represented, and the incorporation documents
+F1 were completed.

+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.
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 "&Baha'i 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.
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.
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 "&Baha'i World", and the third he will keep in his own files.
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 &Baha'u'llah.
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

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
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
highly meritorious efforts.
Shoghi

4 June 1939

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
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 &Baha'i attitude towards war.
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.
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 &Baha'i 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
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.
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.
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.
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....

[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
of &Baha'u'llah.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

26 June 1939

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
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 "&Baha'i Journal" containing
your Annual Report and the account of the Convention
proceedings for this year.
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 &Baha'i centres throughout the East.
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 &Baha'i 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 &Baha'i Bureau
in Geneva, will be soon ready, and you can obtain a copy of that
new edition by applying to Mrs. Lynch.
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 &Baha'i Library at the
Centre in London, and would suggest that you keep them for
any future &Baha'i exhibit which the N.S.A. may propose to hold
in other parts of England.
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 &Baha'i 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.
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.
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....

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
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
&Baha'u'llah'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
hasten that hour and consummate that task.
Your true brother,
Shoghi

2 July 1939

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
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.
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
26 July 1939 (Summer School)

CONGRATULATE ATTENDANTS NOTABLE PROGRESS GRATEFUL PRAYING
FRESH ADVANCES DEEPEST LOVE.
SHOGHI

7 August 1939

HEARTIEST CONGRATULATIONS OUTSTANDING SUCCESS.
SHOGHI

6 November 1939

OVERJOYED THANKFUL PERSEVERANCE ENGLISH BELIEVERS ATTESTED
RECENT COMMUNICATIONS ASSURE THEM SPECIAL PRAYERS
ABIDING APPRECIATION.
SHOGHI &RABBANI+F1
20 November 1939

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
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.
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
&Baha'u'llah's Mansion in &Bahji, and is keeping the other for
inclusion in the next issue of the "&Baha'i World".
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

+F1 The Guardian only used his full name in cables when the censorship
+F1 regulations during states of emergency made it obligatory.

+P133
various &Baha'i 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.
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 &Baha'i libraries here.
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....

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-worker,
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.
Shoghi


+P134
5 December 1939

REMAINS PUREST BRANCH AND &ABDU'L-BAHA'S MOTHER PERMANENTLY
LAID REST CLOSE NEIGHBOURHOOD SHRINE GREATEST HOLY
LEAF HEARTS REJOICING.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

7 December 1939

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
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
&Baha'u'llah 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.
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 &Baha'i 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.
Renewing to you and to all the friends his warmest good
wishes and greetings....

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
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
length and breadth of their country.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

29 December 1939

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
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 "&Baha'i Journal" and the
Christmas number of "New World Order".
He has also received and read with deep satisfaction the
statement on `&Baha'is 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 "&Baha'i World", the manuscript of which he hopes to
receive in the course of January or February next....
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.
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....

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
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.
Be assured, persevere and be happy,
Shoghi

1 January 1940+F1

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.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

2 January 1940 (Teaching Conference)

WELCOME NOBLE RESOLVE PROSECUTE ENERGETICALLY TEACHING
CAMPAIGN PRAYING ARDENTLY SIGNAL SUCCESS.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

18 February 1940

Dear Mr. Hofman,
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.
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-Baha'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....
The Guardian welcomes your suggestions to send a memorial
of the late Lady Blomfield for publication in the next issue of the

+F1 Lady Blomfield passed away 31 December 1939.

+P137
"&Baha'i World", Vol. VIII, and wishes you to send him in
addition a good photograph of her for reproduction in the same
volume.
Also he would appreciate your sending him a brief account of
Mrs. Thornburgh-Cropper's &Baha'i life and services together
with her photograph for publication in the same issue of the
Biennial.
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 &Baha'i Community is
certainly the poorer now that it has been deprived of their ready
and invaluable support.
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-Baha's
ascension, had proved of such invaluable assistance to him
in the discharge of his heavy duties and responsibilities....

[From the Guardian:]
Dear co-workers,
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 &Baha'u'llah.
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
Holy Shrines.
Gratefully,
Shoghi

27 March 1940

Dear Mr. Hofman,
Your letter dated March 13th has safely reached our beloved
Guardian together with the following enclosures:

+P138
In Memoriam: Lady Blomfield.
Minutes N.S.A. March 2nd and 3rd.
"&Baha'i 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 "&Baha'i World"....
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.
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
&Baha'i 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 &Baha'i 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....

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)

[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.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi


+P139
12 May 1940 (Convention)

GREATLY ADMIRE DEEPLY THANKFUL UNDAUNTED COURAGE
INFLEXIBLE RESOLUTION ENGLISH BELIEVERS REPRESENTED CONVENTION
INTENSIFY EFFORTS EXTEND ACTIVITIES NOTWITHSTANDING
GRAVITY HOUR PRAYING ARDENTLY PROTECTION SUCCESS.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

14 August 1940

DELIGHTED NEWS SAFETY ENGLISH BELIEVERS PROGRESS TEACHING
WORK ASSURE THEM EACH ALL LOVING CONTINUED PRAYERS.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

10 October 1940

Dear Mr. Hofman,
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 "&Baha'i World", Vol. VIII.
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.
The material regarding the &Baha'i 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".
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....

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-worker,
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 &Baha'u'llah 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.
Shoghi

19 October 1940

ANXIOUS WELFARE ENGLISH BELIEVERS PRAYING PROTECTION
CABLE ASSURANCE DEEPEST LOVE.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

22 November 1940

Dear Mr. Hofman,
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.
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 &Baha'u'llah, 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.
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.
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.
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.
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 &Baha'u'llah's Mansion in &Bahji....

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-worker,
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. &Baha'u'llah 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
lives, and fulfil the desire of their hearts.
Gratefully and affectionately,
Shoghi

27 December 1940

WIRE SAFETY LONDON MANCHESTER FRIENDS CONSTANTLY PRAYING
LOVING ADMIRATION.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

24 February 1941

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.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

19 April 1941

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
&BAHA'U'LLAH THROUGHOUT BRITISH ISLES URGE PERSISTENT EFFORTS
UTILISE UTMOST LIMIT PRICELESS SPIRITUAL OPPORTUNITIES
PRESENT HOUR.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

30 April 1941 (Convention)

EXHILARATED RESOLUTION INTENSIFY TEACHING ADMIRATION
HEIGHTENED PRAYING REDOUBLED FERVOUR.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

+P143
30 April 1941+F1

Dear &Baha'i Friends,
Shoghi Effendi has instructed me to answer your letter to him
of December 9th, 1940.
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.
The extreme devotion to the Faith of &Baha'u'llah which the
English friends are evincing at such a time of trial and suffering
not only sets a truly heroic example to their fellow &Baha'is the
world over, but greatly cheers and encourages the Guardian
himself, at a time when he has every reason to long to see the
&Baha'is 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.
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
&Baha'is, who with you are toiling for the triumph of our Faith.
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 &Baha'is 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....

[From the Guardian:]
Dearly beloved co-workers,
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

+F1 This was the first letter received by the British N.S.A. in which the
+F1 secretarial part was written by, and signed, "R. &Rabbani" (&Amatu'l-Baha
+F1 &Ruhiyyih &Khanum).

+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.
Gratefully and affectionately,
Shoghi

15 May 1941+F1

INFORMING MOTHER PRAYING HIS SOUL FERVENTLY SUPPLICATING
PROTECTION DEVOTED MUCH LOVED ENGLISH BELIEVERS.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

22 May 1941

Dear &Baha'i Friends,
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. "&Baha'i Journal" and
the "World Congress of Faiths" programme, all of which he was
very pleased indeed to receive.
I cannot adequately express to you all the warm love and
profound admiration for the &Baha'is 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 &Baha'u'llah 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.
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
&Baha'i administrative bodies.

+F1 In reply to cable sent to the Guardian 13 May 1941 &FU'AD &AFNAN FIRST
+F1 &BAHA'I AIR RAID VICTIM ENGLAND KILLED EARLY SUNDAY MORNING GRATEFUL IF
+F1 YOU INFORM MOTHER.

+P145
In reference to your question contained in minute 208+F1 of the
recent N.S.A. meeting: Shoghi Effendi feels that while all &Baha'is
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....
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 &Baha'u'llah in their contemplated
teaching campaign.
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.
He wishes you at all times to turn to him for any advice or
help you may need.
With assurances of his abiding love...

[From the Guardian:]
Dearly beloved co-workers,
As the dangers confronting the believers in the British Isles increase
in number and gravity, my admiration, as well as the admiration of
the &Baha'is 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.
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 &Baha'u'llah.
Shoghi

+F1 This Minute recorded that: "Personal problems should not be referred to
+F1 the Guardian without the advice or direction of the National Spiritual
+F1 Assembly...."

+P146
30 May 1941

PRAYING FERVENTLY GUIDANCE ASSEMBLY'S DELIBERATIONS PROTECTION
BELIEVERS SUCCESS ACTIVITIES FAITH LOVING
APPRECIATION.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

9 July 1941

ASSURE JOSEPHS+ APPROVAL PROFOUND APPRECIATION BUILDING
SCHEME. THESE FURTHER EVIDENCES GROWING VITALITY CONTINUALLY
AFFLICTED BELIEVERS BRITISH ISLES ENHANCE PRESTIGE
CAUSE &BAHA'U'LLAH HEIGHTEN ADMIRATION INCREASE DEBT
GRATITUDE HIS FOLLOWERS OWE VALIANT BRITISH COMMUNITY
PRAYING CONTINUALLY SAFETY INCREASING SUCCESS.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

18 July 1941

Dear &Baha'i co-worker,
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.
He was very happy to receive your letter, and his heart
rejoiced at the good news which it conveyed. The holding of a
successful &Baha'i 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 &Baha'u'llah. 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.
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 &Baha'i 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.
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
&Baha'u'llah has unsealed in these days.
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.
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....

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and prized co-workers,
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 &Baha'i 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.
Your true brother,
Shoghi

1941 (Summer School)

OVERJOYED SUCCESS ATTENDING EVER EXPANDING INSTITUTIONS
FAITH. CONTINUALLY SUPPLICATING UNFAILING PROTECTION EVER-INCREASING
BLESSINGS ETERNAL GRATITUDE.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

+P148
20 August 1941

Dear &Baha'i Friend,
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.
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.
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 &Baha'u'llah in these
days, and in this holy duty to their fellow men the &Baha'is 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.
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.
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....

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
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
&Baha'i 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 &Baha'u'llah. Persevere in your
present labours and be ever confident.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

3 November 1941

RUHI &AFNAN'S SISTER MARRIED SECRETLY COVENANT BREAKER HER
MOTHER AND BROTHERS ALL CONCURRED ALL MANNER COMMUNICATION
WITH THEM ACCORDING MASTER'S WILL FORBIDDEN.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

29 December 1941

SISTER MEHRANGIS FOLLOWED EXAMPLE RUHI'S SISTER JUSTICE
DEMANDS ANNOUNCE BELIEVERS HER EXPULSION.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

28 February 1942

Dear &Baha'i Sister,
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.
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.
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 &Baha'is have every reason to
feel encouraged and proud of the way their tireless efforts are
being rewarded.
The good news of the increase in &Baha'i 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.
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.
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....
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.
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....

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
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.
&Baha'u'llah 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.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

27 April 1942 (Convention)

MAGNIFICENT SPIRIT ENGLISH BELIEVERS CHEERS STRENGTHENS ME
ARDUOUS TASK THANKFUL THEIR MESSAGE ADMIRE THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS
PRAYING THEIR PROTECTION CHERISH GREAT HOPES
TRIUMPHANT ATTAINMENT THEIR GOAL.
SHOGHI &RABBANI
20 June 1942

Dear &Baha'i Sister,
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.
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 &Baha'u'llah, have
comforted and sustained them throughout.
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.
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 &Baha'u'llah was the love, sacrifice and devotion of His humble
followers and the change that His teachings wrought in their
hearts and lives.
It is just such exemplary devotion and perseverance that the
British &Baha'is 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.
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.
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.
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.
Assuring you and all your fellow-members of his deep
appreciation of your tireless work and his ardent prayers for
your guidance and strength....

[From the Guardian:]
Dearly beloved co-worker,
The steady progress and extension of &Baha'i 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 &Abha 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 &Baha'u'llah's promised blessings and favours.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

28 July 1942

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.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

+P154
8 August 1942 (Summer School)

DELIGHTED SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL APPRECIATE SPIRIT BELIEVERS
ASSURE ALL CONTINUED PRAYERS.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

8 August 1942

Dear &Baha'i Sister,
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.
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.
Regarding minute No. 507, the Guardian feels that it would
be better for either the mothers of &Baha'i 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 &Baha'i writings of a devotional nature are easy to grasp, and
the revealed Word is endowed with a power of its own....
Shoghi Effendi fully realises the strain which those who are so
actively bearing the weight of &Baha'i 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 &Baha'i service so much finer,
that it should entail on the part of all definite self-sacrifice.
Though the friends may not be fully aware of it, their staunch
perseverance in carrying out their &Baha'i 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
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....
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.

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-worker,
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
&Baha'u'llah. 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 &Baha'i Era.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

12 November 1942

CABLING TWO HUNDRED POUNDS CARE COOKS THANKSGIVING
PROTECTION COMMUNITY BELIEVERS BRITISH ISLES AND FURTHERANCE
ALL-IMPORTANT TEACHING ACTIVITIES PRAYING CONTINUALLY
EPOCH MAKING VICTORIES.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

13 January 1943

CONVEY GLAD TIDINGS ENGLISH BELIEVERS COMPLETION EXTERIOR

+P156
EDIFICE MOTHER TEMPLE WEST ADVISE CABLE CONGRATULATIONS
REPRESENTATIVES AMERICAN &BAHA'IS SUPERB ACHIEVEMENT AND
WIDE PUBLICITY BRITISH PRESS.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

20 January 1943

ASSURE ATTENDANTS CONFERENCE LOVING APPRECIATION PRAYERS.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

9 March 1943
Dear &Baha'i Sister,
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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 &Baha'is 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
&Baha'u'llah's army and we cannot fail, as He leads us on.
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.

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
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.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

&Naw-Ruz, 1943

APPRECIATE MESSAGE RECIPROCATE LOVING GREETINGS THANKFUL
DIVINE PROTECTION PRAYING UNPRECEDENTED VICTORIES LAST
YEAR FIRST &BAHA'I CENTURY.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

21 April 1943 (Convention)

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.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

26 April 1943

DELIGHTED RESPONSE HIGH RESOLVE ASSURE ASSEMBLY PRAYERS
MAGNIFICENT VICTORIES.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

12 May 1943

KINDLY AIR MAIL IMMEDIATELY FULL LIST NAMES ALL LOCALITIES
BRITISH ISLES WHERE ONE OR MORE BELIEVERS RESIDE SPECIFYING
THOSE POSSESSING SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

17 June 1943

CABLING TWO HUNDRED POUNDS THROUGH COOKS CONTRIBUTION
ASSIST YOUR ASSEMBLY CELEBRATE BEFITTINGLY CENTENARY
BELOVED FAITH WRITING.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

17 June 1943

Dear &Baha'i Sister,
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
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.
Regarding the matter of &Fuad &Afnan's grave, the Guardian has
no objection to its being built.
He feels that &Baha'is 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.
In less than a year the &Baha'is 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:

1. The holding of a large and representative gathering, attended
by the &Baha'is 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 &Baha'is, and that every effort should be
made to make the gathering both festive and dignified, as
befits so blessed and solemn an occasion.
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.
3. He wishes your Assembly to call the annual &Baha'i Convention
for days that will include the 22nd May, so that all the
assembled friends may be present at a special &Baha'i meeting
to be held at 2 hours and 11 minutes after sunset on May
22nd as this is the exact time at which the &Bab made His first
historic declaration of His mission to &Mulla &Husayn.

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 &Baha'is 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.
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.
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....
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.

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
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 true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

4 August 1943

Dear &Baha'i Sister,
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.
He was very encouraged to see the number of places where
there are now one or two registered &Baha'is residing, as these are
beacons of the Faith--however lonely and however, as yet,
feeble the light they are able to radiate.
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.
Regarding the questions you asked in connection with the
following minutes of the N.S.A. meetings:

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.
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.
755. The Guardian does not believe you should ask the Russian
Embassy for help in locating Mde. Grinevskaya's play
about the &Bab, 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.

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.

[From the Guardian:]
Dearly beloved friends,
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 &Baha'i 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.
Shoghi

10 August 1943 (Summer School)

CONCENTRATION TEACHING AND CENTENARY PREPARATIONS MOST
VITAL MATTERS FERVENTLY PRAY ALL MAY BECOME RADIANTLY
ACTIVE GREETINGS DEEPLY APPRECIATED.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

25 October 1943

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.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

2 November 1943

CABLING FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS TO BE EXPENDED DISCRETION
YOUR ASSEMBLY FURTHERANCE TEACHING ACTIVITIES AND &BAHA'I
PUBLICATIONS DEEPEST LOVE ASSURANCE CONTINUED PRAYERS.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

+P163
5 January 1944+F1

KINDLY CABLE DATE FORMATION FIRST &BAHA'I NATIONAL
ASSEMBLY.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

13 March 1944

Dear &Baha'i Sister,
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.
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 "&Baha'i World" Committee. He regrets his
inability to forward it to you in time to be of any use in
preparing the Centenary Pamphlet.
He would like you to assure Mr. St. Barbe Baker+ that the
&Baha'is 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 &Baha'i century, and undoubtedly
spreading the Faith in Africa will be one of them.
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.
He sees no objection to getting out a compilation of Tablets
of &Baha'u'llah and &Abdu'l-Baha (as per minute No. 906)
providing the source is authentic and the translations faithful and
presentable.
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.

+F1 The cabled reply was "First meeting thirteenth October, 1923."

+P164
In spite of the burden the &Baha'is, 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.
Assuring you one and all of his ardent prayers for the success
of your work, for your strength and protection....
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....
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.

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
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.
Shoghi

&Naw-Ruz, 1944

APPRECIATE GREETINGS PRAYING GREAT VICTORIES OPENING
CENTURY.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

+P165
22 April 1944

CABLING ONE THOUSAND POUNDS MY LOVING CONTRIBUTION
FURTHER EXTENSION &BAHA'I PUBLISHING ACTIVITIES AND INITIATION
ADDITIONAL MEASURES ENSURE BRILLIANT SUCCESS CENTENARY
CELEBRATIONS PRAYING ARDENTLY SUCCESS BOTH FIELDS.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

1 May 1944

DELIGHTED PRAYING FERVENTLY SUCCESS.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

3 May 1944+F1

ADVISE SHARE FOLLOWING FACTS WITH BELIEVERS AT CONVENTION
CELEBRATING HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY FAITH &BAHA'U'LLAH.
&BAHA'IS ESTABLISHED RESIDENCE SEVENTY EIGHT COUNTRIES FIFTY
SIX OF WHICH ARE SOVEREIGN STATES. &BAHA'I LITERATURE
TRANSLATED PUBLISHED FORTY ONE LANGUAGES. TRANSLATIONS
UNDERTAKEN TWELVE ADDITIONAL LANGUAGES. THIRTY ONE
RACES REPRESENTED &BAHA'I WORLD COMMUNITY. FIVE NATIONAL
ASSEMBLIES AND SIXTY ONE LOCAL ASSEMBLIES BELONGING TEN
COUNTRIES INCORPORATED LEGALLY EMPOWERED HOLD PROPERTY.
&BAHA'I INTERNATIONAL ENDOWMENTS HOLY LAND ESTIMATED
HALF MILLION POUNDS. NATIONAL &BAHA'I ENDOWMENTS UNITED
STATES ESTIMATED ONE MILLION SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND
DOLLARS. AREA LAND JORDAN VALLEY DEDICATED &BAHA'I SHRINES
OVER FIVE HUNDRED FIFTY ACRES. SITE PURCHASED FUTURE &BAHA'I
TEMPLE PERSIA COMPRISES THREE AND HALF MILLION SQUARE
METERS. COST STRUCTURE FIRST &BAHA'I TEMPLE WEST ONE MILLION
THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. IN EVERY STATE PROVINCE
NORTH AMERICA &BAHA'I ASSEMBLIES FUNCTIONING. IN THIRTEEN
HUNDRED LOCALITIES UNITED STATES CANADA &BAHA'IS RESIDING.
&BAHA'I CENTRES ESTABLISHED EVERY REPUBLIC LATIN AMERICA
FIFTEEN OF WHICH POSSESS SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES. FAITH WESTERN
HEMISPHERE NOW STRETCHES FROM ANCHORAGE ALASKA TO

+F1 Printed also in "Messages to America (1932-1946)".

+P166
MAGALLANES WORLD'S SOUTHERN-MOST CITY. SIXTY TWO CENTRES
ESTABLISHED INDIA TWENTY SEVEN WITH SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES.
AMONG HISTORIC SITES PURCHASED PERSIA &TIHRAN HOME
&BAHA'U'LLAH &BAB'S SHOP &BUSHIHR BURIAL PLACE &QUDDUS PART
VILLAGE &CHIHRIQ THREE GARDENS &BADASHT PLACE CONFINEMENT
&TAHIRIH. &BAHA'I NATIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE HEADQUARTERS
FOUNDED &TIHRAN DELHI CAIRO &BAGHDAD WILMETTE SYDNEY.
&BAHA'I ENDOWMENTS HOLY LAND AND UNITED STATES EXEMPTED
TAXES BY CIVIL AUTHORITIES. CIVIL RECOGNITION EXTENDED
&BAHA'I ASSEMBLIES IN FIVE STATES UNITED STATES SOLEMNISE
&BAHA'I MARRIAGES. SUGGEST UTILISE ABOVE INFORMATION PUBLICITY
PURPOSES WHEREVER ADVISABLE.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

22 May 1944

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 &BAB
&ABDU'L-BAHA. CONFIDENT UNQUENCHABLE SPIRIT ANIMATING
WELL-TRIED STOUT-HEARTED FIRMLY KNIT FOLLOWERS
&BAHA'U'LLAH BRITISH ISLES WILL ENABLE THEM SURMOUNT ALL
OBSTACLES SCALE NOBLER HEIGHTS ACHIEVE GREATER VICTORIES
OPENING YEARS SECOND &BAHA'I CENTURY.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

23 May 1944

ANNOUNCE FRIENDS JOYFUL TIDINGS HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY
DECLARATION MISSION MARTYRED HERALD FAITH SIGNALISED BY
HISTORIC DECISION COMPLETE STRUCTURE HIS SEPULCHRE ERECTED
BY &ABDU'L-BAHA ON SITE CHOSEN BY &BAHA'U'LLAH. RECENTLY
DESIGNED MODEL DOME UNVEILED PRESENCE ASSEMBLED BELIEVERS.
PRAYING EARLY REMOVAL OBSTACLES CONSUMMATION STUPENDOUS
PLAN CONCEIVED BY FOUNDER FAITH AND HOPES CHERISHED
BY CENTRE HIS COVENANT.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

+P167
"Their first collective enterprise"
---
THE SIX YEAR PLAN
1944-1950

+P168

+P169
25 May 1944+F1

WELCOME SPONTANEOUS DECISION ADVISE FORMATION NINETEEN
SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES SPREAD OVER ENGLAND WALES SCOTLAND
NORTHERN IRELAND AND EIRE PRAYING SIGNAL VICTORY.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

26 May 1944

OVERJOYED SUCCESS CELEBRATIONS. PRAYING EVER INCREASING
FLOW DIVINE OUTPOURINGS.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

8 July 1944

PREPARE CONDENSED REPORT NOT EXCEEDING THIRTY PAGES
REGARDING ACTIVITIES ACHIEVEMENTS &BAHA'I FAITH DURING PAST
FOUR YEARS. MAIL ONE COPY AMERICA ANOTHER HAIFA PROMPT
ACTION NECESSARY.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

11 August 1944

APPRECIATE GREETINGS PRAYING BLESSINGS SUMMER SCHOOL AND
TEACHING PLAN LOVE.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

12 August 1944

Dear &Baha'i Sister,
Your letters dated March 3rd and 25th, April 23rd, May 18th

+F1 In response to cable from Convention announcing adoption of a six year
+F1 plan and requesting the Guardian to set the goals.

+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.
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 &Baha'is in their respective
communities.
"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!
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 &Baha'u'llah who passed away about 8 hours after
sunset.
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 &Baha'u'llah will strengthen their work and bless their
efforts for this Holy Cause....

+P171

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
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 &Baha'i Centenary in London. Attention should be
focussed in the course of the opening year of the second &Baha'i Century
on the needs and requirements of this Plan. The multiplication of
&Baha'i centres and the dissemination of &Baha'i 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
victory.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

14 August 1944

ANXIOUS SAFETY LONDON BELIEVERS KINDLY CABLE.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

5 January 1945

APPRECIATE VERBATIM REPORTS ADDRESSES DELIVERED OPENING
CENTENARY EXHIBITION AND PUBLIC MEETING DENISON HOUSE.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

27 January 1945

KINDLY CABLE ADDRESS TUDOR-POLE MAIL THREE COPIES EVERY
PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN CENTENARY.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

+P172
27 March 1945

Dear &Baha'i Sister,
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.
He fully realises the many handicaps the English &Baha'is 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
and all other pioneers the expression of his loving appreciation
of this historic service they have arisen to render the Faith in
England.
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
&Baha'is 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,

+F1 Miss Jessica Young+; Mrs. Kathleen Brown (later Lady Hornell)+; Miss
+F1 Ursula Newman (later Mrs. &Samandari)+ were the first to arise to pioneer
+F1 in the British Isles.

+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 &Baha'is 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.
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....
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....
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 &Baha'u'llah in these dark yet
historic days....
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:

"WELCOME SPONTANEOUS DECISION. ADVISE FORMATION NINETEEN
&BAHA'I SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES SPREAD OVER ENGLAND WALES
SCOTLAND NORTHERN IRELAND AND EIRE. PRAYING SIGNAL
VICTORY."

He will, you may be sure, do everything in his power to assist
the friends to achieve this objective.

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
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 &Baha'i 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 &Baha'u'llah 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.
Shoghi

11 April 1945

&BAHA'I 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.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

25 April 1945

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.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

1 May 1945

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.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

3 May 1945

ASSURE ... APPRECIATE RESPONSE. CONCERNING MEDIUM DO NOT
ADVISE ACCEPTANCE MEMBERSHIP.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

9 May 1945+F1

FOLLOWERS &BAHA'U'LLAH 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

+F1 Printed also in "Messages to America (1932-1946)".

+P176
INAUGURATED BY AMERICAN &BAHA'I 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
&BAHA'U'LLAH'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 &BAHA'I ENDOWMENTS. PRELIMINARY STEPS
COMPLETION &BAB'S SEPULCHRE AND ESTABLISHMENT WORLD
ADMINISTRATIVE CENTRE THROUGH REMOVAL REMAINS BROTHER
MOTHER &ABDU'L-BAHA UNDERTAKEN. TERMINATION FIRST CENTURY
&BAHA'I 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
&BAHA'U'LLAH AMIDST WRECKAGE DISTRACTED DISRUPTED DISILLUSIONED
SOCIETY.
SHOGHI

10 May 1945

Dear &Baha'i Sister,
The beloved Guardian has instructed me to forward you the
enclosed copy of his message+F1 to the &Baha'is of East and West on
the happy occasion of the termination of the European war.

+F1 Cable 9 May 1945.

+P177
He would appreciate your sharing it not only with all the
British friends but with the Paris believers too.
Please inform him of the safe receipt of this message as soon as
it reaches you.
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....


9 August 1945

Dear &Baha'i Sister,
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.
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 &Baha'i 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.
He realises the many difficulties that stand in the way of the
British &Baha'is 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.
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 &Baha'u'llah. The early Persian &Baha'is 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.
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.
You may be sure that his ardent prayers will be offered on
behalf of all the British &Baha'is, that &Baha'u'llah 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.
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.
There is no ambiguity about the Master's attitude towards
psychic forces; He very strongly warned the believers against
using them.

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
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 &Baha'i community in its entirety. It
should be regarded as the greatest collective enterprise ever launched by
the followers of the Faith of &Baha'u'llah in the British Isles. It is thus
far one of the most significant undertakings embarked upon by the
members of &Baha'i National Assemblies during the opening years of

+P179
the second &Baha'i 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
&Baha'u'llah 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 &Baha'u'llah enable them to achieve signal success.
Shoghi

18 December 1945

Dear &Baha'i Sister,
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....
He was very pleased to hear that you have had eight new
&Baha'is 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.
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.
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.
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
&Baha'is, 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.
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....
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.

[From the Guardian:]
Dearly beloved co-workers,
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 &Baha'u'llah 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 &Baha'u'llah in the British Isles.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

21 February 1946

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.
SHOGHI

+P181
5 March 1946
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.
SHOGHI

12 March 1946

INFORM ... APPRECIATE HIS ASSURANCE PRAYING STEADFASTNESS
BLESSINGS.
SHOGHI

22 March 1946

Dear &Baha'i Sister,
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.
He has been delighted to see, through your letter and reports
sent by other &Baha'is, 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.
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.
He was also very happy to hear you have found a place to hold
your Summer School; this is such an important &Baha'i activity

+P182
that even if the expenses are such as to necessitate its being
subsidised by the National Fund it does not matter.
He advises you to send half of the Russian books in your
possession to the &Baha'i Bureau in Geneva. Mrs. Lynch can
distribute them from there, as required, to other centres.
He feels it would be an excellent means of serving the Cause
and enhancing the prestige of the British &Baha'is if you can send
a delegate to the Spiritual World Congress to be held in Brussels.
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
&Baha'i to Mrs. Lynch, so that travelling believers can be put in
touch with him.
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.
Your Assembly's labours are very deeply appreciated....

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
The enterprise launched by the English &Baha'i community in the
opening years of the second &Baha'i 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 &Baha'u'llah, 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.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

24 April 1946

ADVISE NOT PURCHASE AT PRESENT. RENT IF POSSIBLE BEFITTING
ROOMS CENTRAL POSITION.
SHOGHI

24 April 1946

KINDLY AIRMAIL TWO PHOTOGRAPHS NATIONAL ASSEMBLY FOR
"&BAHA'I WORLD".
SHOGHI

26 April 1946

URGE FOCUS ATTENTION SIX YEAR PLAN SUBORDINATE EVERY
ACTIVITY PARAMOUNT ISSUE TEACHING FACING ENGLISH BELIEVERS.
SHOGHI

30 April 1946 (Convention)

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.
SHOGHI

+P184
8 May 1946

WHATEVER NOT SPECIFIED ARTICLES ASSOCIATION LEFT DISCRETION
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY.+F1
SHOGHI

10 May 1946

APPRECIATE MAIL HAIFA PHOTOGRAPH ALL MEMBERS LAST YEAR'S
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY FOR &BAHA'I WORLD.
SHOGHI

22 May 1946

APPROVE DROP CARDIFF SUBSTITUTE ANY TOWN DEEMED ADVISABLE
PRAYING SPEEDY SUCCESS URGE PERSEVERANCE LOVING
APPRECIATION.
SHOGHI

29 May 1946

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
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.
Regarding the various points which have been raised in these
letters.
As he already informed you by cable, he sees no objection to
substituting some other town for Cardiff if that has proved too
unpromising....
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

+F1 In answer to cabled request for guidance about tied vote at Convention.

+P185
consider themselves to be &Baha'is and are desirous of keeping up
their contact with the Faith, should naturally be kept on the
voting list.
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.
As to the question of the Publishing Trust about quoting
excerpts from some of the Meditations; there is no objection to
this at all.
He hopes you will be able to find some suitable quarters in
London for your &Baha'i 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.
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 &Baha'i 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.
He feels the time has come when the British &Baha'is' 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 &Baha'is. 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.
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 &Baha'i 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. &Baha'u'llah

+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.
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 &Baha'is may realise to the full their historic
responsibilities and arise to discharge them....
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.

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
The activities of the English &Baha'i 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.
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 &Baha'u'llah, are required to lend the
necessary impetus to the progressive unfoldment and ultimate fruition
of this dynamic process which the followers of &Baha'u'llah, labouring
in the heart of a world encircling empire, have set in motion. May
signal success crown their historic labours.
Shoghi

7 June 1946

National Youth Committee

Dear &Baha'i Sister,
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.
He is very happy to see that the &Baha'i 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.
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!
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
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.
Assuring you, and all the members of your Committee, of his
loving prayers for the success of your labours....

[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.
Your true brother,
Shoghi

18 June 1946

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
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".
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.
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?
Assuring you of his loving prayers on your behalf....
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.


6 July 1946

DELIGHTED BRIGHT PROSPECTS ACHIEVEMENT THIS YEAR'S GOAL
WILL CONSTITUTE TURNING POINT FORTUNES PLAN LANDMARK
BRITISH &BAHA'I 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.
SHOGHI

2 August 1946 (Summer School)

OVERJOYED PRAYING EVER INCREASING SUCCESS DEEPEST APPRECIATION
HIGH ENDEAVOURS.
SHOGHI

25 August 1946

DELIGHTED URGE UTMOST SACRIFICE PROVIDE REQUIREMENTS GOAL
TOWNS PRAYING SUCCESS.
SHOGHI

12 October 1946

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
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.
Regarding the various points you raised.
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.
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 &Baha'is,
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.
As regards your question about &Baha'i procedure; the present
statement can certainly be amplified to include the United
Nations Organisation.
He feels that your Assembly should constantly, through its
communications to the friends and its committees, and in every
way possible, stir the British &Baha'i 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 &Baha'u'llah, 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.
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

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
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 &Baha'u'llah, 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

+F1 Although some pioneer settlement had been attempted, at the time this
+F1 letter was being written only the first nine pioneers had actually become
+F1 established: Ursula Newman (later &Samandari) and Kathleen Brown (later
+F1 Lady Hornell) in October 1945; Walter Wilkins+ in July 1946; Alma
+F1 Gregory+ in August 1946; Robert Cheek+ and Una Townshend in September
+F1 1946; David Hofman, Marion Hofman and Philip Hainsworth in October
+F1 1946.

+P192
must determinedly persevere until their immediate and distant goals
have been attained.
Shoghi

15 November 1946

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.
SHOGHI

21 November 1946+F1

APPROVE LOVING APPRECIATION PRAYING SUCCESS.
SHOGHI

26 December 1946

National Youth Committee

Dear &Baha'i Sister,
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 &Baha'i Youth Bulletin.
This is an important new undertaking, and must be established
as a firm innovation on the part of the British &Baha'i community.
He hopes it will gradually become the means of interesting and
attracting many new souls to the Faith.
In fact the Youth work everywhere in the &Baha'i 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

+F1 Approving Teaching Conference to be dedicated to the 25th Anniversary
+F1 of the Guardianship.

+P193
adherence to the high moral and ethical standards set out by
&Baha'u'llah, 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.
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....

[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.
Your true brother,
Shoghi

30 December 1946

PRAYING FERVENTLY REMOVAL ALL OBSTACLES IMPEDING PROGRESS
PLAN AND RECOVERY. SUPPLICATING RICHEST BLESSINGS TEACHING
CONFERENCE DEEPEST LOVING APPRECIATION.
SHOGHI

1 January 1947+F1

REJOICE SUCCESS PRAYING RICHEST BLESSINGS.
SHOGHI

12 January 1947 (To Teaching Conference)

PROFOUNDLY MOVED MESSAGE. GREATLY APPRECIATE NOBLE SENTIMENTS
PRAYING DEPTHS GRATEFUL HEART CONTINUED SUCCESS
MAGNIFICENT COLLECTIVE EFFORTS DEEPEST LOVE.
SHOGHI

+F1 At news of move to new National &Baha'i Centre

+P194
20 January 1947

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.
SHOGHI

29 January 1947

ASSURE JOAN GIDDINGS+ DEEPEST LOVING APPRECIATION.
SHOGHI

8 February 1947

DELIGHTED PROGRESS NOTTINGHAM BIRMINGHAM RESPONSE
MCKINLEYS+ URGE SUPREME EFFORT AS CRUCIAL YEAR DRAWS
CLOSE ENSURE ATTAINMENT OBJECTIVE LOVING ARDENT PRAYERS.
SHOGHI

26 February 1947

Dear &Baha'i Friends,
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....
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 &Baha'is 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!
He is particularly happy to see the way the &Baha'i young
people are arising and serving in the pioneer field with such
courage, determination and success.
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."
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.
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 &Baha'u'llah--we can only wonder what the
rewards would be for a great, concerted, truly inspired effort by
all members of the community.
He assures you all of his most loving prayers for your guidance
and the success of your historic enterprises....
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.

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
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.
The &Baha'is 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.
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.
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.
Shoghi

20 March 1947 (To First Regional Youth Conference)

PROFOUNDLY APPRECIATE MESSAGE CONFERENCE URGE CONCENTRATE
NEEDS PLAN PRAYING GREAT VICTORIES.
SHOGHI

+P197
21 March 1947

OVERJOYED PROSPECTS PRAYING ARDENTLY CONSUMMATION
CHERISHED HOPES APPEAL ENTIRE COMMUNITY EXERT SUPREME
EFFORT ENSURE TOTAL SUCCESS MIGHTY ENTERPRISE DEEPEST
LOVING APPRECIATION ABIDING GRATITUDE.
SHOGHI

28 March 1947

ADVISE APPORTION DELEGATES COMING CONVENTION IN STRICT
ACCORDANCE NUMBER BELIEVERS ACTUALLY RESIDING IN FOUR
COMMUNITIES MENTIONED LETTER FEBRUARY 24TH.
SHOGHI

7 April 1947

National Youth Committee

Dear &Baha'i Friends,
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.
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.
The work you are doing is very important, and the British
&Baha'i 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.
You may be sure his loving prayers are offered for you all in
the Holy Shrines....

[From the Guardian:]
May the Spirit of &Baha'u'llah 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.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

16 April 1947

OVERJOYED HISTORIC SUCCESS APPROVED MINUTE 590 PRAYING
STILL GREATER VICTORIES HEARTFELT CONGRATULATIONS ABIDING
GRATITUDE.
SHOGHI

29 April 1947

ACCLAIM PRIDE GRATITUDE VICTORY ACHIEVED REVITALISED
TRIUMPHANT DEARLY BELOVED BRITISH &BAHA'I COMMUNITY
MARVELLOUS CONSUMMATION ARDUOUS TASK CRUCIAL YEAR
HISTORIC PLAN UNPRECEDENTED ANNALS FIFTY YEARS BRITISH
&BAHA'I 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 &BAHA'U'LLAH BRITISH ISLES.
SHOGHI

8 May 1947

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
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
Regarding the various questions you have raised.
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....
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 &Baha'i for many years and his
contributions should certainly be considered those of a voting
&Baha'i.
He would appreciate receiving, for the files here in Haifa, a
copy of the revised Articles of Association.
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.
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.
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.
Concerning the membership of ... in the synagogue: as this
concerns his &non-Baha'i 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
&Baha'i 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.
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.
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 &Baha'u'llah, 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.
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.
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 &Baha'i community!
You may be sure in the prayers he offers in the Holy Shrines
you and your assembly's work are often remembered....

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
The success that has crowned the strenuous efforts exerted by the
entire British &Baha'i 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 &Baha'u'llah 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.
The Plan itself when consummated will signalise the opening of a
new epoch in British &Baha'i 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.
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 &Baha'u'llah in these virgin
territories will no doubt befittingly mark the termination of the initial
phase of the Plan, and proclaim to the entire &Baha'i 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.
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.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

+P202
14 May 1947

DEEPLY APPRECIATIVE PLEDGE PRAYING ABUNDANT BLESSINGS
DELIBERATIONS.
SHOGHI

24 May 1947

TOWNSHEND'S RESIGNATION IMPERATIVE. ALLOCATION FIVE
HUNDRED POUNDS FROM NATIONAL FUND EXCESSIVE. ADVISE USE
PART RELIEF FUND THIS PURPOSE PRAYING SOLUTION PROBLEM.
SHOGHI

18 June 1947

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
TASK DEEPEST LOVE APPRECIATION.
SHOGHI

28 June 1947

National Youth committee

Dear &Baha'i Sister,
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.
The services which the &Baha'i 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.
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....

[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.
Your true brother,
Shoghi

19 July 1947

ADVISE TOWNSHEND TRANSFER RESIDENCE OUTSIDE IRELAND IF
NECESSARY APPROVE PROVISION COAL AMERICAN BELIEVERS.
SHOGHI

20 August 1947

OVERJOYED MAGNIFICENT PROGRESS SUMMER SCHOOL ASSURE
ATTENDANTS LOVING PRAYERS GRATEFUL ADMIRATION CONGRATULATE
ENTIRE BRITISH COMMUNITY ASTOUNDING ACHIEVEMENTS
&BAHA'IS WORLD PROUD UNFORGETTABLE VICTORIES BRITISH
ISLES.
SHOGHI

12 September 1947

DELIGHTED TOWNSHEND SETTLEMENT MAGNIFICENT SUCCESS
SUMMER SCHOOL BELOVED MASTER &ABHA KINGDOM WELL PLEASED
CONSTRUCTIVE HISTORIC MANIFOLD ACHIEVEMENTS VIRILE BRITISH
&BAHA'I COMMUNITY PRAYING INCREASING FERVOUR DIVINE
GUIDANCE SURMOUNT OBSTACLES RESOLVE PROBLEMS WIN STILL
GREATER VICTORIES HEARTFELT GRATITUDE ABIDING LOVE.
SHOGHI

+P204
25 September 1947

The National &Baha'i Youth Committee of the British Isles

Dear &Baha'i Friends,
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.
He is very happy to hear of the formation of the new Youth
Groups you mention, as this will not only greatly stimulate the
&Baha'i 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.
Your services are very deeply valued, and he assures you all of
his loving prayers for the success and expansion of your
activities....

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
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 &Baha'i 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.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

9 October 1947
Assembly Development Committee
Dear &Baha'i Friends,
Your letter to our beloved Guardian dated Aug. 4th, has been
received and he has instructed me to answer it on his behalf.

+P205
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.
He wishes you every success, and assures you of his prayers in
support of your labours....
P.S. He has received your bi-monthly news letter and thinks
it is very well written and excellent in every way.

[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
the multiplication of its nascent institutions.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

9 October 1947

Child Education Committee

Dear &Baha'i Friends,
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.
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.
He would suggest that wherever classes for &Baha'i 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.
He assures you of his loving prayers for the success of your
activities.
With warmest greetings,

[From the Guardian:]
May the Spirit of &Baha'u'llah 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.
Your true brother,
Shoghi

10 October 1947

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
&BAHA'I COMMUNITY.
SHOGHI

16 October 1947

DELIGHTED EVIDENCES PROGRESS EDINBURGH DUBLIN BLACKPOOL
HEARTFELT ABIDING APPRECIATION.
SHOGHI

24 October 1947

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
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....
He received a letter direct from the World Congress of Faiths,
and wrote them offering full &Baha'i co-operation, and informing

+P207
them he was ready to appoint a &Baha'i representative to attend
any conference they may hold.
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.
He would be pleased to continue receiving the reports of the
Assembly Development Committee.
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.
The conduct of ... is an excellent example of why he, (and
&Abdu'l-Baha 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, &Baha'i 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.
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 &Baha'i 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 &Baha'i 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
Regarding "&Abdu'l-Baha 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.
He assures you all of the deep appreciation of your valiant
labours and his loving prayers on your behalf....

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
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 &Baha'i history,
and will, when viewed in proper perspective, deserve to be regarded as
one of the most outstanding enterprises launched by the followers of
&Baha'u'llah in the opening years of the second &Baha'i 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.
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
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 &Baha'i 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 &Baha'is, 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 &Baha'i history
is the dearest wish of my heart and the object of my constant
supplication at the Threshold of &Baha'u'llah.
Shoghi

10 December 1947

DEEPLY TOUCHED ASSEMBLY'S SOLICITUDE ALL SAFE HEARTFELT
APPRECIATION.
SHOGHI

7 January 1948

FERVENTLY PRAYING SIGNAL SUCCESS TEACHING CONFERENCE URGE
CONCENTRATED UNRELAXING EFFORT ENSURE GLORIOUS TERMINATION
INITIAL PHASE HISTORIC PLAN DELIGHTED SETTLEMENT
CARDIFF DEEPEST LOVE.
SHOGHI

20 January 1948

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 &BAHA'I 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.
SHOGHI

6 February 1948

DEPLORE LOSS VALIANT SOUL JOHN MARSHALL+ PRAYING FOR HIM.
PRAYING CONTINUALLY EVER INCREASING SUCCESS GREATLY
ADMIRED DEEPLY LOVED HIGH SPIRITED BRITISH &BAHA'I
COMMUNITY.
SHOGHI

25 February 1948

INCREASINGLY ADMIRE DEEPLY THANKFUL PROGRESS HISTORIC
ACHIEVEMENTS BLESSED COMMUNITY DELIGHTED RESPONSE EDINBURGH
ASSURE OLGA MILLS+ ALFRED SUGAR+ LUCY+ BEST WISHES
LOVING APPRECIATION PRAYING REMOVAL DIFFICULTIES.
SHOGHI

3 March 1948

ASSURE YOU PRAYERS SUMMER SCHOOL DEEPEST LOVE.
SHOGHI

4 April 1948

KINDLY AIR MAIL AFTER APRIL ELECTIONS SEPARATE UP TO DATE
ALPHABETICAL LISTS ASSEMBLIES GROUPS ISOLATED BELIEVERS
BRITISH ISLES.
SHOGHI

+P211
4 April 1948+F1

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 &BAHA'I COMMUNITY INTENSIFY EFFORT FILL
REMAINING GAPS ENSURE TOTAL VICTORY INITIAL PHASE MOMENTOUS
PLAN ARDENTLY PRAYING FULFILMENT DEAREST HOPES.
SHOGHI

25 April 1948

ACCLAIM TRIUMPHANT CONCLUSION INITIAL STAGE EPOCH MAKING
PLAN INITIATED &BAHA'I COMMUNITY BRITISH ISLES OPENING YEAR
SECOND &BAHA'I CENTURY SUSTAINED PRODIGIOUS EFFORT CULMINATING
LAYING STRUCTURAL BASIS RISING ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER
LEADING CITIES EIRE SCOTLAND WALES UNPRECEDENTED BRITISH
&BAHA'I HISTORY CONSTITUTES LANDMARK ANNALS WORLD &BAHA'I
COMMUNITY SIGNALISES COMMENCEMENT SIGNIFICANT PHASE
SPIRITUAL HISTORY IRISH SCOTTISH WELSH PEOPLES POTENT SEEDS
SOWN &ABDU'L-BAHA'S TWICE REPEATED VISITS UNITED KINGDOM
LONG LAST GERMINATING CONCOURSE ON HIGH APPLAUDS BRILLIANT
FEAT UNITEDLY ACHIEVED BRITISH FOLLOWERS FAITH
&BAHA'U'LLAH 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
CONSUMMATED.
SHOGHI

+F1 Pioneers referred to were Charles Dunning+ who had arrived in Belfast,
+F1 and Evelyn Baxter, &Ata'o'llah &Khochbine, Claire Gung+, Lizzie
+F1 Hainsworth+, and Margaret Sullivan+, for whom projects were completed.

+P212
29 April 1948

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
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.
A number of matters referred to in them have been answered
by cable, so I will not go into them again.
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 &Baha'i document.
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.
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....
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 &Baha'i 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.
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.
As to the attitude of the &Baha'is 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 &Baha'is 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-Baha'i names, etc.
He does not advise you to try and create more than one
Assembly, i.e. the present one, in the London area.
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 &Baha'i communities throughout the World, and
is greatly encouraging them in their own struggles. For people
are prone to thinking that the American &Baha'is 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 &Baha'is who have visited England feel there
is much to be copied at home in your spirit and methods.
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.
He assures you all of his very loving prayers on your behalf,
and for the speedy progress of your work.

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
The successful conclusion of the Initial Phase of the first collective
enterprise launched by the followers of &Baha'u'llah in the British Isles
during the first year of the second &Baha'i 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 &Baha'i history, and may be regarded
next to &Abdu'l-Baha's twice repeated visit to the British Isles, as the
most potent period in the annals of the British &Baha'i community.

+P215
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.
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.
In token of my gratitude for the work already accomplished, as a
recognition of the status achieved by the British &Baha'i 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 &Baha'i National Assembly, to register
in the name of the body of the elected representatives of the followers
of &Baha'u'llah throughout the British Isles, a portion of &Baha'i
international endowments dedicated to the Shrine of the &Bab 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 &Baha'u'llah in
the British Isles.
Shoghi

+P216
2 May 1948

HAPPILY TRANSMIT REJOICING NEWS BELOVED GUARDIAN'S SAFETY
HAIFA.
BAHABUREAU

5 May 1948

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 &BAHA'I INTERNATIONAL
ENDOWMENTS MT. CARMEL TOKEN MY ABIDING GRATITUDE
SHINING ACHIEVEMENTS.
SHOGHI

9 May 1948

KINDLY CABLE NUMBER ASSEMBLIES GROUPS ISOLATED BELIEVERS
BRITISH ISLES.
SHOGHI

13 May 1948

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.
SHOGHI

10 June 1948

ASSURE GRACE CHALLIS ARDENT PRAYERS DEEPEST LOVING APPRECIATION
SERVICES ALSO PRAYING ... SUCCESS HOFMAN'S VISIT
DEEPEST LOVE.
SHOGHI

+P217
7 July 1948

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.
SHOGHI

7 September 1948 (Summer School)

ASSURE ATTENDANTS SUMMER SCHOOL LOVING FERVENT PRAYERS
SUCCESS SESSIONS DEEPER UNDERSTANDING DISTINGUISHING FEATURES
FAITH CLOSER ASSOCIATION MEMBERS VICTORIOUSLY ADVANCING
STEADILY CONSOLIDATING COMMUNITY.
SHOGHI

2 October 1948+F1

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.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

27 October 1948

DR. &YUNIS &AFRUKHTEH STAUNCH DISTINGUISHED SERVANT FAITH
PROCEEDING ENGLAND MEDICAL TREATMENT EXTEND ASSISTANCE
ADVISED HIM HELP TEACHING WORK BRITAIN.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

+F1 Walter Wilkins, Cyril Jenkerson+, and Zara Warman had settled in
+F1 Norwich, Blackpool, and Brighton, respectively.

+P218
29 October 1948

ASSURE MILLS BACKWELL+ LOVING APPRECIATION GRIEVE PASSING
CHALLIS PRAYING PROGRESS SOUL SERVICES FAITH GRATEFULLY
REMEMBERED.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

5 November 1948

APPROVE TOWNSHEND'S ADMIRABLE STATEMENT CONVEY CONGRATULATIONS
PRAYING SIGNAL SUCCESS APPROVE APPEAL FUNDS
OVERSEAS.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

5 November 1948

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
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.
...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.
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.
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.
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.
He also hopes dear Dr. &Lotfullah &Hakim will be of valuable
assistance in your teaching work.
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.
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.
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.
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.

[From the Guardian:]
Dearly-beloved friends and co-workers,
The opening of the Final Phase of the First Collective Enterprise
undertaken in the history of the British &Baha'i 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 &Baha'i 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 &Baha'u'llah'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 &Baha'u'llah 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.
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.
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.
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 &Baha'u'llah, 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 &Baha'i 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.
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.
That the valiant community of the British followers of the Faith of
&Baha'u'llah 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.
Shoghi

25 November 1948

ASSURE ADA WILLIAMS+ ... DEEPEST LOVING APPRECIATION
DELIGHTED ENROLMENT NEW BELIEVERS PRAYING REMOVAL
DIFFICULTIES NOTTINGHAM DEEPEST LOVE.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

22 December 1948

ASSURE HOFMANS BOB CHEEK LOVING ARDENT PRAYERS SUCCESS
MERITORIOUS EFFORTS SUPPLICATING SATISFACTORY SOLUTION
SECRETARIAT PROBLEM DEEPEST LOVING APPRECIATION ASSEMBLY'S
NOBLE EXERTIONS.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

2 January 1949

APPEAL BRITISH &BAHA'I 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.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

12 January 1949

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.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

19 January 1949

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 &BAHA'I 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.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

20 February 1949+F1

APPROVE DRASTIC MEASURES PRAYING ARDENTLY SUCCESS.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

+F1 This was in reply to a cable from the N.S.A. which ended "ASSEMBLY
+F1 READY CONTINUE PLAN INTENSIVE TEACHING OTHER COMMUNITIES DESIGNED
+F1 RELEASE KNOWN WILLING PIONEERS. INVOLVES DRASTIC REDUCTION ADMINISTRATIVE
+F1 WORK FREE CAPABLE TEACHERS. SUSPEND UNTIL CONVENTION A.D.C., YOUTH,
+F1 PUBLISHING TRUST, REDUCE SUMMER SCHOOL, TOWNSHEND COMMITTEES, DELAY
+F1 NUMERICAL INCREASE VIRGIN TERRITORIES NEW ASSEMBLIES. READY OPERATE
+F1 DESPERATE MEASURES IMMEDIATELY RECEIPT YOUR APPROVAL. BEGS PRAYERS
+F1 GUIDANCE."

+P224
1 April 1949+F1

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.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

9 April 1949

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
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....
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.
He considers that Final Phase day must be April 21st, and not
in July.
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.
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 &Baha'u'llah and the &Bab, and his own
writings should, out of respect for the difference in their relative
stations, be published whenever possible in separate volumes,

+F1 Louise Charlot, Constance Langdon-Davies+, and Cyril Jenkerson were
+F1 pioneering to Oxford.

+P225
this must not be fanatically adhered to where an educative
compilation on a certain subject is conceived.
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.
He deeply sympathises with the struggles of the British &Baha'is
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 &Baha'is 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 &Bab'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!!
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.
He assures you he feels that the British &Baha'is 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....
P.S.--Your letter of April 4th has just been received. The
Guardian is too busy to undertake at present the revision of
&Baha'u'llah's Tablet to the Christians, but he has no objection to
a committee doing it.

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers:
The British &Baha'i 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 &Baha'u'llah in that country.
The &Baha'i 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 &Baha'i spirit, this manifestation of &Baha'i
solidarity, these ennobling evidences of &Baha'i 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-Baha'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. &Baha'u'llah Himself lauds the conspicuous
victories being won in His Name, in the dawning years of the Second
&Baha'i 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.
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-Baha's 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 &Abha 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.
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.
Shoghi

+P228
15 April 1949

&Baha'i Public Relations, Mr. Richard Backwell, sec.

Dear &Baha'i Brother:
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.
He hopes your committee will have many more triumphs
along this line!...
P.S. Please convey to Mr. George Marshall+ a cordial welcome
into the service of our beloved Faith from our Guardian.

[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,
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

18 April 1949

APPROVE ELECTION LOCAL ASSEMBLIES BEFORE APRIL.
SHOGHI

19 April 1949

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.
SHOGHI

27 April 1949

ACCLAIM HISTORIC OCCASION PARTICIPATION DOUBLE NUMBER
DELEGATES BRITISH &BAHA'I CONVENTION TESTIFYING RAPID UNPRECEDENTED

+P229
HIGHLY PROMISING EXPANSION DEARLY BELOVED
COMMUNITY FOLLOWERS FAITH &BAHA'U'LLAH 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 &BAHA'U'LLAH 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
&BAHA'U'LLAH'S SUSTAINING UNFAILING GRACE MORE EFFICACIOUS
READIER BLESS LAST ATTEMPTS MADE SAVE FORTUNES PLAN SO
INEXTRICABLY INTERWOVEN DESTINY BRITISH &BAHA'I
COMMUNITY.
SHOGHI

8 July 1949

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 &BAHA'I 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 &BAHA'U'LLAH'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 &BAHA'I WORLD ITS
PROWESS DEMONSTRATE THE INTRINSIC WORTH ITS STEWARDSHIP
FAITH &BAHA'U'LLAH 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 &BAHA'U'LLAH BRITISH ISLES.
SHOGHI

9 July 1949

CENTENARY MARTYRDOM SHOULD HAVE NO PUBLIC COMMEMORATION
&NON-BAHA'IS MAY PARTICIPATE PUBLICITY PRESS
PERMISSIBLE.
SHOGHI

19 July 1949

ADVISE SHOW UTMOST CONSIDERATION TUDOR-POLE INVITE HIM
SUMMER SCHOOL PARTICIPATION OTHER ACTIVITIES.
SHOGHI

24 July 1949

DELIGHTED NEWS OXFORD ASSURE JENKERSON FAMILY LOVING
PRAYERS.
SHOGHI

6 September 1949

Dear &Baha'i Friends:
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.
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.
He already cabled you about the appropriate manner for
commemorating the Centenary of the &Bab's martyrdom, so I
will not go into the subject again here.
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....
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.
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.
He realises that your Assembly, and all the British &Baha'is, 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
&Baha'i 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.
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!
His prayers and thoughts are with you all, constantly, and
with all the believers, toiling so devotedly all over the British
Isles....

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
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
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.
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.
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 &Baha'i 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 &Baha'i annals, and on the other of paving the way for the
initiation of the successive enterprises that must follow in its wake.
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.
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 &Baha'i community, a resolution, born of the love and
admiration which the memory of His heroic life and tragic death must
evoke in every &Baha'i 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 &Baha'i century, have risen to launch the
first collective enterprise in British &Baha'i 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.
Your true brother,
Shoghi

29 September 1949

DEARLY BELOVED DISTINGUISHED CO-WORKER AMELIA COLLINS
ARRIVING LONDON EN ROUTE POLAND SHOW GREAT CONSIDERATION
PRAYING UTMOST BENEFIT VISIT.
SHOGHI

+P235
29 September 1949

OVERJOYED SUCCESS SUMMER SCHOOL ASSURE NEWLY ENROLLED
NEWCASTLE LIVERPOOL LOVING WELCOME PRAYERS SURROUNDING
ENTIRE COMMUNITY ACCELERATION MOMENTUM CARRYING IT
ATTAINMENT GOALS APPOINTED TIME.
SHOGHI

5 November 1949

Summer School Committee

Dear &Baha'i Sister:
Your letter of October 9 was received, and our beloved
Guardian has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.
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.
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
&Baha'u'llah in the British Isles.
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.
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.
He will pray that a suitable place may be found for the friends
to gather.
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 &Baha'i learning....

[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.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

25 November 1949

DELIGHTED VICTORY OXFORD ASSURE PIONEERS DEEPEST APPRECIATION
MERITORIOUS ACTION.
SHOGHI

4 December 1949

National Youth Committee of the
&Baha'is of the British Isles

Dear &Baha'i Friends,
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.
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.
Your determination, and the work you are doing, are
admirable, and he is very pleased with you all....

[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 &Baha'i activity in that
promising country.
Your true brother,
Shoghi

12 December 1949

ADVISE HOLD 1950 CONVENTION DURING &RIDVAN PERIOD.
SHOGHI &RABBANI

+P237
21 December 1949

KINDLY MAIL FIFTY COPIES "GLAD TIDINGS &BAHA'U'LLAH" WISDOM
EAST SERIES. PRAYING FERVENTLY SUCCESS FORTHCOMING
CONFERENCE.
SHOGHI

23 December 1949

APPROVE SUBSTITUTION+F1.
SHOGHI

27 December 1949

DELIVER SIXTY POUNDS HAINSWORTH FROM NATIONAL FUND FOR
PUBLICATION SWAHILI CHINYANZA LANGUAGES.
SHOGHI

29 December 1949 (Teaching Conference)

FEEL MOVED ADDRESS THIS ELEVENTH HOUR MY LAST FERVENT
APPEAL ASSEMBLED REPRESENTATIVES BRITISH COMMUNITY SEIZE
OPPORTUNITY TEACHING CONFERENCE AROUSE ENTIRE BODY
FOLLOWERS FAITH &BAHA'U'LLAH 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 &BAB'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 &BAHA'U'LLAH IMMORTAL
MEMORY DEARLY BELOVED MARTYR PROPHET THEIR FAITH
ARRANGING TRANSMISSION &500 FURTHER CONTRIBUTION

+F1 Substitution of Stockport for St. Ives as goal of Plan.

+P238
CONSUMMATION ENTERPRISE UNPRECEDENTED IN SCOPE SPIRITUAL
POTENTIALITIES HALF CENTURY BRITISH &BAHA'I HISTORY.
SHOGHI

4 January 1950

GREATLY HEARTENED NEWS CONFERENCE PRAYERS CONTINUALLY
ASCENDING THRONE &BAHA'U'LLAH TOTAL SUCCESS PLAN.
SHOGHI

19 January 1950

GREATLY HEARTENED ASSURE PIONEERS FERVENT LOVING PRAYERS
ACCOMPANYING THEM. PARVINE HEARTFELT SYMPATHY LOVING
PRAYERS CONTINUALLY OFFERED HER BEHALF.
SHOGHI

31 January 1950+F1

ADVISE DISREGARD PROCEDURE SUGGESTED LETTER JANUARY
TWENTIETH....
SHOGHI

25 February 1950

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 &BAHA'U'LLAH.
SHOGHI

+F1 Refers to a suggested new procedure for the recognition of Local
+F1 Assemblies.

+P239
20 March 1950--National Teaching Committee

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
SPIRITUALLY MOMENTOUS PLAN.
SHOGHI

28 March 1950

National &Baha'i Teaching Committee, England

Dear &Baha'i Friends,
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.
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".
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.
His ardent prayers are with you all, you may be sure....

[From the Guardian:]
May the Spirit of &Baha'u'llah 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.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

+P240
30 March 1950

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.
SHOGHI

4 April 1950

DELIGHTED NEWS PRAYING ADDED FERVOUR TOTAL SUCCESS
DEEPEST LOVING APPRECIATION.
SHOGHI

11 April 1950+F1

REJOICE EVIDENCES APPROACHING VICTORY PRAYING INCREASING
FERVOUR.
SHOGHI

19 April 1950+F2

OVERJOYED DEEPLY GRATEFUL IMMENSELY PROUD SIGNAL VICTORY
ACHIEVED &BAHA'I COMMUNITY BRITISH ISLES SHEDDING LUSTRE
OPENING YEARS SECOND &BAHA'I CENTURY AIRMAIL LIST ASSEMBLIES
GROUPS ISOLATED BELIEVERS ALSO MAP BRITISH ISLES SHOWING
SAME.
SHOGHI

+F1 In answer to cable of 10 April from N.S.A. "JOYFULLY TRANSMIT TEACHING
+F1 COMMITTEE REPORT ARRANGEMENTS MADE COMPLETE PLAN BY &RIDVAN EARNESTLY
+F1 ENTREAT PRAYERS &BAHA'U'LLAH SEAL VICTORY."
+F2 In answer to cable of 17 April from National Assembly. "TOTAL VICTORY
+F2 ASSURED LOVING GRATITUDE BOUNTIES BELOVED GUARDIAN ASSISTANCE WHOLE
+F2 &BAHA'I WORLD."

+P241
21 April 1950+F1

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
REVERBERATING &BAHA'I WORLD.
SHOGHI

+F1 In answer to cable of 19 April from National Assembly. "JOYOUS &RIDVAN
+F1 GREETINGS BELOVED GUARDIAN FROM NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AND TWENTY-FOUR
+F1 LOCAL ASSEMBLIES BRITISH ISLES."

+P242

+P243
"The threshold of a new
and glorious epoch"
--
THE AFRICA PLAN
1950-1953

+P244

+P245
Convention 1950

HEART FLOODED JOY STRIKING EVIDENCE BOUNTIFUL GRACE
&BAHA'U'LLAH ENABLING VALOROUS DEARLY LOVED &BAHA'I COMMUNITY
BRITISH ISLES TRIUMPHANTLY CONCLUDE FIRST HISTORIC
PLAN HALF CENTURY BRITISH &BAHA'I HISTORY. HERALD AUTHOR
FAITH CENTRE COVENANT CONCOURSE ON HIGH ACCLAIM SUPERB
COLLECTIVE ACHIEVEMENT IMMORTALISING OPENING DECADE
SECOND &BAHA'I CENTURY UNPRECEDENTED HISTORY FAITH BRITISH
ISLES UNRIVALLED ANNALS ANY &BAHA'I COMMUNITY EUROPEAN
CONTINENT UNPARALLELED PERCENTAGE MEMBERS COMMUNITY
RESPONDING PIONEER CALL THROUGHOUT &BAHA'I WORLD SINCE
TERMINATION APOSTOLIC AGE &BAHA'I DISPENSATION. HISTORIC
PLEDGE BRITISH &BAHA'I 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
&BAHA'U'LLAH &ABDU'L-BAHA. HOUR STRUCK UNDERTAKE PRELIMINARY
STEPS IMPLANT BANNER FAITH AMIDST AFRICAN TRIBES
MENTIONED TABLET CENTRE COVENANT SIGNALISING ASSOCIATION
VICTORIOUS BRITISH &BAHA'I COMMUNITY WITH SISTER COMMUNITIES
UNITED STATES EGYPT DESIGNED LAY STRUCTURAL BASIS
&BAHA'I 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
&BAHA'I 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 &BAHA'I 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
&BAHA'U'LLAH'S PROPHETIC MISSION. CONTRIBUTING ONE THOUSAND
POUNDS FIRST CONTRIBUTION FURTHERANCE NOBLE PURPOSE.
SHOGHI

1 May 1950

GRIEVE PASSING DEAR DISTINGUISHED PROMOTER FAITH+F1 HER
SERVICES UNFORGETTABLE PRAYING PROGRESS SOUL &ABHA KINGDOM.
SHOGHI

3 May 1950

DELIGHTED SUCCESS SESSIONS PRAYING MIGHTY VICTORIES.
SHOGHI

9 June 1950

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
At the instruction of our beloved Guardian I am forwarding
you the enclosed material for possible use in connection with the
centenary of the &Bab's martyrdom.

+F1 Mary Basil-Hall, "Parvine".

+P247
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.
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....


15 June 1950

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
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.
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.
To now take up the various matters referred to in your letters.
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.
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.
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 &Baha'i 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-Baha wished for them.
Recently the Court of First Instance, in &Karkuk, &Iraq, has
accepted to register a &Baha'i marriage certificate. This is the first
time in the East (except for the British Mandate authorities and
the Israeli Government), that a &Baha'i 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.
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 &Baha'u'llah has urged
us to avail ourselves of the help of good physicians &Baha'is 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.
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.
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.
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 &Baha'i 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.
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 "&Baha'i World", and he placed
the pamphlet in the Mansion of &Baha'u'llah.
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 &Baha'is overseas,
should the Trust be in need of further capital, to your Assembly's
discretion.
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.
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 &Baha'i Ceremony could take place at the graveside, which
certainly would have been her own wish.
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.
The Guardian approves your resolution to keep Mr. Ferraby+
as paid secretary of the Assembly. He deeply appreciates Mr.
Ferraby's devoted services.
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.
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.
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.

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
On the occasion of the victorious consummation of the first historic
Plan undertaken by the British &Baha'i 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-Baha
with its members as well as with various representatives of the
country to which it belongs.

+P251
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.
To the races and tribes inhabiting these territories throughout the
vast African Continent &Abdu'l-Baha when His life was in imminent
danger, specifically referred in a Tablet, addressed by Him to the
cousin of the &Bab and chief builder of the first &Mashriqu'l-Adhkar of
the &Baha'i 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.
To the accomplishment of the initial stages of this colossal task,
envisaged by our beloved Master, the &Baha'i 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.
While, in the current and two succeeding years which separate us
from the celebration of the centenary of the birth of &Baha'u'llah'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.
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.
How great the honour with which the &Baha'i 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-Baha, to acclaim the Faith of &Baha'u'llah and
establish the institutions of His embryonic World Order!
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 true brother,
Shoghi

28 June 1950

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
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.
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 &Baha'is 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.
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.
There are no specific tribes listed in the Master's Tablets; the
pioneering should be directed at present towards the most
feasible possibilities.
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 &Baha'is.
However, it must not necessarily be these two.
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!
He will be delighted to receive the reports regarding the
progress of the British &Baha'is' first overseas mission.

+P254
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.


24 July 1950

GOLD COAST ELIGIBLE DELIGHTED GRATEFUL PUBLICITY OCCASION
CENTENARY.
SHOGHI

12 August 1950 (Summer School)

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.
SHOGHI

6 September 1950

WARN BELIEVERS AVOID PERDU OWING HIS CONTACT SOHRAB.
SHOGHI

11 September 1950

Dear &Baha'i Brother:
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
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.
He feels sure all the believers will be happy to see how
beautiful the finished arcade is....
P.S. Please cable when you receive these two photos.


15 September 1950

APPROVE SENDING PIONEERS AFRICA IMMEDIATELY ALSO SEEK
ASSISTANCE PERSIA AMERICA.
SHOGHI

2 November 1950

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
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.
The beloved Guardian has sent each of the National Assemblies
under separate cover, a couple of enlarged photos of the finished
arcade of the &Bab'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.
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.
Please cable the Guardian acknowledging receipt of these
photos as soon as they reach you....


14 November 1950

KINDLY ARRANGE DEPARTURE &LUTFU'LLAH &HAKIM HAIFA FOR
NECESSARY SERVICE.
SHOGHI

+P256
14 November 1950

GRIEVE PASSING DISTINGUISHED INDEFATIGABLE PROMOTER FAITH+F1
ARDENTLY SUPPLICATING PROGRESS SOUL &ABHA KINGDOM HER
NOTABLE MERITORIOUS SERVICES UNFORGETTABLE.
SHOGHI

22 November 1950

URGE UTMOST ECONOMY APPEAL ENTIRE COMMUNITY ENDEAVOUR
REDUCE DEFICIT FUND CONTRIBUTING FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS.
SHOGHI

22 December 1950

ASSURE CLAIRE GUNG FERVENT LOVING PRAYERS SURROUNDING
HER MERITORIOUS HISTORIC JOURNEY SUPPLICATING BLESSINGS
FORTHCOMING CONFERENCE DEEPEST LOVING APPRECIATION.
SHOGHI

10 January 1951 (Teaching Conference)

ASSURE ATTENDANTS SUPPLICATING ALMIGHTY BLESSINGS
DELIBERATIONS MAY CONFERENCE LEND TREMENDOUS IMPETUS
PROCESS CONSOLIDATION HOMELAND INITIATION PIONEER
ACTIVITIES AFRICAN CONTINENT.
SHOGHI

16 January 1951

(Copy of a cable from the Guardian to the National Spiritual
Assembly of the &Baha'is 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

+F1 Florence "Mother" George+.

+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 &BAHA'I WORLD
THEREBY PAVING WAY ULTIMATE ORGANIC UNION THESE ASSEMBLIES
THROUGH FORMATION INTERNATIONAL HOUSE JUSTICE
DESTINED LAUNCH ENTERPRISES EMBRACING WHOLE &BAHA'I 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 &BAHA'U'LLAH.
SHOGHI

17 January 1951

INFORM &MUSA &BANANI+ HIGHLY APPROVE PIONEERING AFRICA
WITH &NAKHJAVANI+ FERVENTLY PRAYING FOR HIS SUCCESS AND
ENTIRE FAMILY.
SHOGHI

25 January 1951+F1

APPRECIATE SENTIMENTS BELOVED FRIENDS.
SHOGHI

25 February 1951

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
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

+F1 Reply to cable sent on the occasion of the appointment of the International
+F1 &Baha'i Council.

+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.")
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....
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.
He thanks you very much for the map, showing the British
&Baha'i 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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
He used the word "tribes" loosely to mean the peoples of
Africa and not necessarily individuals still living under tribal
system.
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 &Baha'is should pray for its success.
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
&Baha'i publication.
Regarding your question about military service, the Guardian
sees no reason why the &Baha'i in question should not bring a test
case, and press the matter. It is now, since he has become a
follower of &Baha'u'llah, 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 &Baha'is 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 &Baha'is can render their fellow-men during
the agonies of war, they should be anxious to accept.
The work that the British &Baha'is 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 &Baha'i work and maintain the tempo they
achieved during the past few years. They have distinguished
themselves so much that now their fellow &Baha'is 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 &Baha'is

+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.
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....
P.S.--I wish to call your attention to certain things in
"Principles of &Baha'i 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
&Baha'u'llah Himself, are all lumped together as one text. This is
not only not reverent in the case of &Baha'u'llah'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 &Baha'u'llah or the Master plainly attributed to
them, and the words of the Guardian clearly differentiated from
those of his secretaries.

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
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 &Baha'i communities in both the East and the West.
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 &Baha'i 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.
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 &Baha'i 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.
Indeed the birth of this African enterprise, in the opening decade of
the second &Baha'i century, coinciding as it does with the formation of
the International &Baha'i 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 &Kitab-i-Aqdas,
and Whose advent has been foreshadowed by the Herald of the &Baha'i
Dispensation in the &Bayan, His most weighty Book.
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 &Baha'i 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.
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 &Baha'u'llah's Mission, and adding another
victor's crown to the laurels already won by the British followers of the
Faith of &Baha'u'llah 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 &Baha'i history.
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 &Baha'i literature must be faithfully discharged.
The necessary foundation for the proclamation of the Faith, at a later
stage in the development of the British &Baha'i 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.
Then and only then will this community, carrying out faithfully
the twofold duty incumbent upon it, both at home and abroad, be
vouchsafed by &Baha'u'llah 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.
Shoghi

23 April 1951

DEEPEST APPRECIATION GREETINGS LOVING REMEMBRANCE SHRINES
DELIGHTED SUCCESS.
SHOGHI

25 April 1951 (Convention)

REJOICE THANKFUL PROUD STERLING QUALITIES FIDELITY TENACITY
INTREPIDITY BRITISH FOLLOWERS FAITH &BAHA'U'LLAH 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 &BAHA'U'LLAH'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 &BAHA'I DISPENSATION. CONFIDENT BRITISH &BAHA'I COMMUNITY
WILL ARISE BEFITTINGLY MEET CHALLENGE NOW CONFRONTING IT
ACHIEVE THREEFOLD PURPOSE PLAN. PRAYING ENERGETIC COLLABORATION
PROSECUTORS &ABDU'L-BAHA'S 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 &BAHA'U'LLAH SIGNALISING
INITIAL PHASE UNFOLDMENT MISSION COMMUNITY HIS
FOLLOWERS BRITISH ISLES MIDST DOMINIONS COLONIES PROTECTORATES
BRITISH CROWN. MAY PROJECTED CENTENARY BIRTH
PROPHETIC MISSION &BAHA'U'LLAH 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.
SHOGHI

2 May 1951

DEEPLY APPRECIATE GREETINGS HIGH RESOLVE ATTENDANTS
CONVENTION DELIGHTED SUCCESS SESSIONS PRAYING SIGNAL
VICTORIES.
SHOGHI

+P265
4 May 1951

OWING RECENT INSTRUCTIONS PERSIAN EGYPTIAN ASSEMBLIES TO
DESPATCH PIONEERS FIVE ADDITIONAL AFRICAN TERRITORIES
ADVISE UNDERTAKE TRANSLATION SMALL PAMPHLETS INTO ACOLI
ADANWE EWE FANTA MENDE YORUBA.
SHOGHI

5 May 1951

ADD SOMALI TO LANGUAGES ALREADY CABLED.
SHOGHI

22 June 1951

NEWLY LAUNCHED HIGHLY MOMENTOUS AFRICAN CAMPAIGN
CHIEF AUXILIARY MANIFOLD AGENCIES OPERATING FURTHERANCE
&ABDU'L-BAHA'S PLAN AMERICAN EUROPEAN CONTINENTS IRRESISTIBLY
UNFOLDING GATHERING MOMENTUM THROUGH ADDED
PARTICIPATION INDIAN &BAHA'I COMMUNITY ASSIGNMENT SPECIFIC
SUPPLEMENTARY FUNCTIONS PERSIAN EGYPTIAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES
CONTEMPLATED TRANSLATION &BAHA'I 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 &BAHA'I 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
&BAHA'U'LLAH BRITISH ISLES WRITE WORTHILY FIRST PAGE HISTORY
MEMORABLE UNDERTAKING CONSTITUTING OPENING PHASE THEIR
GLORIOUS SPIRITUAL MISSION OVERSEAS.
SHOGHI

+P266
22 June 1951+F1

ASSURE DEPARTED PIONEERS FERVENT LOVING PRAYERS SURROUNDING
THEM.
SHOGHI

4 July 1951

WORK NEWLY ASSIGNED EGYPT INDIA PERSIA SUPPLEMENTARY ANY
ASSISTANCE EXTENDED THEM YOUR ASSEMBLY DEEPLY APPRECIATED.
TWO FUNDS ESTABLISHED WORLD CENTRE SETTLEMENT
&BANANI &NAKHJAVANI LEFT DISCRETION YOUR ASSEMBLY.
SHOGHI

15 July 1951

APPROVE IBO OR DAGBANE INSTEAD OF FANTA.
SHOGHI

20 July 1951

ASSURE SABRIS+ LOVING FERVENT PRAYERS ACCOMPANYING THEM.
GRIEVE PASSING PRESTON ASSURE WIFE LOVING PRAYERS APPROVE
REINFORCE KENYA.
SHOGHI

21 August 1951+F2

OVERJOYED INITIAL VICTORY LOVE.
SHOGHI

+F1 &Musa and Samiyyih Banani, &Ali and Violette &Nakhjavani, and Philip
+F1 Hainsworth.
+F2 On receiving news of the first Declaration of the Africa project, in
+F2 Tanganyika (Tanzania).

+P267
26 August 1951

CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS &RIDVAN. TEACHING CONFERENCE MAY
BE HELD ANY TIME BETWEEN JANUARY AND MARCH 1953
SUBSTITUTE ANOTHER LANGUAGE FOR SOMALI.
SHOGHI

2 September 1951

ASSURE ATTENDANTS SCHOOL ABIDING APPRECIATION NOBLE
RESOLVE FERVENT PRAYERS.
SHOGHI

19 September 1951+F1

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
Your letter of August 27th has been received, and the beloved
Guardian is sending you herein his receipt for the contribution
of the British &Baha'is 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....

[From the Guardian:]
I gratefully acknowledge the receipt of the sum of three hundred
pounds from the &Baha'is of the British Isles, to be expended for the
construction of the Shrine of the &Bab on Mt. Carmel.
Shoghi

16 October 1951

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
Your letters dated March 26th (two); April 4th (three), 11th,
17th, 8th, 7th and 24th; May 1st, 4th, 12th and 24th; June 1st,

+F1 To the Treasurer for this special fund--Arthur Norton+.

+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.
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.
To take up certain matters raised in your letters:
There are two Funds, that of the Shrine of the &Bab 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.
The Guardian would very much like to receive five copies of
every publication brought out in England for the &Baha'i libraries
in Haifa and at &Bahji and in Acre. He thanks you for the diaries
you sent....
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 &Baha'i 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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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 &Baha'is the world over.
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.
The British &Baha'is have distinguished themselves in recent
years to a degree which has given them great prominence in the
entire &Baha'i 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
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....
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.

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
The auspicious launching of the first teaching Crusade undertaken
by the British &Baha'i community beyond the borders of its homeland,
marks yet another stage in the evolution of the &Baha'i Administrative
Order in the British Isles, and signalises the opening of an epoch of the
utmost significance in the Formative Age of the &Baha'i 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.
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 &Baha'i 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 &Baha'i 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.
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.
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.
Time is running short. The present hour in the fortunes of mankind
is critical. The centenary of the birth of the Revelation of &Baha'u'llah
is fast approaching. The British &Baha'i 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.
The flow of pioneers to the African Continent must be noticeably
accelerated. The provision of &Baha'i 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.
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 &Baha'u'llah of His prophetic office, a jubilee
envisaged by &Abdu'l-Baha in His Tablets, and prophesied more than
two thousand years ago, by Daniel in His Book.
So glorious a vision, now unfolded before the eyes of the British
followers of the Faith of &Baha'u'llah, 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.
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.
Shoghi

+P273
28 October 1951+F1

ASSURE STEPHENS LOVING FERVENT PRAYERS ACCOMPANYING HER.
SHOGHI

11 November 1951

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
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.
As regards the questions you raised:
The ideal thing would be to have at least one &Baha'i 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.
The solar calendar should, by all means, be adhered to in
Africa.
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).
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.
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.

+F1 When Ethel Stephens flew to the Gold Coast.

+P274
He is very pleased over the way the work is progressing, and
sends you all his loving greetings....
P.S. He thanks you for the Quarterly Report enclosed. He
reads with great interest everything related to the African work.


23 November 1951+F1

CONFERENCE SHOULD BE HELD UGANDA.
SHOGHI

6 December 1951

Africa Committee

Dear &Baha'i Brother:
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.
He was pleased to hear that Sir Ronald Storrs keeps up a
friendly interest in the Faith.
Regarding ... it is obvious that people like this, who have had
in some cases a smattering of &Baha'i 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.
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.

+F1 Regarding the first Intercontinental Conference.

+P275
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.
The Guardian feels that the next step in &Baha'i 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.
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.

[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.
Your true brother,
Shoghi

19 December 1951+F1

DELIGHTED ASSURE THEM FERVENT PRAYERS HEARTY WELCOME
&BAHA'I FOLD.
SHOGHI

30 December 1951

APPROVE PLAN CELEBRATION CENTENARY.
SHOGHI

+F1 On 18 December 1951 the National Assembly reported to the beloved
+F1 Guardian the acceptance of two African believers in Kampala.

+P276
8 January 1952 (Teaching Conference)

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.
SHOGHI

16 January 1952+F1

DELIGHTED APPROVE TALKS HANDS LOVING APPRECIATION.
SHOGHI

13 February 1952

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
Our beloved Guardian has instructed me to write you the
following:
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.
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.
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....


+F1 Reply to National Assembly's enquiry whether Hands of the Cause could
+F1 be invited to give talks at the Africa Conference.

+P277
20 February 1952+F1

GRIEVE TRAGIC LOSS PRAYING FERVENTLY BEHALF DEPARTED.
SHOGHI

29 February 1952

...ADVISE BUILD UP KENYA. URGE FORMATION ASSEMBLIES
KAMPALA DAR-ES-SALAAM. APPROVE SPECIAL SESSIONS FOR NATIONAL
ASSEMBLY REPRESENTATIVES OUTSIDE CONFERENCE.
SHOGHI

4 March 1952

Africa Committee of the National Spiritual Assembly.

Dear &Baha'i Friends:
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.
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.
Regarding the matters of policy you raised in your letter, he
sees no objection to the Persian &Baha'is,--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.
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.

+F1 Death of Marguerite Preston and eldest child killed in air crash returning
+F1 to Kenya.

+P278
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 &Baha'is, who for some reason cannot go to
one of the Indian National Assembly's assignments, then there is
no objection.
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....
P.S. Your National Assembly is not responsible for Eritrea but
you may encourage any believers there.

[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.
Your true brother,
Shoghi

8 March 1952+F1

APPROVE &SHOMAIS DEPARTURE AFRICA. &ABBAS RETURN PERSIA
APPRECIATE DEEPLY SELF-SACRIFICE.
SHOGHI

12 March 1952

OWING RAPID PROGRESS AFRICAN CAMPAIGN ADVISE CONCENTRATION
CONSOLIDATION HOME FRONT APPEAL UNITED RENEWED
VIGOROUS EFFORT PRAYING FERVENTLY SUCCESS.
SHOGHI

18 March 1952

GOAL FULFILLED ANY PART SOMALILAND.
SHOGHI

+F1 Regarding Dr. and Mrs. &Abbas &Afnan+.

+P279
16 April 1952+F1

OVERJOYED PRAYING SUCCESS BLACKPOOL LOVE.
SHOGHI

22 April 1952+F2

DELIGHTED APPRECIATE SERVICES PIONEERS.
SHOGHI

29 April 1952

DEEPLY TOUCHED PLEDGE BRITISH &BAHA'I 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
GREATER VICTORIES LOVING GRATITUDE.
SHOGHI

4 May 1952

National &Baha'i Youth Committee

Dear &Baha'i Friends,
Your letter of April 9, 1952, has been received, and the
beloved Guardian has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.
He was most happy to see that so many of the &Baha'i youth
and their friends had gathered together for the Youth
Conference; and trusts that, from this consultation, a greater
activity amongst the &Baha'i youth of the British Isles will result.
All over the &Baha'i world, we see that not an inconsiderable
proportion of the most active and devoted pioneers are young

+F1 The National Assembly cabled the Guardian on 14 April 1952: "KAMPALA
+F1 DAR-ES-SALAAM NOW NINE ASSEMBLIES ASSURED. BELIEVE MAINTENANCE
+F1 ASSURED ALL ASSEMBLIES EXCEPT BLACKPOOL WHERE TWO GAPS REMAIN. BEG
+F1 SPECIAL PRAYERS".
+F2 On news of maintenance of all Assemblies.

+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.
He will pray for all of you, for your success and the deepening
of your capacities in the service of &Baha'u'llah.

[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,
Your true brother,
Shoghi

3 June 1952

I gratefully acknowledge receipt of the sum of &200 Sterling from
my dear &Baha'i co-workers, British &Baha'i community to be expended
for the promotion of the international interests of the &Baha'i Faith.
Shoghi

3 June 1952

I gratefully acknowledge receipt of the sum of &300 Sterling from
my dear &Baha'i co-workers, British &Baha'i community to be expended
for the construction of the Shrine of the &Bab.
Shoghi

4 June 1952

Africa Committee

Dear &Baha'i Sister:
Your letter of May 16th has been received, and the beloved
Guardian has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.
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 &Baha'i world, and very close to his heart.

+P281
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.
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.
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 &Baha'is 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.
The Guardian is very anxious that, during the coming months,
the Africa Committee and the &Baha'is 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.
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.
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....
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.
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.

[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
days to come,
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

12 June 1952

Dear &Baha'i Brother:
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....
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 &Baha'u'llah at the beginning of the
book. (This answers your question in your letter of June 6th.)
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 &Baha'is, which is rapidly becoming one of the great assets
of the Faith in its process of international expansion....
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.
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....
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
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....
Your suggestion of inaugurating the Holy Year next &Ridvan
and continuing on until October, 1953, with celebrations, meets
with his approval.
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.
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.
As regards your question about Somaliland: any one of the
three Somalilands may be chosen as a goal territory.
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.
The Guardian feels that although the Conference planned for
Kampala is primarily a Conference and in no sense a Convention

+F1 From Leeds to Norwich at age 84 and died at age 86.

+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.
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-Baha'is.
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.
He would like you to please thank, on his behalf, the friends
who so devotedly contribute to the construction of the Holy
Shrine....
P.S. As regards &Baha'i divorce as mentioned in your letters of
June 12th: &Baha'is (whether one party or both are believers)
should follow the &Baha'i law of divorce, i.e. one year of waiting,
and not neglect this divinely given law. Whether they were
&Baha'is when they married or not has nothing to do with it.
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.

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
The Two Year Plan on which the British &Baha'i 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 &Baha'i history.

+P285
This second historic undertaking marks the inauguration of the
Mission entrusted to this community for the purpose of diffusing the
Message of &Baha'u'llah 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 &Baha'u'llah's
Mission, involving the systematic co-operation of no less than twelve
National Assemblies throughout the &Baha'i 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.
In the conduct of this world-encompassing task, so vast in scope, so
thrilling in its possibilities, so formidable in its potentialities, the
British &Baha'i community will be called upon to play a preponderating
&role, in conjunction with the American &Baha'i community, acting as
the Chief Custodians of &Abdu'l-Baha's 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 &Baha'u'llah,
and in establishing, on an unassailable foundation, the structural basis
of His World Order.
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
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.
With every forward step taken by this stalwart community in the
path of service to the Cause of &Baha'u'llah, 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 &Baha'u'llah 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.
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.
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.
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 &Baha'i 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.
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 &Baha'u'llah to the multitudes that live beneath the shadow of the
British Crown.
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.
Shoghi

15 June 1952+F1

Dear &Baha'i Friends,
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 &Baha'i Faith"

+F1 On 9 January 1951 the Guardian announced the formation of the first
+F1 International &Baha'i Council, hailing it as "the greatest event shedding
+F1 lustre upon second epoch of Formative Age..." and on 8 March 1952 he
+F1 enlarged it and named its eight members. Hand of the Cause Leroy Ioas was
+F1 appointed Secretary General and as such wrote frequently to the British
+F1 National Spiritual Assembly. He wrote more frequently, however, conveying
+F1 messages from the Guardian, requesting information, sharing news, etc.,
+F1 signing his letters "Assistant Secretary". This was the first letter of
+F1 this kind. His letters are now included wherever he indicates that he is
+F1 writing on behalf of the Guardian.

+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.
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.
Briefly, the information which your N.S.A. is to provide,
brought up to date of May 1, 1952, is as follows:
Incorporated local spiritual assemblies in the British Isles.
&Baha'i Centres in the British Isles, showing, if possible, the
division between local spiritual assemblies, Groups and Isolated
Believers.
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.
The Guardian sends his loving greetings to the National
Assembly and its devoted members....


29 August 1952+F1

DEEPLY TOUCHED PROFOUNDLY APPRECIATE NOBLE SENTIMENTS
PRAYING FULFILMENT HIGH DESTINY DEEPEST LOVE.
SHOGHI

15 October 1952+F2

PROFOUNDLY APPRECIATE MESSAGE ARDENTLY PRAYING BRITISH
COMMUNITY MAY ARISE BEFITTINGLY DISCHARGE GREAT TASKS
AHEAD.
SHOGHI

+F1 Reply to Summer School.
+F2 Reply to greetings of N.S.A. at beginning of Holy Year.

+P290
20 November 1952+F1

DELIGHTED LOVING APPRECIATION.
SHOGHI

28 December 1952

MAINTENANCE GROUPS ISOLATED CENTRES ADVISABLE THOUGH
NOT ESSENTIAL PART PLAN.
SHOGHI

To Entire &Baha'i World, 5 January 1953

REJOICE SHARE &BAHA'I COMMUNITIES EAST WEST THRILLING
REPORTS FEATS ACHIEVED HEROIC BAND &BAHA'I 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 &BAHA'I 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.
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

+F1 On completion of nine African Pamphlets, a goal of the Two Year Plan.

+P291
ATTAIN COMING &RIDVAN ASSEMBLY STATUS WITHIN SINGLE
TERRITORY LONG-SLUMBERING CONTINENT.
ZANZIBAR MADAGASCAR FRENCH MOROCCO SOUTH RHODESIA
ITALIAN SOMALILAND ALREADY OR SOON BE OPENED FAITH.
DESIRE PAY SPECIAL TRIBUTE STRENUOUS EFFORTS EXERTED &ALI
&NAKHJAVANI SETTING EXAMPLE DEDICATION FREEDOM PREJUDICE
FELLOW PIONEERS LABOURING INHOSPITABLE SURROUNDINGS CONFRONTED
MANIFOLD FORMIDABLE OBSTACLES.
PLANNING ENTRUST SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE DELEGATED
ATTEND APPROACHING KAMPALA CONFERENCE PORTRAIT HOLY
&BAB 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 &BAHA'U'LLAH 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.
SHOGHI

8 January 1953 (Teaching Conference)

MOVED PLACE RECORD EXPRESSION ABIDING APPRECIATION
NOTABLE CONTRIBUTION BRITISH &BAHA'I PIONEERS MAGNIFICENT
SUCCESS HISTORIC ENTERPRISE LAUNCHED AFRICAN CONTINENT
COURSE TWO YEAR PLAN FORMULATED BRITISH &BAHA'I COMMUNITY.
GOALS FIRST EPOCH-MAKING STAGE GLORIOUS OVERSEAS MISSION
FOLLOWERS &BAHA'U'LLAH BRITISH ISLES NOBLY ACHIEVED. APPEAL
ATTENDANTS CONFERENCE FOCUS ATTENTION FLEETING MONTHS
AHEAD CONSOLIDATION HOMEFRONT CONSTITUTING NO LESS VITAL
PHASE SECOND COLLECTIVE ENTERPRISE BRITISH &BAHA'I 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 &BAHA'I 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.
SHOGHI

15 January 1953 (Teaching Conference)

DEEPLY TOUCHED MESSAGE APPRECIATE REDEDICATION PRAYING
GLORIOUS SUCCESS.
SHOGHI

28 January 1953

ADVISE MODIFY LIST LANGUAGES. KINDLY AIRMAIL IMMEDIATELY
EXPLANATION AMERICAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY FOR MODIFICATION
THEIR MANUSCRIPT.
SHOGHI

1 February 1953

ADVISE ASSEMBLY'S REPRESENTATIVES ATTENDING KAMPALA CONFERENCE
ENSURE NO ONE PHOTOGRAPHS &BAB'S PORTRAIT DURING
DISPLAY. SENDING COLOUR FILM SHRINES ARRANGE PROVIDE
PROJECTOR SIXTEEN MILLIMETRES.
SHOGHI

13 March 1953

ASSURE YOU LOVING FERVENT PRAYERS.
SHOGHI

+P293
25 March 1953

YOUR ASSEMBLY HENCEFORTH CONSULTATIVE BODY ONLY FOR
BRITISH TERRITORIES IN AFRICA.
SHOGHI

3 April 1953

Dear &Baha'i Brother:
Enclosed please find the Guardian's Convention Message.
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.
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.
He is eagerly awaiting the report of the African Conference,
which he has not received to date....
P.S. Your letter regarding a rug supposedly owned by
&Baha'u'llah 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 &Baha'u'llah. 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.


8 April 1953

APPEAL ENTIRE COMMUNITY EXERT SUPREME EFFORT ELEVENTH
HOUR SEAL SUCCESS PLAN ASSURE LOVING FERVENT PRAYERS.
SHOGHI

18 April 1953

HEARTFELT CONGRATULATIONS DEEPEST LOVE.
SHOGHI

+P294

+P295
"World wide mission entrusted
British &Baha'i Community"
--
THE BRITISH &ROLE
IN THE
TEN YEAR CRUSADE
1953-1957

+P296

+P297
1953 (Convention)

WARMLY CONGRATULATE ASSEMBLED DELEGATES &BAHA'I 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 &BAHA'I 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.
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

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.
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.
THIRD ESTABLISHMENT NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY
&BAHA'IS CENTRAL EAST AFRICA.
FOURTH PURCHASE LAND ANTICIPATION CONSTRUCTION
&MASHRIQU'L-ADHKAR KAMPALA.
FIFTH ESTABLISHMENT NATIONAL &HAZIRATU'L-QUDS
LONDON.
SIXTH CONVERSION INTO NATIONAL INSTITUTION LOCAL
&HAZIRATU'L-QUDS KAMPALA.
SEVENTH INCORPORATION NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY
&BAHA'IS CENTRAL EAST AFRICA.
EIGHTH ESTABLISHMENT NATIONAL ENDOWMENTS BRITISH
ISLES.
NINTH ESTABLISHMENT NATIONAL ENDOWMENTS BY NATIONAL
SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY &BAHA'IS CENTRAL EAST
AFRICA.
TENTH TRANSLATION &BAHA'I 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.
ELEVENTH DOUBLING NUMBER SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES LOCALITIES
BRITISH ISLES.
TWELFTH INCORPORATION NINETEEN ASSEMBLIES ENGLAND,
SCOTLAND, WALES, IRELAND.
THIRTEENTH ESTABLISHMENT ISRAEL BRANCH NATIONAL SPIRITUAL
ASSEMBLY BRITISH ISLES.
FOURTEENTH FORMATION EUROPEAN, ASIAN TEACHING COMMITTEES,
DESIGNED STIMULATE, CO-ORDINATE TEACHING
ACTIVITIES PLAN.
ARDENTLY PRAYING DECADE LONG CRUSADE CULMINATING HUNDREDTH
ANNIVERSARY DECLARATION FAITH &BAHA'U'LLAH 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 &BAHA'I COMMUNITY AMIDST
PEOPLES RACES DWELLING DEPENDENCIES BRITISH CROWN SCATTERED
THROUGHOUT FIVE CONTINENTS GLOBE.
SHOGHI

28 April 1953 (Convention)

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.
SHOGHI

13 May 1953

URGE FULL FLEDGED &BAHA'I ASSEMBLIES BRITISH TERRITORIES
UGANDA TANGANYIKA KENYA NOW REGARDED MOST POWERFUL
PILLARS SWIFTLY EMERGING STEADILY CONSOLIDATING HIGHLY
PROMISING AFRICAN &BAHA'I 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
ALREADY WON PIONEERING FIELD AFRICAN CONTINENT.
SHOGHI

17 May 1953

MAIL FIFTY COPIES STATISTICAL PAMPHLET.
SHOGHI

+P300
1 June 1953

URGE IMMEDIATE STEPS PUBLICATION PAMPHLETS AFRICAN LANGUAGES.
APPROVE APPROACH NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE. MYSELF CONTRIBUTING THOUSAND POUNDS MERITORIOUS
PURPOSE.
SHOGHI

4 June 1953

Africa Committee

Dear &Baha'i Sister:
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.
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.
As many of your questions and reports dealt with pre-Conference
complications, which, thanks to the grace of
&Baha'u'llah, were all satisfactorily removed, I will not touch
upon them in this letter.
The Guardian was immensely pleased and relieved when it
became clear that the &Baha'is had obtained visas for Uganda, and
were attending in large numbers, and that hotel accommodation
was available.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
Your understanding of the treatment of polygamist converts
to the Faith is quite correct, but of course if anyone who is a
&Baha'i 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.
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 "&Baha'i Centre",
and not &Haziratu'l-Quds--the correct name is &Haziratu'l-Quds
and not &Hazira.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 &Baha'i 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.
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.
As regards the translations for Africa, he has urged the
American National Spiritual Assembly, in connection with the
printing of &Baha'i literature in the languages allotted to that
continent, to give you any help it can.
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.
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.
With loving &Baha'i greetings....

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.

[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
in the African Continent.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

5 June 1953

Dear &Baha'i Friends,
Our Beloved Guardian has been greatly encouraged by reports
reaching him from all parts of the &Baha'i 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.
These reports have evoked his awe-inspiring and soul-stirring
cablegram of May 28th+F1, 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.
The Beloved Guardian has directed me to write your
Assembly to amplify some of the aspects of his dynamic message.
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 &Baha'i 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.

+F1 Announcing "Roll of Honour" for "Knights of &Baha'u'llah" published in
+F1 "Messages to the &Baha'i World, 1950-1957", p. 48.

+P304
There are some general observations which the Guardian
shares with you, and then some specific suggestions which are
enumerated below:
1. Every individual who has offered to pioneer, must be
encouraged in every way by the National Assembly.
2. The National Assembly should assist each pioneer, so they
may be placed in their post just as quickly as possible.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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-Baha's 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.

The specific suggestions of the Guardian are:

(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.
(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.
(c) A monthly report of progress is to be sent by your
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.
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.
(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.

Channel Islands Malta
Hebrides Islands Cyprus
Shetland Islands

(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.
As the Guardian's dramatic cable indicates, an illuminated

+P306
"Roll of Honour" on which will be inscribed the names of the
"Knights of &Baha'u'llah" who first enter these 131 virgin areas,
will be placed inside the entrance door of the Inner Sanctuary of
the Tomb of &Baha'u'llah. From time to time, the Guardian will
announce to the &Baha'i World the names of those Holy Souls
who arise under the conditions outlined in his message, and settle
these areas and conquer them for &Baha'u'llah.
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 &Baha'is 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.
The Guardian will pray fervently for the &Baha'is of the British
Isles for the success of their efforts.
The Guardian will pray for the members of your Assembly,
whose sacrificial efforts he greatly values....


8 June 1953

Dear &Baha'i Brother:
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.
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.
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.
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 &Baha'i books, simply a pamphlet, which can be
used for teaching purposes.

+P307
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.
He wishes you to send current reports of activities in
connection with this matter to the Secretary-General of the
International &Baha'i Council, so that the data may be assembled
with all the necessary information in connection with the Ten
Year Crusade, for the Guardian.
He sends his loving greetings to you.


25 June 1953

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
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.
As you are all aware, the pressure of work is constantly
increasing all over the &Baha'i 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.
It was a source of great pride to him that the British &Baha'is
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.
It was very nice to have dear Dr. Mitchell+ here; the Guardian
hopes that gradually more British &Baha'is will be able to make
the pilgrimage.
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....
The letters which your Assembly wrote at the request of the
... &Baha'is 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 &Baha'i work progresses.
Your Assembly will undoubtedly continue to press the matter
as best you can with the authorities, without causing too much
opposition....
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 &Baha'u'llah,
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.
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
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.
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.
He considers that the attitude of your Assembly regarding
police service which might be required of the &Baha'is 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....
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.
He thinks your Assembly's decision regarding spiritual healing
being demonstrated at a &Baha'i 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.
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.
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-Baha'is is great. He fully realises heavy
burdens have been placed upon the shoulders of all the &Baha'is,
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 &Baha'u'llah? And short of accomplishing His
work, where else lies hope for this confused and sorely-tried
world?
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.
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 &Baha'i countries, so to speak, in the
West, and that in spite of her distinction she is still without a
suitable seat for her national &Baha'i 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.
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....
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.

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
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 &Baha'i history on

+P311
the morrow of the centenary celebrations of the Founding of the Faith
of &Baha'u'llah, 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 &Baha'i 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 &Baha'i Dispensation.
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 &Baha'u'llah, and to befittingly usher in a new Era in
British &Baha'i 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 &Baha'i 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.
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 &Baha'u'llah, 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-Baha, and deriving fresh hope and sustenance from
the rapid and remarkable victories won in both the teaching and
administrative spheres of &Baha'i 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 &Baha'i history that will illuminate the annals of the
Faith of &Baha'u'llah and eclipse the splendour of the feats already
accomplished in the past fifty years by the adherents of His Cause in
their native land.
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.
This vital aspect of the Mission committed to the care of the British
&Baha'i 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-Baha 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.
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.
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 &Baha'i 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.
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 &Baha'is 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.
The Plan on which the British &Baha'i 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.
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.
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.
Shoghi

28 June 1953

ADVISE PROMPT MEASURES OUTRIGHT PURCHASE &HAZIRA LONDON
CONTRIBUTING TWO THOUSAND POUNDS ENCOURAGING NATIONAL
ASSEMBLIES.
SHOGHI

30 June 1953

GUARDIAN URGES PROMPT HANDLING VOLUNTEERS KAMPALA
NAIROBI DAR-ES-SALAAM FOR IMMEDIATE SETTLEMENT....
IOAS

9 July 1953+F1

ADVISE FREEHOLD PURCHASE.
SHOGHI

+F1 Refers to purchase of &Haziratu'l-Quds, London.

+P315
18 July 1953+F1

IF LESS EXPENSIVE NOT AVAILABLE APPROVE.
SHOGHI

21 July 1953

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,
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 &Baha'u'llah and
destined to exert a profound and lasting influence on the immediate
fortunes of His Faith in all continents of the globe.
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.
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 &Baha'is
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
&Baha'i 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 &Baha'u'llah's
Covenant had kindled in the north-west extremity of that continent

+F1 Refers to purchase of &Haziratu'l-Quds, London.

+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 &Baha'i communities, during the darkest period
of &Abdu'l-Baha's 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 &Baha'u'llah in that continent.
I, moreover, call to mind, on this occasion, the successive episodes
which, on the morrow of &Abdu'l-Baha's ascension, in the course of the
initial Epoch of the Formative Age of the &Baha'i 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 &Baha'u'llah
and the erection of the first two pillars destined to sustain in that
continent the weight of the final unit of that Order.
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 &Baha'i community, the Five Year
Plan conceived by the German and Austrian &Baha'i communities and
the Two Year Plan later initiated by the British &Baha'i 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 &Baha'i 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 &Baha'is 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
&Baha'u'llah.
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 &Baha'u'llah 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.
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 &Baha'is 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 &Baha'is
of France, the establishment under the aegis of the National Spiritual
Assembly of the &Baha'is of Germany and Austria, of the National
Spiritual Assembly of the &Baha'is of Austria, and the establishment,
under the aegis of the National Spiritual Assembly of the &Baha'is of
the United States, and in association with the National Spiritual
Assembly of the &Baha'is 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 &Baha'is of Germany and
Austria; Channel Islands, Cyprus, Faroe Islands, Hebrides Islands,
Malta, Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands, assigned to the National
Spiritual Assembly of the &Baha'is of the British Isles; Andorra,
Azores, Balearic Islands, Lofoten Islands, Spitzbergen, Ukraine,
assigned to the National Spiritual Assembly of the &Baha'is of the
United States of America; Liechtenstein, Monaco, Rhodes, San
Marino, Sardinia, Sicily, assigned to the National Spiritual Assembly
of the &Baha'is of Italy and Switzerland. Fifth, the translation and
publication of &Baha'i literature in the following ten languages to be
undertaken by the National Spiritual Assembly of the &Baha'is 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 &Baha'is 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 &Baha'is of Germany and Austria; of Eire, allocated to the National
Spiritual Assembly of the &Baha'is of the British Isles; of Iceland,
allocated to the National Spiritual Assembly of the &Baha'is of Canada;
and of Corsica, allocated to the National Spiritual Assembly of the
&Baha'is 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 &Baha'i 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 &Baha'is 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 &Baha'i centres, in the efficient and
prompt execution of the Plans formulated for the prosecution of the
teaching campaign in the European continent.
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
&Baha'u'llah 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 &Baha'u'llah; 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.
May the elected representatives of the National &Baha'i 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 &Baha'i 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.
May all the privileged participators, enlisting under the banner of
&Baha'u'llah 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.
Shoghi

22 July 1953

ADVISE FERRABYS REMAIN ENGLAND MORE MERITORIOUS.
SHOGHI

23 July 1953

APPROVE SUBSTITUTION LINGALA LUBA MBUNDO TONGA FOR BUA
WONGO LUIMBI SENA RESPECTIVELY.
SHOGHI

23 August 1953

ASSURE &VAKIL PRAYERS APPRECIATION. (Knight of &Baha'u'llah to
Cyprus.)
SHOGHI

30 August 1953

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
Your letter of 5th August has been received by the beloved

+P321
Guardian, and he has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.
The contributions made by the British &Baha'i community to
the Shrine of the &Bab Fund and to the &Baha'i International Fund
are greatly appreciated. Receipts are enclosed herewith.+F1
The beloved Guardian deeply values the unique and outstanding
services of the &Baha'is of the British Isles. Through their
devotion and sacrifice, they are setting an example for posterity.
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.
The Shrine of the &Bab 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 &Bab. 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
&Baha'is of the world, led by the beloved Guardian, are crowning
the &Baha'i activities of the past one hundred years by spreading
the knowledge of the Glory of the Lord throughout the world.
The Guardian sends his loving greetings to you all....


31 August 1953

APPROVE RETAIN YAZDIS BENNETT+ GUNG. FIVE THOUSAND WORD
PAMPHLET ADVISABLE INFORM AMERICA.
SHOGHI

31 August 1953

ASSURE LJUNGBERG DEEPEST APPRECIATION PRAYERS. (Knight of
&Baha'u'llah to Faroe Islands.)
SHOGHI

+F1 &600 on this occasion.

+P322
6 September 1953

ASSURE &ASGHARZADIH LOVING APPRECIATION FERVENT PRAYERS.
(Knight of &Baha'u'llah to Channel Islands.)
SHOGHI

8 September 1953

ASSURE BAXTER LOVING APPRECIATION. (Knight of &Baha'u'llah to
Channel Islands.)
SHOGHI

11 September 1953

ASSURE DUNNING DEEPEST LOVING APPRECIATION. (Knight of
&Baha'u'llah to Orkney Islands.)
SHOGHI

22 September 1953

ASSURE HASSELBLATT DEEPEST LOVING APPRECIATION. (Knight of
&Baha'u'llah to Shetland Islands.)
SHOGHI

4 October 1953

ADVISE TAKE NO RISK OWING POSSIBILITY HIGHER OUTLAY. URGE
SEARCH OTHER PLACES AS NEAR AS POSSIBLE.+F1 APPROVE HAINSWORTH
SIX MONTHS LEAVE.
SHOGHI

7 October 1953

ASSURE UNA LOVING PRAYERS. (Una Townshend, Knight of
&Baha'u'llah to Malta.)
SHOGHI

+F1 Refers to purchase of National &Haziratu'l-Quds, London.

+P323
10th October 1953

ASSURE CRANEY LOVING APPRECIATION. (Knight of &Baha'u'llah to
Hebrides.)
SHOGHI

10 October 1953

ADVISE ASSIST EGYPT BY PIONEER BRITISH SOMALILAND.
SHOGHI

16 October 1953

APPROVE &SHOMAIS DEPARTURE ETHIOPIA.
SHOGHI

16 October 1953

ASSURE BATTAH LOVING APPRECIATION.
SHOGHI

9 November 1953

Dear &Baha'i Friends:
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....
His loving thoughts and prayers are often with you all.


21 November 1953

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.
SHOGHI

29 November 1953

DISAPPROVE CIRCULATION STATEMENT MARRIAGE OWING GENERAL
PRINCIPLE ALREADY ESTABLISHED.
SHOGHI

12 January 1954

TRANSMITTING FIVE HUNDRED NATIONAL FUND SENT THROUGH
LANGDON-DAVIES RUG FROM &BAHA'U'LLAH'S SHRINE AND PHOTOS
FOR NATIONAL &HAZIRA LOVE.
SHOGHI

12 January 1954 (Teaching Conference)

DEEPLY APPRECIATE NOBLE SENTIMENTS DEDICATION ATTENDANTS
CONFERENCE. ARDENTLY SUPPLICATING FULFILMENT HOPES
ACHIEVEMENT UNPRECEDENTED VICTORIES. DEEPEST LOVE.
SHOGHI

9 March 1954

CABLE NAMES LANGUAGES ALREADY TRANSLATED UNDER TEN YEAR
PLAN SPECIFY ALSO WHICH LANGUAGES PROCESS TRANSLATION.
SHOGHI

24 March 1954

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.
SHOGHI

7 April 1954

FOLLOW LAWYER'S ADVICE REGARDING TEMPLE LAND OUTSIDE
KAMPALA.
SHOGHI

13 April 1954

ASSURE PRAYERS BLACKBURN NOTTINGHAM.
SHOGHI

17 April 1954+F1

Dear &Baha'i Brother:
At the instruction of our beloved Guardian, I am forwarding
you herewith his Convention Message.
He wishes you to have it read aloud to the assembled delegates,
and then published and circulated among the believers....


20 April 1954+F2

HEARTFELT CONGRATULATIONS GREAT VICTORY.
SHOGHI

21 April 1954+F1

Dear &Baha'i Friends:
I am forwarding you herewith a copy of the Guardian's

+F1 Joint Convention Message to all National Assemblies. Published "&Baha'i
+F1 Journal" No. 114 and "Messages to the &Baha'i World 1950-1957", p. 60.
+F2 On report that all overseas territories opened and all home Assemblies
+F2 assured.

+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.
I hope it reaches you in time for the Convention....


24 April 1954

Dear &Baha'i Friends:
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.
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.
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.
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)
The Guardian sends you his loving greetings....


25 April 1954 (Convention)

ASSURE ASSEMBLED DELEGATES ARDENT PRAYERS ABUNDANT
BLESSINGS DELIBERATIONS PROUD RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS BRITISH
&BAHA'I COMMUNITY CHERISH GREAT HOPES FUTURE HISTORIC
ACCOMPLISHMENTS DEEPEST LOVE.
SHOGHI

29 April 1954

WELCOME PLEDGE DELEGATES PRAYING SUCCESS ATTAINMENT
GOALS.
SHOGHI

+P327
3 May 1954

European and Asian Committee

Dear &Baha'i Friends:
Your letter of the 9th of Nur, 110, was received by the
beloved Guardian.
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.
He hopes that your committee will be able to gradually assist
in the work allotted to the British National Spiritual Assembly
during the Plan.
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.
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.
He assures you he will pray for the success of your devoted
labours, in the Holy Shrine.

[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 true brother,
Shoghi

6 May 1954

Dear &Baha'i Brother:
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.
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 &Baha'is, 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.
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.
If Una Townshend finds it impossible to return to Malta, then
the Guardian hopes you can send some other pioneer to that
important post....


16 May 1954

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 &Baha'is of the British
Isles.
The cost of this property was six thousand dollars.
He feels sure that the British &Baha'is will rejoice to know that
they now have a part of the International &Baha'i Endowments in
the name of their own special Israel Branch....


4 June 1954

British Africa Committee

Dear &Baha'i Sister:
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.
Of all the places in the world where the &Baha'i 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 &Baha'is 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!
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.
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 &Baha'is, themselves the spiritual children of other African
&Baha'is--young in the Faith, but old in their understanding of it.
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.
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 &Baha'is
will soon decide on a site, and that will complete the chain for
the time being.
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...
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
&Baha'u'llah, 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.
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.
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.
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 &Baha'u'llah, will they be blessed,
strengthened and protected.
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.
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....

[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
beloved Faith and its institutions,
Your true brother,
Shoghi

6 June 1954

Dear &Baha'i Friends:
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.
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.
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....


11 June 1954

Dear &Baha'i Friends:
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.
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.
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.
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....


17 June 1954

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
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.
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.
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.
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 &Baha'i host.
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.
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.
As he already cabled you, he did not approve of the statements
you had prepared for circulation amongst the Assemblies
regarding &Baha'i 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.
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.
When compiling the list of African languages into which the
&Baha'i 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.
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.
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 &Baha'i world, at least for the time being. May many
others in neighbouring countries prove as worthy, and follow
their example.
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 &Baha'i 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.
The difficulty of getting a &Baha'i into ... has now been
temporarily solved. The Guardian does not see why &Baha'is
should have to state to any Government that the reason for their
visit to a country is for the purposes of teaching the &Baha'i 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 &Baha'i pioneers are working.

+P335
Although the children of &Baha'i parents are considered to be
&Baha'is, 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 &Baha'i 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.
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 &Baha'u'llah has taught these things, there is no reason
why we should not share them with those interested in the
subject.
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 &Baha'is, 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.
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.
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.
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 &Baha'u'llah" 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
&Baha'u'llah, is the true function of every pioneer.
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 &Baha'u'llah.
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!
Regarding your question about including the Tablet of the
Virgin in a compilation of "&Baha'i 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.
He leaves it to the discretion of your Assembly as to whether
you wish to include it in a compilation or not.
I am returning to you the list you sent with suggested
corrections in relation to the pamphlet your Assembly published
last year--"The &Baha'i 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.
Assuring you of the Guardian's loving prayers for the success
of your devoted labours....
P.S. July 28th. Your letter of July 7th has likewise been
received.

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
The achievements of the members of the tenacious, the valiant and
wide-awake British &Baha'i community, within the borders of their
homeland and beyond its confines, in the course of the opening year of
the &Baha'i 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.
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 &Baha'u'llah 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 &Baha'u'llah 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-Baha 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.
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 &Baha'u'llah's world-encompassing Order.
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.
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
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.
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 &Baha'i 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.
Special attention should, moreover, be paid to the no less vital duty
of completing the translation, the publication and the dissemination of
&Baha'i 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.
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.
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.
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.
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 &Baha'u'llah have proved themselves capable in the past.
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.
Your true brother,
Shoghi

21 June 1954

APPROVE &ASGHARZADEH AND OTHER PIONEERS ISLANDS ATTEND
SUMMER SCHOOL....
SHOGHI

+P341
23 June 1954

Dear John:
Thank you for your letter of June 15th, with regard to Dar-es-Salaam.
The Guardian attaches very great importance to the "incorporation"
and "exemption" of any Assembly; likewise the
acquirement of any endowments.
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.
Likewise if anything constructive develops with regard to the
burial ground at Dar-es-Salaam, please let me know as soon as
possible....


22 July 1954

Dear &Baha'i Friends,
...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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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....


29 July 1954 (Summer School Committee)

DELIGHTED ASSURE ATTENDANTS LOVING FERVENT PRAYERS.
SHOGHI

29 August 1954

SUBSTITUTE FON FOR POPO COMMITTEES SHOULD NOT CORRESPOND
HANDS WITHOUT EXCEPTION.
SHOGHI

16 October 1954+F1

DELIGHTED HISTORIC ACHIEVEMENT.
SHOGHI

27 October 1954+F2

FOLLOW AMERICAN POLICY REGARDING ASSEMBLY STATUS. USE
PROCEEDS SALE HOUSE FOR &HAZIRA.
SHOGHI

28 October 1954

Dear &Baha'i Brother:
The content of your letter of October 15th was given to the
beloved Guardian.

+F1 On signing of contract for &Haziratu'l-Quds, London.
+F2 See letter 5 August 1955 for references to status of Assemblies with fewer
+F2 than nine members, use of bequests and Freemasonry.

+P343
He sincerely hopes the problems surrounding Mr. ... have
now been solved, as you seemed to think they have.
He advises that &Baha'i 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. ....
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....


11 November 1954+F1

DISAPPROVE MEMBERSHIP FREEMASONRY.


16 December 1954

GRIEVE PASSING STAUNCH CONSECRATED PROMOTER FAITH
LANGDON-DAVIES HER SERVICES UNFORGETTABLE REWARD GREAT
&ABHA KINGDOM.
SHOGHI

22 December 1954

PUBLISHING TRUST SHOULD NOT HAVE SEPARATE LEGAL STATUS.
ANY &BAHA'I DETERMINED RETAIN MEMBERSHIP FREEMASONRY
LOSES VOTING RIGHTS.
SHOGHI

17 January 1955+F2

SHARE JOY FRIENDS SUPPLICATING UNPRECEDENTED BLESSINGS.
SHOGHI

+F1 See letter 5 August 1955 for references to status of Assemblies with fewer
+F1 than nine members, use of bequests and Freemasonry.
+F2 This was sent in reply to a cable from a meeting at 27 Rutland Gate,
+F2 London, S.W.7, jointly to dedicate the new &Haziratu'l-Quds and to hold
+F2 Teaching Conference.

+P344
20 February 1955

Dear &Baha'i Co-workers:
The beloved Guardian has instructed me to inquire of your
Assembly what the situation is surrounding the translation and
publication of &Baha'i literature into the following languages:

Erso
Gaelic

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....


8 March 1955

Dear &Baha'i Friends:
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.
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.
The Guardian asks that this be sent to me by return airmail....


29 March 1955

Dear &Baha'i Friends:
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
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 &Baha'is, nor the number of
Spiritual Assemblies.
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.
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.
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 &Baha'is, 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....


9 April 1955

URGENTLY APPEAL HIGH MINDED DEVOTED BELIEVERS BRITISH ISLES
EXERT SUPREME EFFORT FILL GAPS ASSEMBLIES DEMONSTRATE

+P346
ABILITY MAINTAIN STANDARD HISTORIC ACHIEVEMENTS FERVENTLY
PRAYING SUCCESS.
SHOGHI

20 April 1955

Dear John:
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.
The principle is wherever the &Baha'i laws at the present time
conflict with the civil law of the country, the believers living in
it must obey the civil law.
The &Baha'is in England, as regards divorce will consequently
have to follow British law, and in conjunction with this, as far
as possible, uphold the &Baha'i 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....


21 April 1955+F1

DELIGHTED LOVING APPRECIATION. REGRET FORMATION NICOSIA
ASSEMBLY IMPOSSIBLE.
SHOGHI

24 April 1955

Dear &Baha'i Friends:
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

+F1 On report that all Assemblies maintained; Nicosia had eight with ninth
+F1 member en route to arrive 7 May.

+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.
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 &Baha'is from Uganda move to British
Somaliland, and either teach or settle there.
The beloved Guardian assures your Assembly of his prayers
on your behalf. He sends you his loving greetings....


25 April 1955 (Convention)

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.
SHOGHI

28 April 1955

REJOICE SPLENDID INITIATIVE ASSEMBLED REPRESENTATIVES VALIANT
BRITISH &BAHA'I COMMUNITY ARDENTLY PRAYING FULFILMENT
FONDEST HOPES.
SHOGHI

22 May 1955

CONSIDER CARDIFF MAINTAINED.
SHOGHI

+P348
2 June 1955

APPROVE PUBLICISING WORLD PROTEST DO NOT ATTACK GOVERNMENT
APPROVE APPEAL AFRICAN COMMUNITIES.
SHOGHI

10 July 1955

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.
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....


26 July 1955

Dear John:
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.
Regarding ... legacy he wishes your Assembly to hold this
sum in trust for him until he gives directions for its use.
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....


5 August 1955

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
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.
The matters taken up by cable I will not go into again here in
detail.
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 &Baha'is 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.
He has been pleased over the progress made in the teaching
field abroad and at home; in the publication of &Baha'i 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.
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.
He approves of returning to Ronga as one of the languages
into which &Baha'i literature should be translated, according to
the provisions of the Ten Year Plan, and giving up Shangaan.
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 &Baha'u'llah.
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.
Any monies received from the sale of the property bequeathed
by Mrs. B ... can be used by your Assembly as it sees fit.
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.
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
&Abha kingdom, and that she may be rewarded for her labours in
this world, performed with so much zeal and steadfastness.
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.
As regards the question of &Baha'is 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-Baha'is, 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.
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 &Baha'is have to
do, therefore, with such things, the better.
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 &Baha'is, through their example in such matters, form
rallying points around which the younger &Baha'is, not so steady
yet on their spiritual legs, so to speak, can cluster.
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....
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.
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 &Baha'is. This requires patient, prayerful, ceaseless
efforts on the part of, not only the &Baha'i 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
&Baha'is, 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....
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.
As regards certain matters raised in your recent letters:
Your Assembly is free to choose the place for the endowment
for the East and Central N.S.A. if you feel Uganda inadvisable.
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.
A prisoner, showing sincere faith in the Cause, may be
accepted as a &Baha'i 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.
The Guardian feels that, though it is naturally preferable, it is
not essential for consolidation territories to have a group by
&Ridvan, 1956....

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
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 &Baha'i community to the progress and development of the
Ten Year Plan, inaugurated on the morrow of the centenary
celebration of the birth of &Baha'u'llah'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.
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 &Baha'u'llah, 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.
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 &Baha'i House of

+P354
Worship; the rapid advancement in the translation and publication of
&Baha'i 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 &Baha'u'llah
under the wise leadership, and through the assiduous and incessant
exertions, of the elected national representatives of this virile
community.
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 &Baha'i 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 &Baha'i 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 &Baha'u'llah
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.
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
&Baha'i 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
&Baha'is of Central and East Africa.
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 &Baha'i community.
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 &Baha'u'llah,
and which may be hailed as a worthy counterpart of the central
Administrative Institution established, on the morrow of &Abdu'l-Baha'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 &Baha'i 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.
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
&Baha'u'llah'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.
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
constant prayer and dearest hope.
Shoghi

+P356
22 August 1955

Dear John,
I am writing you this at the instruction of the beloved
Guardian.
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.
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:

1. A nine-sided building.
2. A dome, in proportion to the building.
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.
4. No "chapels" or small rooms should be added; this was a
misapprehension held in the old days.

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.
It should not be too expensive or pretentious, but dignified
and worthy.
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.
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.
He sends you and all N.S.A. members his loving greetings....


+P357
30 August 1955

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....
Regarding your questions--
It is permissible to use selections from the "Promulgation of
Universal Peace" in compilations.
Better omit the prayer of the &Bab you mentioned.
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....


6 September 1955

KINDLY EXPEDITE PREPARATION PLANS KAMPALA TEMPLE
IMPORTANT.
SHOGHI

6 September 1955 (Summer School)

DELIGHTED GREAT SUCCESS. DEEPLY APPRECIATE RESOLVE LOVING
PRAYERS.
SHOGHI

20 September 1955

Dear John:
The beloved Guardian has instructed me to write and inform
your Assembly of the following:
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.
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!...


4 October 1955

LEAVE MATTERS REGARDING ASSEMBLIES LETTER SEPTEMBER 23
DISCRETION YOUR ASSEMBLY.
SHOGHI

28 October 1955

CABLE WHETHER TRANSLATION ERSE GAELIC STARTED.
SHOGHI

4 November 1955

DISAPPROVE CHANGE TEMPLE SITE.
SHOGHI

11 November 1955

APPROVE APPROACH JANNER EMPHASISE OCCUPATION &TIHRAN
&HAZIRA BY MILITARY.
SHOGHI

18 November 1955

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.
Frankly, he was very discouraged by these drawings, as he
feels that such an ultra-modern style is wholly unsuitable for a

+P359
&Baha'i 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.
...He is sorry to disappoint your Assembly, and regrets the
time, trouble and expense which has been involved in finding a
design.
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....
He feels therefore that until your hear from him you (had)
better take no further steps as regards a design for Kampala.


8 December 1955+F1

CABLE NUMBER LOCALITIES BRITISH ISLES WHERE &BAHA'IS RESIDE
AIRMAIL LIST.
SHOGHI

13 December 1955

Dear John:
This is just a note on behalf of the beloved Guardian to answer
the point raised in one of your recent letters.
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"....
P.S. The Guardian approves your sending "Advice to &Baha'is
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.
The Guardian's decision regard Mr. ... design is final; it is
too extreme for any modification to render it possible as a
temple....


+F1 Replied "exactly 100".

+P360
14 December 1955

Dear &Baha'i Brother:
Your loving letter of December 1st has been received.
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.
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.
The Guardian understands that the Blums are very well
thought of and respected throughout the Solomon Islands.
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....


15 December 1955

Dear &Baha'i Friends:
The beloved Guardian has directed me to write you in
connection with the translation of &Baha'i literature into languages
as called for by the Ten Year Crusade.
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.
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
16 December 1955

Dear &Baha'i Friends:
The beloved Guardian has directed me to write you in
connection with the purchase of an endowment for East Africa.
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.
Will you please let me know just what can be done in
connection with this project?
The Guardian sends the members of the National Assembly
his loving greetings, and assures them of his prayers in their
behalf....


1 January 1956+F1

GRIEVED NEWS ASSURE JOHN DEAREST LOVE FERVENT PRAYERS.
SHOGHI

4 January 1956

DISREGARD PERSIAN STATEMENT REGARDING DIVORCE. ASSEMBLY'S
UNDERSTANDING REGARDING STRIKES CORRECT.
SHOGHI

18 January 1956

DEEPLY APPRECIATE MESSAGE CONFERENCE WELCOME NEW DETERMINATION
BEFITTINGLY RESPOND FRESH CHALLENGE PRAYING
MIGHTY VICTORIES.
SHOGHI

+F1 Refers to Dr. John Mitchell.

+P362
26 March 1956

APPEAL HIGHMINDED VIGILANT STAUNCH UPHOLDERS FAITH
&BAHA'U'LLAH 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
PLEDGING FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS MERITORIOUS PURPOSE.
SHOGHI

5 April 1956

Dear &Baha'i Brother:
Attached is a copy of a dispatch issued by Reuters in December,
giving the conclusions of the persecutions in Persia.
The Guardian considers this a very fine statement, and urges
you to have it given as widespread publicity as possible.
Dorothy Wigington+ will have a copy, and she should be
given the opportunity to read this at the British National
Convention.
The Guardian would appreciate your sending copies of any
publicity received on this important statement....


6 April 1956

Dear John:
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.
He hopes that it will be stimulating to the pioneer work at
home and abroad....


+P363
10 April 1956

BALYUZI'S PRESENCE ESSENTIAL+F1 UTMOST EFFORT NECESSARY IF
ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE SUBSTITUTE JOHN.
SHOGHI

27 April 1956+F2

GRIEVED PASSING CONSECRATED PIONEER FAITH LONG RECORD
SERVICES HIGHLY MERITORIOUS UNFORGETTABLE PRAYING PROGRESS
SOUL &ABHA KINGDOM.
SHOGHI

29 April 1956

ASSURE FERVENT PRAYERS HEARTFELT CONGRATULATIONS GREAT
VICTORIES AFRICA URGE REDOUBLE EFFORTS HOME FRONT DEEPEST
LOVE.
SHOGHI

2 May 1956

WELCOME RESOLVE MEET CHALLENGES LOVING FERVENT PRAYERS
OFFERED SUCCESS DEARLY LOVED VALIANT COMMUNITY.
SHOGHI

10 May 1956

SUGGESTED DISPENSATION LETTER MAY FOURTH NOT POSSIBLE.+F3
SHOGHI

+F1 As convening Chairman, Kampala Convention.
+F2 &Diya'u'llah &Asgharzadih.
+F3 For allocation of delegates to Assemblies lapsing after civic limits rule
+F3 imposed.

+P364
26 June 1956

REGIONAL ASSEMBLY RESPONSIBLE FOR TEMPLE.
SHOGHI

11 July 1956

Dear John,
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.
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.
The generous spirit in which the British &Baha'is, 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 &Baha'i sacrifice
and solidarity cannot but nourish the very roots of the Faith and
strengthen its institutions.
As he advised you by cable, he felt it unwise to seek to clarify
the relationship of the &Baha'is 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 &Baha'is 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 &Baha'i 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.
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 &Baha'is as well.
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....
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 &Baha'is 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.
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 &Baha'u'llah 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....
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 &Baha'i community would have to get
itself, once and for all, grounded on the same basis as all other
&Baha'i 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 &Baha'is 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-Baha'is 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
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!
The Guardian hopes that during the coming year there will be
more Assemblies incorporated, as he attaches great importance
to this process.
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.
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
&Baha'i 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.
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.
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.
Not the least of the landmarks reached on the international
&Baha'i 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-Baha
Who so ardently longed, Himself, to go forth "on foot" and
carry the Message to yet another of the far corners of the world.
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.
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 &Bab: "In the Name of God, the Victor
of the Most Victorious", etc.
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.
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.
Regarding taking oaths, there is nothing in the Teachings on
this subject. As a &Baha'i is enjoined by &Baha'u'llah 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 &Baha'is 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 &Baha'is.
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.
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.

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
The emergence of the Regional Spiritual Assembly of the &Baha'is
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
&Baha'i 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.
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 &Baha'i 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 &Baha'u'llah.
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 &Baha'i 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 &Baha'i 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.
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.
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 &Baha'i 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.
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 &Baha'u'llah in
both the teaching and administrative spheres of its activities.
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.
The annals of the British &Baha'i 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.
Shoghi

4 November 1956

Northern Ireland Regional Teaching Committee

Dear &Baha'i Brother:
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.
He is most hopeful that the second week-end school will
prove as successful and fruitful as the one held in February
apparently was.
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.
Rest assured of his loving prayers for you all....

[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,
Your true brother,
Shoghi

+P373
8 December 1956

REGARDING CHILDREN FOLLOW AMERICAN PROCEDURE. APPROVE
SUGGESTED METHOD INCORPORATION MAURITIUS.
SHOGHI

14 December 1956

Dear &Baha'i Brother:
The Beloved Guardian has directed me to write to your
Assembly, with regard to the Tristan da Cunha Island.
Earlier in the Ten Year Crusade, one of the English &Baha'is
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.
Thus, if this friend still wishes to settle in the Island of Tristan
da Cunha, he would welcome it being done.
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.
The Guardian sends the members of your Assembly his loving
greetings....


27 December 1956

AS NATIONAL AND FEW LOCAL &HAZIRAS NOT YET RETURNED LETTER
THANKS INADVISABLE.+F1
SHOGHI

+F1 Proposed letter of thanks to a Head of State.

+P374
12 January 1957

Mr. Arthur Norton

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
Your loving letters concerning contributions to the Shrine of
the &Bab 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.
The Guardian has been deeply touched by the continuing
victories being won by the friends in the Seychelles.
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.
He sends you his loving Greetings....

12 January 1957

To the &Baha'is who were present at the Birmingham Teaching
Conference, January 5th 1957.

Dear &Baha'i Friends,
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.
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 &Baha'is, who have done more pioneering per
capita than any other &Baha'i 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
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....

[From the Guardian:]
May the Spirit of &Baha'u'llah 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,
Your true brother,
Shoghi

26 February 1957

Dear &Baha'i Brother:
The Beloved Guardian has directed me to write your
Assembly with regard to showing interior views of the Shrine
of &Baha'u'llah in slides.
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.
He feels that the Shrine of &Baha'u'llah and the &Bab 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.
He sends you his loving Greetings....


27 February 1957

GREATLY DEPLORE LOSS MUCH LOVED JOHN MITCHELL STAUNCH
CONSECRATED PROMOTER FAITH. REWARD HIS ADMINISTRATIVE
PIONEER SERVICES GREAT &ABHA KINGDOM FERVENTLY SUPPLICATING
PROGRESS HIS SOUL.
SHOGHI

+P376
9 March 1957

Dear &Baha'i Brother:
Your loving letter of March 4th, with regard to the Shrine of
&Baha'u'llah, interior view, slide; which was shown or to be
shown at your Summer School.
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 &Baha'i in England.
This will permit me to stop the exodus of these slides at the
source....


14 March 1957

APPEAL VALIANT BRITISH &BAHA'I COMMUNITY FOCUS ATTENTION
URGENT NEEDS PIVOTAL CENTRES STRENUOUS IMMEDIATE CONCERTED
EFFORTS IMPERATIVE SAFEGUARD OUTSTANDING PRIZES
LABORIOUSLY WON FERVENTLY PRAYING SUCCESS DEEPEST LOVE.
SHOGHI

16 March 1957

Dear &Baha'i Brother:
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.
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....


23 March 1957

Dear &Baha'i Friend,
Your loving letter of February 20th was duly received by the
Beloved Guardian, and on March 20th, the contributions
referred to therein.

+P377
The Guardian has directed me to acknowledge your letter and
the contributions on his behalf. Receipt is enclosed.
Will you please write the &Baha'is 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.
The Guardian also wishes to assure the &Baha'is 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.
Please send the Friends in Kuwait the enclosed photo, showing
the present stage of construction of the Archives Building.
He sends his loving Greetings...

27 March 1957

DEEPLY MOURN PASSING DEARLY LOVED MUCH ADMIRED GREATLY
GIFTED OUTSTANDING HAND CAUSE GEORGE TOWNSHEND. HIS
DEATH MORROW PUBLICATION HIS CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT ROBS
BRITISH FOLLOWERS &BAHA'U'LLAH 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
&BAHA'I 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 &BAHA'I HISTORY. SO ENVIABLE POSITION CALLS FOR
NATIONAL TRIBUTE HIS MEMORY BY ASSEMBLED DELEGATES
VISITORS FORTHCOMING BRITISH &BAHA'I CONVENTION. ASSURE
RELATIVES DEEPEST LOVING SYMPATHY GRIEVOUS LOSS. CONFIDENT
HIS REWARD INESTIMABLE &ABHA KINGDOM.
SHOGHI

+P378
30 March 1957

Dear &Baha'i Brother:
The Beloved Guardian has directed me to write you
concerning a list which he desires, showing the languages into
which the scriptures, or parts of them have been translated.
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.
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".
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.
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.
For your information, in the list of languages into which
&Baha'i 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.
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.
If you could secure this list and send it promptly, it might
enable the Guardian to include this interesting point in his
Convention message....


12 April 1957

Dear John:
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
P.S. In order to gain time this is being mailed through a
pilgrim from Rome.
P.S. No.2. Will you please acknowledge receipt of this letter
by cable to the Guardian.


19 April 1957

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
The Beloved Guardian has been very deeply impressed with
the latest book of our dear departed co-worker, Hand of the
Cause, George Townshend.
He feels that this Book should be used as the basis of a very
active campaign of teaching and publicity throughout the British
Isles.
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.
This book very finely presents the relationship between Christ
and &Baha'u'llah, and outlines the manner in which the &Baha'i
Faith is setting up the Kingdom of God, which the Christians are
praying for.
The Guardian feels that very beneficial results will be achieved
by this active public programme, with this book, "Christ and
&Baha'u'llah" even if it stirs up opposition and criticism for the
time being.
He will pray for your Assembly, and for the success of your
many labours in the Cause of God....


30 April 1957

DEEPLY APPRECIATE CONVENTION MESSAGE REJOICE RECENT
VICTORIES GREATLY VALUE SPIRIT ANIMATING ENTIRE BRITISH
&BAHA'I COMMUNITY CHERISH BRIGHTEST HOPES FERVENTLY SUPPLICATING
RAPID CONSOLIDATION HOME FRONT ESSENTIAL PRELUDE
UNPRECEDENTED EXPANSION GLORIOUS MISSION BRITISH FOLLOWERS
FAITH &BAHA'U'LLAH FOREIGN FIELDS DEEPEST LOVE.
SHOGHI

+P380
27 May 1957

Dear &Baha'i Brother:
The beloved Guardian has instructed me to write about the
... situation raised in one of your recent letters....
It is inconceivable and wholly inadmissible that any &Baha'is 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.
Any &Baha'i may attend a Feast, a local &Baha'i, a &Baha'i from out
of town, certainly an isolated &Baha'i from the neighbourhood.
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 &Baha'i spirit....


7 June 1957 (Shetland Summer School)

SUPPLICATING ABUNDANT BLESSINGS DEEPEST LOVE.
SHOGHI

14 August 1957

DELIGHTED HISTORIC GATHERING ASSURE FERVENT PRAYERS UNPRECEDENTED
EXPANSION ACTIVITIES.
SHOGHI

30 August 1957

Dear &Baha'i Brother:
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+.
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.
He was interested to see the Tablets which Dr. Moayad located
in Cambridge, and appreciated having copies of them.
It has been a great pleasure to have had so many members of
the British &Baha'i community here last winter and spring as
pilgrims.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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 &Baha'i 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....
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
&Baha'i 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.
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.
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.
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!
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....
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
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 &Baha'i 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.
He assures you one and all of his loving prayers for your
success in all you do for the Faith.

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
The year that has just elapsed, following upon the swift and

+F1 The two versions are: "We will all, verily, abide by the Will of God", and
+F1 "Verily we are content with the Will of God".

+P384
spectacular success achieved by the firmly grounded, the progressive
and alert British &Baha'i community in the heart of the African
Continent--a success attested by the triumphant emergence of the
Regional Spiritual Assembly of the &Baha'is 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.
This present and crucial year must be signalised in the annals of
British &Baha'i 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.
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 &Baha'i 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.
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
&Baha'u'llah, 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.
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 &Baha'i achievements overseas.
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 &Baha'i heart so eagerly
anticipates, and the glories of which can, at present, be but dimly
discerned.
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.
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 &Baha'u'llah have, singly and collectively, so markedly contributed,
approaches its mid-point, the evidences of this indispensable quickening
of the tempo of &Baha'i 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 &Bab in &Shiraz, which gathered momentum,
as a result of the inauguration of the Two Year Plan which followed
the Centenary of the &Bab'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
&Baha'u'llah'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 &Baha'i 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 &Baha'u'llah'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.
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
in their homeland.
Shoghi

+P387
7 September 1957

Dear &Baha'i Brother,
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....


14 September 1957

WELCOME DETERMINATION ASSEMBLED FRIENDS SUMMER SCHOOL
PRAYING FERVENTLY FRIENDS ATTAIN GOALS SCALE NOBLER
HEIGHTS PATH SERVICE CAUSE &BAHA'U'LLAH.
SHOGHI

2 October 1957

Dear John:
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....


11 October 1957+F1

CONFIDENT BRITISH COMMUNITY RICHLY DESERVES NEW HONOUR.
SHOGHI

+F1 Sent in reply to a cable expressing gratitude for the appointment of two
+F1 British Hands of the Cause of God.

+P388

+P389
THE GUARDIAN'S
MESSAGES
To Local Spiritual Assemblies
---

+P390
The Assemblies are listed
in alphabetical order
but their letters are chronologically
arranged.


Belfast London
Bristol Manchester
Cardiff Northampton
Dublin Norwich
Eccles Nottingham
Edinburgh Oxford
Glasgow Portsmouth
Leeds Reading
Liverpool

+P391
23 April 1950

To the Spiritual Assembly of
the &Baha'is of Belfast

Dear &Baha'i Friends,
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.
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.
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!
With loving greetings,

[From the Guardian:]
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 true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

14 November 1947

The &Baha'is of Bristol,
England

Dear &Baha'i Friends,
Your message of Oct. 21st reached our beloved Guardian, and
he has instructed me to answer it on his behalf.
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.
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
He assures you that your devotion and services are very deeply
appreciated.
With loving greetings,

[From the Guardian:]
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
activities.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

22 September 1948

The Spiritual Assembly of the &Baha'is of Bristol

Dear &Baha'i Friends,
Your letter of April 21st reached our beloved Guardian after
a long delay, and he has instructed me to answer it on his behalf.
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 &Baha'u'llah,
Who enables us to achieve the seemingly impossible!
He urges you all to persevere in maintaining your Assembly,
which forms one of the vital links in the &Baha'i 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.
His prayers will be offered for you, one and all, for your
success and guidance.
With &Baha'i Love,

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
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
institutions.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

1 November 1947

The &Baha'is of Cardiff

Dear &Baha'i Friends,
Your welcome letter to our beloved Guardian dated Oct.
16th, has been received, and he has instructed me to answer it on
his behalf.
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.
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.
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.
With warmest greetings to you all,
Yours in His service,

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
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.
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.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

+P394
17 October 1948

The Spiritual Assembly of the &Baha'is of Cardiff, Wales

Dear &Baha'i Friends,
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.
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.
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.
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.
With warm greetings,

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
The formation of the first &Baha'i 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 &Baha'u'llah, 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 true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

15 February 1950

The Spiritual Assembly of the &Baha'is of Cardiff

Dear &Baha'i Friends,
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 &Baha'i 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 &Baha'is approach all minorities, also of our devout
desire to share with such a talented race the glory of &Baha'u'llah's
message.
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.
With &Baha'i love,

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
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.
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
assured.
Your true brother,
Shoghi

16 September 1955

Spiritual Assembly of the &Baha'is of Cardiff

Dear &Baha'i Sister:
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.
He is delighted with the way the work is progressing in
Cardiff, and that there are now nine believers living there.
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 &Baha'u'llah.
The Guardian feels sure his &non-Baha'i wife will likewise
receive a blessing for her part in this sacrifice, which helped to
make this move possible.
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.
With warm &Baha'i greetings,

[From the Guardian:]
May the Spirit of &Baha'u'llah 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
exertions and accomplishments,
Your true brother,
Shoghi

30 January 1957

Spiritual Assembly of the &Baha'is of Cardiff

Dear &Baha'i Brother:
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.
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.
He hopes that there will indeed be Welsh Summer Schools in
the future.
Assuring you of his loving prayers,
With warmest greetings,

[From the Guardian:]
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.
Your true brother,
Shoghi

27 August 1947

To the believers who were present in Dublin at the 19 Day Feast
of &Kamal

Dear &Baha'i Friends,
Our beloved Guardian was very happy to receive your
message and to see that the Cause is now gaining a firm footing
in Eire.
He is particularly happy to welcome Mrs. Coleman into the
Faith as the first new &Baha'i in Dublin, and he hopes that ere long
you will be able to establish the first historic spiritual Assembly
in that city.
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 &Baha'is.
He assures you all of his loving prayers for the success of your
devoted labours.
With warmest greetings,

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
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.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi


+P398
16 October 1948

The Spiritual Assembly of the &Baha'is of Dublin, Eire

Dear &Baha'i Friends,
Our beloved Guardian was very delighted to receive your
communication of April 21st, written to him from your newly
elected body.
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 &Baha'is and assist in the formation of this historic
Assembly.
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.
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.
He assures you his prayers are with you, for your progress and
your success in every field of &Baha'i service.
With loving greetings,
P.S. The delay in answering your letter was due to the long
time it took to reach Haifa.

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
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
achievements.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi


+P399
27 January 1957

The &Baha'i Group, Eccles

Dear &Baha'i Friends:
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.
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!
He admires very much the spirit animating you, and hopes
that a flourishing community will develop there.
With warm &Baha'i greetings,

[From the Guardian:]
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,
Your true brother,
Shoghi

22 September 1948

The Spiritual Assembly of the &Baha'is of Edinburgh

Dear &Baha'i Friends,
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.
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.
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 &Baha'i Assemblies.
He assures you all he will pray for your success, for your
unity, and that &Baha'u'llah may guide you all in administering
the affairs of His Cause in that city.
He was particularly interested to hear that one of the new
believers had met &Abdu'l-Baha on His visit to Edinburgh many
years ago.
With loving greetings,

[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers,
Your welcome message brought deep joy to my heart and filled me
with gratitude for this latest evidence of the all-conquering power of
&Baha'u'llah, 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.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

9 April 1949

The Spiritual Assembly of the &Baha'is of Edinburgh

Dear &Baha'i Friends:
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.
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.
With warmest greetings,

[From the Guardian:]
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
for its institutions,
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

9 September 1950

To the Glasgow &Baha'is

Dear &Baha'i Friends:
Your letter dated 5.7.50 has been received, and the beloved
Guardian has instructed me to answer it on his behalf.
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.
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.
You may be sure he deeply appreciates all you have done.
With loving greetings,

[From the Guardian:]
Dear co-workers,
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
of the Faith in Scotland.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

+P402
14 March 1954

Spiritual Assembly of the &Baha'is of Leeds

Dear &Baha'i Brother:
Your letter of February 20th has been received by the beloved
Guardian, and he has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.
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.
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.
The Guardian assures you of his loving prayers for the
abundant success of your endeavours.
With warm &Baha'i greetings,

[From the Guardian:]
May the Beloved bless, guide and sustain you, and enable you to
promote the vital interests of His Faith,
Your true brother,
Shoghi

5 September 1950

Spiritual Assembly of the &Baha'is of Liverpool

Dear &Baha'i Friends,
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.
He trusts your Assembly will enlarge its community during
this year, and thus strengthen its foundations and ensure its
future activities.

+P403
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.
With warmest greetings,

[From the Guardian:]
Dear co-workers:
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.
Your true brother,
Shoghi

24 January 1952

To the believers who were present at the Feast of &Sultan in
London Centre, January 1952

Dear &Baha'i Friends:
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.
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.
With warmest &Baha'i greetings,

[From the Guardian:]
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
glorious Faith,
Your true brother,
Shoghi

+P404
25 January 1929

Manchester Spiritual Assembly

My Dear Friend,
I am directed by our Guardian to thank you for your welcome
letter of January 11th.
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 &Baha'i 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.
With best regards,
Sincerely in His Service,

[From the Guardian:]
My Dear co-worker,
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
sacred Threshold.
With my best wishes to your dear relatives,
Your true brother,
Shoghi

20 July 1932

Manchester Spiritual Assembly

Dear &Baha'i Sister,
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.
The Guardian was specially glad to hear that you have
established a new &Baha'i 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.
The precious efforts so continuously exerted by our
Manchester &Baha'is 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.
In closing may I assure you of our Guardian's best wishes and
ask you to extend to all our Manchester &Baha'is the expression of
his heartfelt thanks and appreciation.
Yours in His Service,

[From the Guardian:]
May the Beloved bless your high and unsparing efforts, enable you
to extend the scope of your activities, and consolidate the foundations
of the Faith in that great city.
Your true brother,
Shoghi

28 July 1950

The Manchester Spiritual Assembly

Dear &Baha'i Friends,
Your letter has been received, dated June 6th, and our beloved
Guardian has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.
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:

(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.
(2) Nabil's suicide was not insanity but love. He loved
&Baha'u'llah too much to go on in a world that no longer held
Him.
(3) The "sacrifice" of goats has nothing to do with the Faith.
&Baha'u'llah 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.
(4) We cannot, not knowing the factors &Baha'u'llah 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.
(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?
(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 &Bab,
for &Baha'u'llah, 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.
(7) &Baha'u'llah'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.
(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.

The Guardian will pray that this dear friend may deepen his
understanding and arise and become a wonderful teacher of the
Faith.
He will also pray for the progress of the work in Manchester
and the success of your devoted labours.
With &Baha'i love,

[From the Guardian:]
May the Almighty bless your efforts, guide and sustain you in your
activities, and enable you to promote effectively the best interests of
His Faith.
Your true brother,
Shoghi

19 January 1950

Northampton &Baha'i Community

Dear &Baha'i Friends:
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.
He admires greatly the services of your community and the
unity amongst you, which no doubt is largely responsible for
your success.
He will join his prayers to yours for the success of the labours
of your two latest pioneering members.
With &Baha'i love,

[From the Guardian:]
Dear co-workers,
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
institutions.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

30 September 1949

The &Baha'is of Norwich

Dear &Baha'i Friends,
Your letter of August 2nd has been received and our beloved
Guardian has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.
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.
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 &Baha'u'llah 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.
He will certainly pray that your Assembly may be maintained,
your numbers increase, and your devotion be rewarded.
With &Baha'i love,

[From the Guardian:]
Dear co-workers,
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.
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
victories for His Faith.
Your true brother,
Shoghi

+P409
16 September 1956

Spiritual Assembly of the &Baha'is of Norwich

Dear &Baha'i Brother:
Your letter of July 29th with enclosures has been received,
and the beloved Guardian has instructed me to answer you on
his behalf.
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.
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.
With warm &Baha'i greetings,

[From the Guardian:]
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
promotion,
Your true brother,
Shoghi

8 April 1947

The &Baha'is of Nottingham

Dear &Baha'i Friends:
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.
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!
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
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.
You may be sure his loving prayers will be offered for you,
and for the success of your labours, in the Holy Shrines.
With &Baha'i love,

[From the Guardian:]
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
consolidation.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

30 May 1949

The &Baha'is of Nottingham

Dear &Baha'i Friends:
Your letter to our beloved Guardian, dated May 4, has been
received, and he deeply appreciates your message of devotion
and affection.
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.
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-Baha, Who worked so
unremittingly towards this end, and Who planted what we now
reap.
He feels the British believers can and will--indeed must--
succeed in their Plan, and his thoughts and prayers are with them
very often.
With &Baha'i love,

+P411
[From the Guardian:]
Dear co-workers:
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 true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

27 October 1950

The Spiritual Assembly of the &Baha'is of Oxford

Dear &Baha'i Friends:
Your letter of September 14 with enclosure was received, and
the beloved Guardian thanks you for it.
He was pleased to see the enterprising spirit shown by Mr.
Semple+, and hopes his classes will produce many new contacts.
The progress made in Oxford is heartening, and he trusts still
greater progress lies ahead.
With loving &Baha'i greetings,

[From the Guardian:]
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
achievements,
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

25 December 1951

Spiritual Assembly of the &Baha'is of Oxford

Dear Friends:
Your letter of December 14th has been received; and the
beloved Guardian has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.

+P412
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.
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.
With warm &Baha'i greetings,

[From the Guardian:]
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.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

25 December 1952

The Spiritual Assembly of the &Baha'is of Oxford

Dear &Baha'i Friends:
Your letter of December 10th has been received by the
beloved Guardian, and he has instructed me to answer you on his
behalf.
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.
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".
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.
The Guardian will also pray for the success of the devoted
labours of the believers in Oxford.
With warm &Baha'i love,

[From the Guardian:]
May the Almighty guide and sustain you always, remove all
obstacles from your path, and enable you to win great and memorable
victories in the service of His Faith,
Your true brother,
Shoghi

1 February 1954

The Spiritual Assembly of the &Baha'is of Oxford

Dear &Baha'i Friends:
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.
He thanks you very much for the expression of your
sympathy, and for the newspaper clipping you enclosed.
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.
He trusts the work in Oxford is progressing steadily; and he
assures you all of his loving prayers in your behalf.
With warmest &Baha'i greetings,

[From the Guardian:]
May the Almighty bless your meritorious efforts, guide and sustain
you in your activities, and enable you to win great victories in the
service of His Faith,
Your true brother,
Shoghi

+P414
23 April 1954

The Spiritual Assembly of the &Baha'is of Oxford

Dear &Baha'i Friends:
Your letter of April 9th has been received by the beloved
Guardian, and he has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.
Mrs. Winsten invited the Guardian if possible to view in
person her portrait of &Abdu'l-Baha. Needless to say, he thanked
her for her kind invitation, but informed her this would be quite
out of the question.
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 &Baha'is purchasing
it. It is a pity to own portraits of &Abdu'l-Baha which do not in
any way resemble Him.
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-Baha. 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.
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.
With warmest &Baha'i greetings,

[From the Guardian:]
Assuring you of my loving prayers for you all, and for the success
of your efforts for the promotion of our beloved Faith,
Your true brother,
Shoghi

7 December 1954

The Spiritual Assembly of the &Baha'is of Oxford

Dear &Baha'i Sister:
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.
The news of the opening of the Oxford &Baha'is' 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.
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 &Baha'is 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.
He will remember you all in his loving prayers in the Holy
Shrines.
With loving &Baha'i greetings,

[From the Guardian:]
May the Almighty bless continually your highly meritorious
efforts, and enable you to win great and memorable victories in the
service of His Faith,
Your true brother,
Shoghi

28 February 1955

The Spiritual Assembly of the &Baha'is of Oxford

Dear &Baha'i Sister:
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.
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.
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
The Guardian assures you all of his loving prayers, and sends
his greetings.
With warm &Baha'i 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 "&Baha'i World".

[From the Guardian:]
May the Almighty bless, guide and sustain you, and enable you to
achieve memorable victories in the service of our beloved Faith,
Your true brother,
Shoghi

21 March 1955

Spiritual Assembly of the &Baha'is of Oxford

Dear &Baha'i Sister:
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.
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.
He wishes you all a very happy New Year, and great success
in your teaching activities during the coming year.
With warm &Baha'i greetings,

[From the Guardian:]
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,
Your true brother,
Shoghi

Cables to the Oxford Assembly

25 November 1949

HEARTFELT CONGRATULATIONS HISTORIC VICTORY ARDENT LOVING
PRAYERS SURROUNDING YOUR NOBLE MISSION.
SHOGHI

+P417
22 April 1950

APPRECIATE MESSAGE LOVING REMEMBRANCE SHRINES SUPPLICATING
MANIFOLD BLESSINGS.
SHOGHI

26 October 1950

OVERJOYED NOTABLE INITIAL VICTORY INTRODUCTION FAITH
UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATE CIRCLES ASSURE YOUNGEST PROMISING
BELIEVER ARDENT PRAYERS CONCENTRATE CONSOLIDATION
ACHIEVEMENT.
SHOGHI

21 April 1954

ASSEMBLY FRIENDS LOVINGLY REMEMBERED SHRINES.
SHOGHI

26 September 1957

The &Baha'is of Portsmouth

Dear &Baha'i Friends:
Your letter of August 23rd has been received by the beloved
Guardian, and he has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.
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.
Through love and unity among the believers, and the wise
and persistent efforts of all the &Baha'is, great results should be
forthcoming.
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.
With warm &Baha'i greetings,

+P418
[From the Guardian:]
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
achievements,
Your true brother,
Shoghi

14 May 1957

Spiritual Assembly of the &Baha'is of Reading

Dear &Baha'i Friends:
Your letter of May 8th has been received, and the beloved
Guardian has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.
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.
He will certainly pray that your teaching efforts may be
richly blessed, and that you may not only continue to make
&Baha'is, but to export them, as you have done in the case of
Edinburgh.
With warm &Baha'i greetings,

[From the Guardian:]
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
to come,
Your true brother,
Shoghi

+P419
EXCERPTS FROM LETTERS
TO INDIVIDUALS
---

+P420
Over three hundred letters to individuals residing in the
British Isles have been studied and passages selected which are of
permanent value.
These excerpts were taken from the letters of no more than
twenty believers of whom only seven corresponded regularly
with the Guardian.
They have been arranged chronologically; for details of the
subject matter the reader must turn to the Index.
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
&Baha'i 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,
"... he feels the greatest sympathy for them, and considers
that when their present achievements are assessed in the future,
people will give them a double measure of praise for having
done so much when they were least fit to do it."

+P421
28 September 1925

[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.


28 October 1925

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
&Baha'i Cause can be done within the Christian Churches by
promoting the "Christianity of Christ". &Abdu'l-Baha said that
when people become true Christians, they will find themselves
&Baha'is. One or two of the best &Baha'is I know were very earnest,
sincere, devoted Christians and accepted the &Baha'i 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.


28 December 1925

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.

[From the Guardian:]
...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.


28 March 1926

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-Baha 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.
Meanwhile Shoghi Effendi, realising the urgent necessity of
the translation of some of the important writings, has translated
some of the passages.


16 October 1926

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.


6 April 1928

[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....


12 December 1929

Ever since its inception (the "&Baha'i 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-Baha'is, 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
9 February 1930

The subject you had raised with regard to the date of the
publication of the writings of &Baha'u'llah 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 &Baha'u'llah 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
&Baha'u'llah 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.
The main bulk of the writings of &Baha'u'llah 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 &Baha'i scribe,
always dated his copies of the writings of &Baha'u'llah 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.
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
&Baha'is in Persia as a source of livelihood, and that after 1885
when he went to &Akka to join &Baha'u'llah's party his entire work
and time was devoted to copying the sacred writings for sale
among &Baha'is. These copies are to be found all throughout the
East and are almost invariably dated.


9 June 1930

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. &Baha'u'llah
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...


22 October 1930

...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....


30 November 1930

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 &Bab... 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 &Bab 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.
&Baha'u'llah, 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.
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 &Bab 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 &Baha'u'llah, 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 &Bab, the &Bab 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 &Bab, 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 &Bab, namely the gate or forerunner of
"Him Whom God will make manifest".
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.
Shoghi Effendi feels that the Unity of the &Baha'i revelation as
one complete whole embracing the Faith of the &Bab should be
emphasised... The Faith of the &Bab should not be divorced
from that of &Baha'u'llah. Though the teachings of the &Bayan
have been abrogated and superseded by the laws of Aqdas, yet
due to the fact that the &Bab considered Himself as the forerunner
of &Baha'u'llah we should regard His dispensation together with
that of &Baha'u'llah 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 &Bab 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 &Baha'i revelation.
Shoghi Effendi feels that it should be explained that forbidding
self defence by &Baha'u'llah should not be taken too literally. To
put it as bluntly as this, he fears that the question might be
misunderstood. &Baha'u'llah could surely have not meant that a
&Baha'i 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....
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 &Bab 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 &Baha'u'llah in &Kirmanshah and &Tihran
before the latter's banishment to &Iraq. He was a close companion
of the &Bab's amanuensis &Mirza &Ahmad. He subsequently met
&Baha'u'llah in &Baghdad, Adrianople and &Akka and was
commissioned by &Baha'u'llah 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 &Baha'u'llah
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-Baha
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 &Bab, &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 &Baha'u'llah. It took him about a year and
half to write it. His chief informants were &Mirza &Ahmad the
amanuensis of the &Bab and &Mirza &Musa the brother of &Baha'u'llah.

+P428
Parts of his narrative were read in the presence of &Baha'u'llah and
approved by Him. &Abdu'l-Baha also went over sections of his
narrative....
Shoghi Effendi has found in the papers of &Abdu'l-Baha a
complete set of the &Bab'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. &Baha'u'llah. This last one has three seals and
is written on blue paper....
Regarding the question raised in your letter.... The &Baha'is
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....
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 &Bab. He is apparently
the only Westerner who has met the &Bab and recorded his
impressions... Shoghi Effendi thinks of adding it to his notes.


30 April 1931

...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
&Baha'is 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.
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
7 November 1931

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 &Baha'u'llah can end the sufferings that are befalling
humanity.


2 January 1932

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....
...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-Baha'is consider them as great. We hope before long we
will have similar persons arise in the West.


10 January 1932

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.


23 February 1932

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
&Baha'u'llah to His secretary as He strolled on the banks of the
river in &Baghdad--in sections rather than all at one time.
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 &Babi.


16 May 1932

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....


10 August 1932

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.
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.


15 March 1933

He deeply appreciates your sincere, well-expressed reference
to the Tribute he has written to the dearly beloved Greatest
Holy Leaf.

+P431
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.


6 May 1933

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.


29 May 1933

He was deeply touched by the strong attachment of the friends
to one who, besides being the beloved daughter of &Baha'u'llah,
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.


17 October 1933

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....


12 November 1933

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....
Jehovah is a title of God, whereas &Baha'u'llah is the title of the
Manifestation of God.
... you count the period of the Christian Dispensation as
having lasted for 1844 years. As in the &Baha'i 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.
... 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.
...Muhammadanism is not only the last of the world
religions, but a fuller Revelation than any one preceding it. The
&Qur'an 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 &Baha'i philosophy of progressive revelation, and
should be thoroughly accepted and taught by every loyal ...
&Baha'i.


+P433
1 December 1933

One more European is reported to have seen &Baha'u'llah from
a distance, but Professor Browne was the only Westerner who
actually met Him.


4 June 1934

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 &Baha'i 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 &Baha'u'llah'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.


10 November 1934

When you quote the &Bab, 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
&Baha'u'llah 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 &Bab and His
disciples. In the future edition of &Nabil's Narrative a similar
explanation will have to be inserted in the "Dawn Breakers".
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.


8 February 1935

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.
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.


29 May 1935

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.
In connection with your question relative to the &Baha'i
solution of sex problems. On the question of sex the &Baha'is are,
in most of their fundamental views, in full agreement with the
upholders of traditional morality. &Baha'u'llah, 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 &Baha'i 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 &Baha'is 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 &Baha'i 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....


6 April 1936

He (the Guardian) is of the opinion, however, that while the
secondary aspects of &Baha'i Administration should be left out, a
comprehensive statement as to its origin and significance in the
&Baha'i 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.


21 November 1936

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 &Baha'i 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.
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.


3 February 1937

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
&Baha'u'llah, and the more certain you can feel to attain success.
Be cheerful, therefore, and exert yourself with full faith and
confidence. For &Baha'u'llah 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
&Baha'u'llah 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.


31 March 1938

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.


18 April 1940

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.
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.


2 June 1941

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....


1 August 1941

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
19 October 1941

The English &Baha'is 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 &Baha'is.
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 &Baha'is 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 &Baha'u'llah ... the good news you convey of
the spirit and devotion of the English friends greatly pleases
Shoghi Effendi.
His hope and prayer is that during these times of danger,
stress, and misery, the &Baha'is will seek out amidst their fellow-countrymen
those jewel-like souls that belong to &Baha'u'llah and
bring them the blessing and comfort of His Faith.


30 October 1941

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.
As the Guardian's thoughts are very often with the English
friends, and he feels deeply conscious of both their trials and the
wonderful &Baha'i 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....


14 March 1942

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.
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.


September 1942

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 &Baha'i activities, as
your services could ill be spared in any field at this time.


25 September 1942

There is an answer in the teachings for everything;
unfortunately the majority of the &Baha'is, 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....
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....


5 May 1943

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
May 1943

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.


26 May 1943

He (the Guardian) feels that &Baha'i 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 &Baha'u'llah.


6 August 1943

The Master reflects the qualities of the Manifestations as if He
were a mirror. He reflects not only those of &Baha'u'llah but also
of Christ as He is the exemplar of the spirit of the Prophet....
...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.


17 October 1944

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 &Baha'is 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!
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 &Baha'i 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.
It is true the &Baha'is 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 &Baha'u'llah
burning in dark London all these war years?
The Guardian is very glad to hear you are so active, both in
teaching and administrative work, and he will pray that
&Baha'u'llah 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....


27 November 1944

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 &Baha'is 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.


27 January 1945

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.
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
&Baha'u'llah to assist us to overcome the failings in our own
characters, and also exert our own will-power in mastering
ourselves.
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....


Undated

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.


10 May 1945

Many of the most valuable, enkindled and erudite teachers the
Cause has possessed were formerly members of the clergy,
&Islamic or Christian.


+P443
7 July 1945

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.
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!
The Tablet of Visitation is a compilation of words of
&Baha'u'llah, revealed at different times for those who were far
from Him, made by &Nabil, at the Master's instruction, after the
Ascension of &Baha'u'llah....


3 March 1946

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.
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
&Baha'is could be formed, and conduct their own meetings no
doubt they would soon get others interested.


4 March 1946

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
What &Abdu'l-Baha 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.
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.
People who do not feel they can obey or accept the Teachings
on a subject cannot be considered &Baha'is, 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.
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 &Baha'is, 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.


19 March 1946

The &Baha'is 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 &Baha'is can do
the work of &Baha'u'llah....


21 May 1946

Keeping the Fast is enjoined upon all &Baha'is, regardless of
nationality; it has a very salutary effect both physically and
spiritually, and the friends should realise &Baha'u'llah 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
20 November 1946

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 &Baha'is to demonstrate these
great principles in their relations with each other.


15 February 1947

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.
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.
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 &Baha'i 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.


18 February 1947

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 &Baha'is 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.
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....


27 September 1947

There is no objection to children who are as yet unable to
memorise a whole prayer learning certain sentences only.
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 &Baha'i 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. &Baha'u'llah
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....


27 September 1947

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
13 October 1947

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 &Baha'u'llah 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-Baha'is. 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.
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 &Baha'is 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 &Baha'i 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.


14 October 1947

Summer School is, indeed, a wonderful experience, for at the
present time it is the only institution that affords the &Baha'is 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.


19 October 1947

He (the Guardian) does not feel that it is desirable to lay down
any conditions for giving to the &Baha'i 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.
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.
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.
&Abdu'l-Baha said we must sacrifice the important for the
most important. The most important thing now for the English
&Baha'is 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....
&Baha'u'llah is not the intermediary between other Manifestations
and God. Each has His own relation to the Primal Source.
But in the sense that &Baha'u'llah 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, &Baha'u'llah 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.


4 March 1948

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 &Baha'is 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.
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.
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....


26 March 1948

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.


8 April 1948

We &Baha'is 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.
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. &Baha'u'llah and &Abdu'l-Baha, 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.
He urges you to grasp firmly the teachings of our Faith, the
love of your family and many &Baha'i 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.


9 June 1948

"Reciting" the Greatest Name means to repeat it over and
over, silently or out loud....
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
23 June 1948

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
&Baha'u'llah's help, to shape into a worthy and constructive way
of life....
The English &Baha'is 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!
As regards your question about p. 41, &Kitab-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 &Bab's advent, the Path of Truth.
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
&Baha'u'llah 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.
&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".


20 September 1948

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 &Baha'i pioneer!

+P452
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 &Baha'is, 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 &Baha'is, 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 &Baha'i life, teaching the Faith, and strengthening its
budding world order.
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.


17 October 1948

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.


23 December 1948

He (the Guardian) is very glad to see you are now living the
life of an active &Baha'i and keeping in close touch with dear ...
who is a fine friend to have, with his devotion to the Cause and
his optimism.

+P453
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.
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....


8 January 1949

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.
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.
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.
The word "Guardian" in the Seven Valleys has no connection
with the &Baha'i Guardianship.
The &Qur'an should be to some extent studied by the &Baha'is
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 &Qur'an
and our own Writings different subjects are so often included in
one Tablet. It pulsates, so to speak. That is why it is "Revelation".
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 &Baha'i thing, in relation to
each other, to the administrative bodies or in their personal lives.
No doubt to the degree we &Baha'is 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 &Baha'u'llah'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.
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.


20 March 1949

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.


22 July 1949

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.
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
25 July 1949

There are no quotations from the &Qur'an 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) &Baha'u'llah
says:--"Of old it has been revealed: Love of one's country is an
element of the Faith of God!" Here &Baha'u'llah is quoting not the
&Qur'an 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 &Baha'u'llah has
provided for.


22 October 1949
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!
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.
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.
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.
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 &Baha'u'llah 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
A healthy social life and &Baha'i 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.
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.


18 February 1950

He (the Guardian) feels that if you consider it too much of a
strain to keep the Fast you should not do so. &Baha'u'llah 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.


28 March 1950

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.


4 October 1950

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.
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.
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.
The &Baha'i 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.
Many Theosophists accept &Baha'u'llah as a Prophet, but we
have no special relation to theosophy. It would seem that the
Master had some special reason for not mentioning &Baha'u'llah
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.


20 October 1950

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 &Baha'i 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.
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 &Baha'i Fund as much as possible. If this fails,
then of course all the expense will have to be paid by the Fund.


11 January 1951

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.
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 &Baha'u'llah and Truth
of His Faith.
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 &Baha'i going on such an historic mission
could not but suffer--but the compensation will be great....


10 February 1951

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, &Baha'u'llah even being proffered poison by His
half-brother, &Mirza &Yahya. Beside their afflictions, our afflictions,
however terrible for us, must seem small in comparison.
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
&Baha'u'llah.


30 August 1951

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.


11 November 1951

Many times the young &Baha'is these days seem to be living the
lives of soldiers, and in a way the pioneers are the soldiers of
&Baha'u'llah, going out to plant the banner of His dominion in far
corners of the earth!


+P461
5 October 1952

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.
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.


3 March 1955

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.


6 March 1955

As regards the questions you have asked, as &Baha'u'llah 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.
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
Whatever happened, we &Baha'is must follow the words in our
own Scriptures as being the most authentic.
In the Tablet of the Holy Mariner, the Youth means
&Baha'u'llah, Himself.


12 January 1957

In the &Baha'i 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 &Baha'is 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.


15 August 1957

You should not allow the remarks made by the &Baha'is to hurt
or depress you, but should forget the personalities, and arise to do
all you can, yourself, to teach the Faith.
&Baha'u'llah enjoins work on all. No one need ever be ashamed
of his job.


+P463
"THEIR DAILY SUSTENANCE"

In his last message to the British &Baha'i community as a whole
the Guardian wrote:

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
in their homeland.
Shoghi

+P464

+P465
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

+P466
BIOGRAPHIES
These biographies appear strictly in the order the names first
appear in the text of the book. Where a fuller report is published
elsewhere, a summary only is given together with a reference to
the other material.

NAME PAGE NAME PAGE
Dr. John E. Esslemont 9 John L. Marshall 210
Edward T. Hall 9 Mrs. M. Olga K. Mills 210
Mrs. Thornburgh-Cropper 9 Alfred and Lucy Sugar 210
George P. Simpson 9 Charles N. Dunning 211
Miss Ethel J. Rosenberg 11 Miss Claire Gung 211
&Dia'u'llah &Asgharzadih 24 Mrs. Lizzie F. Hainsworth 211
Lady Blomfield 30 Miss Margaret Sullivan 211
Rev. George Townshend 55 Cyril and Margaret
Mrs. Isobel Slade 61 Jenkerson 217
Mrs. Louise Ginman 63 Richard H. Backwell 218
Miss Florence Pinchon 72 Miss Ada Williams 222
Mrs. Claudia Coles 88 Mrs. Constance Langdon-Davies 224
Sister Grace Challis 88 George K. Marshall 228
David Hofman 108 Mrs. Marguerite Preston 231
Mrs. Lilian Stevens 116 Bernard Leach, CH, OBE 239
Miss Evelyn Baxter 117 Samuel Scott 240
&Hasan M. Balyuzi 122 John Ferraby 250
Frank Hurst 126 Mrs. Florence "Mother"
Mrs. Mary Basil-Hall 127 George 256
Albert and Jeff Joseph 146 &Musa &Banani 257
Dr. R. St. Barbe Baker 163 &Ali &Nakhjavani 257
Miss Jessica Young 172 &Hassan and Isobel &Sabri 266
Lady Kathleen Hornell 172 Arthur Norton 267
Mrs. Ursula &Samandari 172 Eric Manton 273
Mrs. Marion Hofman 179 Dr. &Abbas and &Shomais
Miss Una Townshend 181 &Afnan 278
Joseph Lee 181 Edmund Cardell 281
Mrs. Dorothy Ferraby 184 Dr. John G. Mitchell 307
Philip Hainsworth 187 Miss Irene Bennett 321
Walter Wilkins 191 Miss Dorothy Wigington 362
Mrs. Alma C. Gregory 191 Ernest W. Gregory 381
Robert Cheek 191 Dr. Ernest S. Miller 395
Mrs. Joan Giddings 194 Ian Semple 411
Hugh and Violet McKinley 194 Miss Jean Campbell 414
Dr. &Lutfullah &Hakim 195 John Craven 416
Fred Stahler 202
Mrs. Prudence George 202


+P467
DR. JOHN E. ESSLEMONT
Hand of the Cause of God page 9
Born in 1874 and accepted the Faith in early 1915, Dr. Esslemont
was elevated to the rank of Hand of the Cause of God after his
passing on 22 November 1925 and linked by the Guardian with
George Townshend and Thomas Breakwell, on the passing of
George Townshend, as "One of three luminaries shedding
brilliant lustre annals Irish, English, Scottish &Baha'i communities".
He was "Vice-President" of the first National Assembly from
October 1923 until November 1924. For fuller details of his life
and works read "Dr. J. E. Esslemont" by Dr. Moojan Momen.
(&Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1975-B130.)


EDWARD THEODORE HALL page 9
First heard of the Faith in 1910 in the Salford, Lancashire area
and with his wife Rebecca, her brother John Charles and his wife
Hester Ann Craven, made contact with Sarah Ann Ridgway,
one of the earliest British &Baha'is, and later established the second
&Baha'i Group in the British Isles. In 1912 Mr. Hall and Mr.
Craven went to Liverpool and met &Abdu'l-Baha at the boat.
Five Tablets from the Master were received. In 1922 the first
Spiritual Assembly was formed in Manchester with E. T. Hall as
Secretary. He also "represented" Manchester on the first National
Spiritual Council in 1922, and was a member of the National
Assembly until 1928. He was entrusted by Shoghi Effendi with
part of his early diaries and later maintained a close correspondence
with the Guardian for many years. His book, "The &Baha'i
Dawn; Manchester" paints a vivid picture of the early days of
the Faith in Lancashire. Through Mr. Hall's correspondence
with the Editor of the `John O'Groats Journal' (Mr. R. J. G.
Millar) frequent reviews and letters were published for
nineteen years until the Editor's retirement. He passed away on
5 December 1962 aged 82.


MRS. THORNBURGH-CROPPER page 9
One of the first &Baha'is of the West and possibly the first &Baha'i
resident in England. Her early &Baha'i life is described in "The
Chosen Highway" and in "The &Baha'i World", Vol. VIII,
pp. 649-51. She was a member of the National Spiritual

+P468
Assembly for its first two years and it was in her house in
Westminster that the first meeting of the "All-England &Baha'i
Council" was held on 6 June 1922. She passed away on 15 March
1938.


GEORGE PALGRAVE SIMPSON page 9
Was associated with the Administration of the Faith in the
British Isles from its earliest days. Elected as Chairman of the first
"Spiritual Council" and President of the "National Spiritual
Assembly" in 1923. He also served as the Assistant Secretary and
the Treasurer for some years. All the early letters from the
Guardian were addressed to him and the file copies of his letters
to the Holy Land, some to the Guardian and others to the
various secretaries, as well as the Minutes in his handwriting,
give us our closest insight into the conditions obtaining in the
1920's. At one stage he felt obliged to resign from the National
Assembly but was still called upon to remain as its Treasurer and
attend the meetings! He served the Cause with great distinction
until his death on 31 August 1934. (See letter 30 September
1934.)


MISS ETHEL JENNER ROSENBERG page 11
"One of the pioneers of the &Baha'i Cause in the Western World".
Having first embraced the Faith in 1899 she soon afterwards
went to &Akka, subsequently visiting many times both &Akka and
Haifa for months at a time, learning from and assisting the
Master in translating and transcribing the Teachings. Beloved
by all the members of the Holy Family, her passing in November
1930 at the age of 72 evoked a cabled tribute from Shoghi
Effendi, who knew her well in England and welcomed her in
Haifa after the passing of &Abdu'l-Baha. She was the one entrusted
to bring the robe of &Baha'u'llah to England, and was a member
of the National Assembly from 1923-1927. ("&Baha'i World",
Vol. IV, p. 263.)


&DIA'U'LLAH &ASGHARZADIH,
Knight of &Baha'u'llah Page 24
Born in 1880 into a &Baha'i family which emigrated to &Ishqabad
when he was fifteen years old, &Dia'u'llah was throughout his life
an active &Baha'i. His first pilgrimage was in 1903, his second was

+P469
seventeen years later, after which he settled in London, and his
third was at the time of the passing of the Master when Shoghi
Effendi gave him the task of making copies of the Master's Will
from the original. He was a member of the National Assembly
for various periods between 1925 and 1941 and settled in Jersey
as a Knight of &Baha'u'llah in 1953 at the age of 73. He passed
away in Jersey in April 1956. ("&Baha'i World", Vol. XIII, p. 881.)


SARA, LADY BLOMFIELD (&SITARIH &KHANUM) Page 30
For fuller details of her devoted services to the Cause it is
necessary to refer to "The Chosen Highway" and "The &Baha'i
World", Vol. VIII, pp. 651-6. Born in Ireland of a fearless
Protestant mother and a strong Roman Catholic father, she
understood from an early age the tragedy of religious intolerance
which led her to search for Truth until she found the &Baha'i
Revelation. She was held in high esteem in the London society
of the late "nineties" but she herself was always looking for the
Promised One. She was a great friend and admirer of Basil
Wilberforce, Archdeacon of Westminster. Not only did she
place her home in Cadogan Gardens at the disposal of the Master
during His London visits but she accompanied Him to Paris.
While He was in America she went to Mount Pelerin, in
Switzerland, to edit the rough notes of "Paris Talks", had them
sent to Him for correction and had the book published in time
for His second visit when He signed and gave away many copies.
She accompanied Shoghi Effendi when he returned to Haifa
after the passing of the Master and wrote the letter which was
later published as "The Passing of &Abdu'l-Baha". She was a
member of the National Spiritual Assembly for eight of its first
eleven years. She passed away on the last day of 1939 and a
remarkably fine obituary in the magazine "The World's
Children" of March 1940 was headed "Lady Blomfield--Apostle
of World Unity".


GEORGE TOWNSHEND
Hand of the Cause of God Page 55
First corresponded with &Abdu'l-Baha about 1918. The Master
wrote to him "It is my hope that thy church will come under the
heavenly Jerusalem". For very many years he tried to bring to
the clergy of the Church of Ireland and particularly the senior

+P470
ones, the realisation of &Baha'u'llah as Christ returned in the
Glory of the Father. In spite of his important books, "The Heart
of the Gospel" and "The Promise of All Ages", no one in the
church responded and in 1947 the Guardian called upon him to
resign from the church. He complied immediately and moved
with his wife and two children to a small bungalow in Dundrum
near Dublin. He was one of the founder members of the first
Spiritual Assembly of the &Baha'is of Dublin and in 1951 was
elevated to the rank of Hand of the Cause. For many years he
gave distinguished services to the Guardian, not least of which
was the writing of the introduction to "God Passes By" and his
presentation on behalf of the Guardian of his paper "&Baha'u'llah's
Ground Plan for World Fellowship" to the inaugural meeting of
the World Congress of Faiths in 1936. The pamphlet he wrote
to all Christians under the title "The Old Churches and the New
World Faith" was sent out to 10,000 so-called "responsible
people" in the British Isles on the occasion of his resignation
from the church, and his last book "Christ and &Baha'u'llah" was
described by the Guardian as "his crowning achievement". He
participated in the Inter-Continental Conference, Stockholm,
Sweden in July 1953 and passed away in March 1957 at the age
of 81. ("&Baha'i World", Vol. XIII, p. 841.)


MRS. ISOBEL SLADE page 61
It has not been possible to trace exactly when Mrs. Slade became
a &Baha'i but she did tell the story of how she heard of the Faith
from a visiting American believer and wished to go on
pilgrimage to see the Master. Before her plans were made she
heard of His passing and she went in the early 1920s. In the year
1926 there is a record of her being a "substitute" member of the
National Assembly elected to "represent" the London community.
From the following year the delegates elected the National
Assembly from the national electorate and Mrs. Slade served as
a member for fourteen of the following nineteen years. She was,
in different years, Chairman, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer
and Assistant Secretary. She was a "last ditch" pioneer to
Edinburgh to form the first Assembly there in 1948. To the end
of her long life she would delight her visitors with fascinating
stories of her experiences in the early days of the Faith in the
British Isles and she passed away in September 1972 at the age of

+P471
98. The Universal House of Justice cabled: "PASSING ISOBEL SLADE
SEVERS ONE FEW REMAINING LINKS EARLY CAUSE BRITISH ISLES
DEPRIVES COMMUNITY OUTSTANDING BELIEVER STOP HER UNFLAGGING
SUPPORT CAUSE GOD MORE THAN HALF CENTURY COMPRISING
MEMBERSHIP NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY PIONEER VISITING
TEACHER SIX YEAR PLAN CONSTANT DEVOTION DUTY HIGH MORAL
STATURE RENDER HER SHINING EXAMPLE FUTURE GENERATIONS
STOP EXPRESS RELATIVES FRIENDS LOVING SYMPATHY ASSURE
PRAYERS SACRED THRESHOLD AMPLE REWARD PROGRESS SOUL &ABHA
KINGDOM."


MRS. LOUISE GINMAN page 63
Also referred to later as "Louise Charlot". Became a &Baha'i in
Burlingame, California about 1910, and came to England late in
1919. She served on the London Spiritual Assembly for a period;
pioneered to Oxford, and then to Bristol where she died in
February 1963 at the age of 92.


MISS FLORENCE E. PINCHON page 72
Little is known about Miss Pinchon's early life but she was
mentioned as being active in the Faith with Dr. Esslemont and
Major Tudor Pole during the First World War (See "&Baha'i
World" Vol. XIV, pp. 370-2). "Floy" had a most lucid pen and
in addition to contributing to &Baha'i and &non-Baha'i magazines,
wrote "The Coming of the Glory", and "Life after Death". She
travelled as a &Baha'i teacher before the Second World War but
suffered from indifferent health for many years before her death
in Bournemouth in March 1966.


MISS CLAUDIA STUART COLES page 88
Having accepted the &Baha'i teachings in Washington, D.C. was
one of its most loyal and enthusiastic adherents. Moved to
London, England in 1920 and was for eleven years a member of
the community, serving for a period as secretary of the National
Assembly. She died in London on 25 May 1931. ("&Baha'i
World", Vol. IV, pp. 263-4.)


SISTER GRACE CHALLIS page 88
Sister Challis was a Quaker when she heard of the Faith from
Dr. Esslemont and she accepted it at the gathering of the

+P472
Bournemouth &Baha'is called to hear of the passing of the Master.
Always an active teacher of the Faith, she also served on the
National Assembly for fifteen of its first eighteen years, mainly
as its Chairman. She passed away in Bournemouth in October
1948.


DAVID HOFMAN page 108
A member of the Universal House of Justice since its formation
in 1963, he became a &Baha'i in the Maxwell home in Montreal
in 1933, when he began corresponding with the Guardian.
Returning to England in 1936, he was elected to the British
National Spiritual Assembly and was the Secretary during some
of its most crucial years. He was the first Manager of its
Publishing Trust and played a vital &role on the National
Teaching and Africa Committees of the Six and Two Year
Plans. He served almost continuously on the National Assembly
until his election to the Universal House of Justice. David and
Marion Hofman pioneered during the Six Year Plan in
Northampton, Birmingham and Oxford and during the Ten
Year Crusade in Cardiff and Watford. Throughout his years of
devoted service to the British community he was always in
demand as a most accomplished speaker and convincing teacher.


MRS. LILIAN STEVENS page 116
Was a founder member of the first Torquay Spiritual Assembly
in 1938; was for many years its secretary and in spite of
prolonged illness remained a great servant of the Faith. She
passed away on 1 January 1958.


MISS EVELYN BAXTER,
Knight of &Baha'u'llah page 117
Born around 1883 of missionary parents, accepted the Faith in
1923 and served with absolute devotion throughout the
remainder of her life. She was for many years a member of the
London Spiritual Assembly and served for six years on the
National Assembly. Throughout her &Baha'i life she corresponded
frequently with the Guardian and responded to his overseas
pioneer call when she became a Knight of &Baha'u'llah for the
Channel Isles in September 1953. She had already pioneered in
the Six Year Plan to Birmingham, Nottingham, Hove, Oxford

+P473
and Cardiff. She died on 21 August 1969 and the Universal
House of Justice cabled: "DEEPLY GRIEVED PASSING KNIGHT OF
&BAHA'U'LLAH EVELYN BAXTER. AMONG FIRST PIONEERS SIX YEAR
PLAN HER LONG FAITHFUL SERVICE BRITISH &BAHA'I COMMUNITY
PROVIDES EXAMPLE DEVOTION FORTITUDE".
("&Baha'i World", Vol. XV, pp. 456-7)


&HASAN M. BALYUZI,
Hand of the Cause of God page 122
He was first elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of the
&Baha'is of the British Isles in 1933 and served continuously until
1960, when he retired in order to devote his whole time to the
work of the Hands of the Cause. He served at the World Centre,
and travelled to South America and throughout Canada in 1961.
Mr. Balyuzi was Secretary of the first Summer School
Committee in 1936, on the National Teaching Committee in
1940 and Chairman of the National Assembly almost every year
from 1942 until his retirement. He was elevated to the rank of
Hand of the Cause in 1957, and has made invaluable contributions
to the literature of the Faith with his trilogy, "&Baha'u'llah",
"&Abdu'l-Baha" and "The &Bab"; his "Edward Granville Browne
and the &Baha'i Faith", his pamphlet on "&Baha'i Administration",
and "&Muhammad and the Course of &Islam". (See page 490)


FRANK HURST page 126
An early worker in the Trade Union Movement in Britain,
Frank was an outspoken sympathiser of the Faith for over twenty
years before actually accepting it in Bradford in 1939. He died
in Leeds in 1949.


MRS. MARY BASIL-HALL (PARVINE) page 127
Daughter of Lady Blomfield, she was active in the Faith from
her youth, particularly during the visit to Britain of the Master
Whom she served with such devotion, and Who bestowed upon
her the name "Parvine" on His first visit in 1911. She served for
five years on the National Spiritual Assembly and for a short
time on the National Teaching Committee of the Six Year Plan.
At her passing the National Assembly cabled the Guardian,
"PARVINE GLORIED IN SUCCESS PLAN PASSED TO &ABHA KINGDOM
MORNING 28TH" (April 1950).


+P474
ALBERT AND JEFF JOSEPH page 146
Associated with the Faith from the very beginnings of the
Administration in the British Isles, the Joseph brothers gave long
and outstanding service to the Cause. Jacob (later "Jeff") was
Chairman and Albert (then Ibrahim) a member of the first
"Spiritual Council" of the &Baha'is of Manchester. Jacob was a
member of the first "All-England &Baha'i Council" in 1922 and of
the first National Spiritual Assembly in 1923. Both were
mentioned in and received some Tablets from the Master and
both were warmly regarded by the Guardian for their services
to the Faith. Jeff died in August 1969 in Manchester and Albert
in August 1978.


RICHARD ST. BARBE BAKER, O.B.E., LL.D.,
FOR.D.I.P. (CAMBRIDGE) page 163
On his return from Kenya in 1924 where he had served as
Assistant Conservator of Forests since 1920, R. St. Barbe Baker
was asked to speak on the faiths of the Kikuyu under the title:
"Some African Beliefs" at the `Conference of Living Religions
within the Empire', and was approached afterwards by Claudia
Stewart-Coles who exclaimed "You are a &Baha'i". He subsequently
accepted the Faith and has introduced it to many
thousands of people in all walks of life in many lands, for more
than half a century. The Guardian became the first Life Member
of the Men of the Trees in Palestine in 1929. Later, for twelve
consecutive years, he sent an official message to St. Barbe's World
Forestry Charter Gatherings attended by Ambassadors from up
to sixty-two countries each year. St. Barbe took an active part on
the Committee celebrating the Centenary of the Declaration of
the &Bab in 1944. After his first Sahara University Expedition
carrying out an ecological survey of 9,000 miles in 1953, and in
response to the Guardian's desire, St. Barbe attended the First
African Conference in Kampala. In 1975 St. Barbe was called
upon to advise on tree planting of the site of the &Tihran House
of Worship in consultation with Quinlan Terry, architect.
Afterwards, in collaboration with architect Hossein &Amanat, he
recorded his observations for the Universal House of Justice for
the landscaping of their site on Mt. Carmel and for tree-scaping
at &Bahji. St. Barbe attended the Intercontinental Conference
Nairobi, in October 1976 and still (1979) at almost 90 is

+P475
introducing or teaching the Faith in many lands and would be
content to "lay down his bones in service to the Faith" in his
beloved Africa.


MISS JESSICA YOUNG page 172
Historically was the first British pioneer to arise when she went
for a short time to Bristol.


KATHLEEN BROWN (LADY HORNELL) page 172
Was elected to the National Assembly in 1936 and served until
1945. She pioneered to Nottingham in 1946 where she later
married Sir William Hornell. Her next pioneer post was in
Belfast in 1952, then to Venice (1960-1965) and later to Sardinia
(1965-1968). She returned to London to live at the home of her
son-in-law, Hand of the Cause, H. M. Balyuzi. She passed away
in September 1977 and the Universal House of Justice cabled:
"PASSING LADY HORNELL ROBS BRITISH COMMUNITY ONE OF FEW
REMAINING LINKS EARLY DAYS FAITH. HER UNWAVERING FAITH
CONSTANT DEDICATED SERVICES PIONEER TEACHING ADMINISTRATIVE
FIELDS OVER SO MANY YEARS ASSURE HER HIGH STATION
ANNALS CAUSE PROVIDE SHINING EXAMPLE PRESENT FUTURE
GENERATIONS. ADVISE HOLD BEFITTING MEMORIAL MEETING.
ASSURE ARDENT PRAYERS SACRED THRESHOLD PROGRESS HER LOVING
SOUL &ABHA KINGDOM."


URSULA &SAMANDARI (&nee NEWMAN),
Knight of &Baha'u'llah page 172
First served on the British National Assembly in 1945 and
pioneered to St. Ives in the same year. Ursula became pioneer
member of the first Dublin Assembly in 1948 and pioneered
again, a year later, to Belfast. In Belfast she became member of
the first Local Assembly and worked with pioneer Dr. Mehdi
&Samandari, whom she married. They subsequently pioneered to
Nairobi in 1953 and later to Somalia, where she was a Knight of
&Baha'u'llah and became a member of the first Spiritual Assembly
of Mogadiscio, on which she served from 1954 until 1971. In
addition to these experiences, she served on the National
Assembly for North East Africa (1961-1970) and on the
National Assembly of Cameroon since 1972, where she still
serves (1979).


+P476
MRS MARION HOFMAN page 179
Came to Britain in 1945 to be married to David Hofman, after
having served the Faith in America with great distinction as a
teacher, writer and administrator. With her husband she
pioneered during the Six Year Plan in Northampton, Birmingham
and Oxford, and during the Ten Year Crusade in Cardiff
and Watford. She served on the National Spiritual Assembly
and National Teaching Committee and as an Auxiliary Board
member. Since David's election to the Universal House of
Justice, Marion was solely responsible for the family publishing
business of George Ronald.


MISS UNA TOWNSHEND
Knight of &Baha'u'llah page 181
Was the first of Hand of the Cause George Townshend's family
to embrace the Faith which her father had espoused many years
previously. She was an active &Baha'i youth and on 16 September
1946 became the first pioneer in Ireland where she opened the
`pivotal centre' of Dublin and was on its first Spiritual Assembly
in 1948. She pioneered to Malta and was the first Knight of
&Baha'u'llah in that island in October 1953.


JOSEPH LEE page 181
Accepted the Faith in Manchester in 1932 and was active on
committees and in the teaching work for over thirty years. He
served on the National Spiritual Assembly from 1933 to 1940
and pioneered to Brighton, Torquay and Exeter, sacrificing
material prosperity over many years in the interests of teaching
and pioneering. He passed away in May 1966 at the age of 55
years.


MRS DOROTHY FERRABY (&nee Cansdale) page 184
Became a &Baha'i and was active in the London Youth group in
the early 1930's. She was elected to the National Spiritual
Assembly in 1941 and served continuously as either Secretary,
Treasurer or Recording Secretary for the next twenty years. She
retired when her husband, Hand of the Cause John Ferraby, left
to serve at the World Centre. That the small and scattered

+P477
British &Baha'i community was held together in the 1940's is
generally recognised to have been due to the dedicated work of
Dorothy as Secretary of the National Assembly working
indefatigably in war-torn London. She became an Auxiliary
Board Member in 1954 and was appointed to the European
Board of Counsellors in 1968.


PHILIP HAINSWORTH page 187
Accepted the Faith in Bradford in 1938, and at the outbreak of
War was the first British believer to register as a &Baha'i in the
Armed Forces. He had to appeal in Court when seeking
exemption from being involved in the taking of life and, being
released from combatant service, was drafted into the Royal
Army Medical Corps. Prior to his release from military service
in 1946, he spent five weeks in Haifa and in the same year
pioneered to Nottingham. He was appointed Chairman of the
National Youth Committee and Secretary of the National
Teaching Committee and was elected to the National Assembly
in 1947. He subsequently pioneered to Oxford and Blackburn.
In June 1951 he was one of the party of five pioneers who first
went to Dar-es-Salaam and then on to Kampala, Uganda, where
he became Secretary of the first local Spiritual Assembly in 1952
and of the Regional National Assembly in Central and East
Africa in 1956. He returned to pioneer in the Leeds area in 1966,
was elected to the National Assembly in 1967 and is still (1979)
a member.


WALTER WILKINS page 191
Born in 1883 Walter embraced the Faith when he was about 40
years old. He was a keen Esperantist through which he learned
of the Faith. He served for many years on the London Spiritual
Assembly and was on the National Assembly for a year in 1934.
Responding to the pioneer call of the Six Year Plan he moved to
Birmingham in 1946, to Blackburn in 1947, to Norwich in
1948, and in 1961 at the age of 78 he pioneered to Canterbury.
At the age of 82 he took a small flat in an old people's home
where for the first time in his life he was able to entertain the
friends and hold Feasts and even an assembly meeting. He passed
away after an accident on 19 March 1973.


+P478
MRS ALMA CYNTHIA GREGORY page 191
Although she remembers her mother, Louise Ginman, going
from town to town in the United States trying to find the
Master, but reaching the place shortly after He had left, and
speaks with feeling of personal involvement as a &Baha'i youth, of
many early meetings in London at the homes of Lady Blomfield,
Claudia Coles, Ethel Rosenberg, "Mother" George and many
others of that day, she did not formally register as a &Baha'i in the
British Isles until 1942. She pioneered to Northampton in
August 1946 and helped to form its first Assembly, leaving for
Liverpool in 1949 for the same purpose. She subsequently
pioneered to Bristol, Exeter and Stornoway; was the Secretary
of the National Youth Committee when it launched its "&Baha'i
Youth Bulletin" from 1946 to 1948; was Secretary of the
Assembly Development Committee for some years and was a
member of the National Assembly for seven years between 1948
and 1956.


ROBERT CHEEK page 191
Became a &Baha'i in London on &Naw-Ruz 1945, pioneered to
Bournemouth in September 1946, to Bristol in 1947 to help
form the first Assembly there, and to Norwich in 1948 where
he has lived since except for a short special pioneer project in
Blackburn in 1950-1.


MRS JOAN GIDDINGS (&nee BROWNE) page 194
Accepted the Faith in Bradford in 1938. She pioneered first to
Cardiff and later to York and Canterbury, and was active on
Assemblies and on National Committees throughout her &Baha'i
life. She passed away in Canterbury in 1978. (See also note about
developments in Bradford under "Cyril and Margaret
Jenkerson".)


HUGH AND VIOLET MCKINLEY page 194
Hugh McKinley and his mother, Violet McKinley, pioneered
from Torquay to Cardiff in 1947, serving on the first local
Spiritual Assembly when formed there in 1948. Together they
pioneered to Nicosia, Cyprus in 1953, moving to Famagusta in
1958. Violet passed away there in August 1959. In 1966 Hugh
pioneered to Syros in the Cyclades Islands (Greece) and returned

+P479
to the United Kingdom in October 1977. ("&Baha'i World", Vol.
XVI, p. 512.)


DR. &LUTFU'LLAH &HAKIM page 195
Was born into a family of distinguished Jewish medical doctors
in 1888. His grandfather was the first Jew to embrace the Cause
and &Baha'u'llah revealed a Tablet in his honour. &Lutfu'llah came
to study physiotherapy in England in 1910 and he was in
constant attendance on the Master during His visit in 1911. He
went to serve in the Holy Land and returned to England in 1920
when he accompanied Shoghi Effendi. He later served with
distinction in Persia and returned, at the request of the Guardian,
to Britain in October 1948, where he taught and travelled
extensively until called to Haifa by the Guardian on 14
November 1950. He was appointed to the first International
&Baha'i Council. He was elected to the first Universal House of
Justice in 1963 but because of failing health and advanced age
regretfully his resignation was accepted in October 1967 though
he consented to serve until the 1968 election. He passed away in
August 1968 and the House cabled the &Baha'i world: "GRIEVE
ANNOUNCE PASSING &LUTFU'LLAH &HAKIM DEDICATED SERVANT
CAUSE GOD. SPECIAL MISSIONS ENTRUSTED HIM, FULL CONFIDENCE
REPOSED IN HIM BY MASTER AND GUARDIAN, HIS CLOSE ASSOCIATION
WITH EARLY DISTINGUISHED BELIEVERS EAST WEST INCLUDING HIS
COLLABORATION ESSLEMONT, HIS SERVICES PERSIA BRITISH ISLES
HOLY LAND, HIS MEMBERSHIP APPOINTED AND ELECTED INTERNATIONAL
&BAHA'I COUNCIL, HIS ELECTION UNIVERSAL HOUSE JUSTICE
WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED IMMORTAL ANNALS FAITH
&BAHA'U'LLAH." ("&Baha'i World", Vol. XV, pp. 430-4.)


FRED STAHLER page 202
Arose to pioneer shortly after accepting the Faith in Manchester
in 1947. He pioneered first to Cardiff, then to Bristol, moved for
varying periods to seven other cities and finally settled in Derby
in 1965.


MRS. PRUDENCE GEORGE page 202
Born in England in 1896 she moved to Canada in 1928 where
she accepted the Faith in 1941. She first pioneered from St.
Lambert to Moncton and then from Canada to England with

+P480
her young daughter in 1946 to settle in Blackburn, Lancs. From
there to Norwich and Bournemouth in the Six Year Plan and
then to Edinburgh and Portsmouth. In 1959 she pioneered to
Luxembourg and then in the Nine Year Plan, to Guernsey, to
Chelmsford, Essex and again overseas to the Canary Islands. In
1969 she returned to England to pioneer in Hereford and St.
Austell and then back again to the Canaries where she was on the
first Spiritual Assembly of Arucas. For over thirty years she
served the Cause with utter consecration; carrying out at least
sixteen pioneer projects in three continents. She passed away in
Birmingham, England on 12 July 1974. ("&Baha'i World", Vol.
XVI, p. 534.)


JOHN LUDLOW MARSHALL page 210
"Johnny" was a Scot, born in 1876, went to work as a tinsmith
at the age of eleven and later, after marriage, settled in
Birmingham to pursue his trade. He was confirmed in the Faith
by the Master, Whom he met in 1911 and 1913, when he was,
for many years, the only &Baha'i in Birmingham. Johnny kept
excellent records of visits and lectures by some of the early
visitors to Birmingham, including Martha Root, Dr. Esslemont,
Mountford Mills and Helen Bishop. At the age of 71 he retired
from work and pioneered to Edinburgh where he died as a result
of an accident in January 1948, only three months before the
first Spiritual Assembly was formed there.


MARY OLGA KATHERINE MILLS,
Knight of &Baha'u'llah page 210
Born in Germany in 1882 with a German father and English
mother she grew up with an insatiable love for travel. In the
United States she married an Englishman. It is not certain when
she accepted the Faith but she was on pilgrimage in 1930 and
stayed for a month as companion to Effie Baker. She was later a
great help to the friends in Berlin and Leipzig and gave much
support to Adam Benke who pioneered to Sofia. After suffering
many privations during the war in Germany she wrote to the
Guardian in 1947 and he encouraged her suggestion to pioneer
to England. She arrived in early 1948 and settled in her first
pioneer post in Nottingham. Within nine months she was again
on the move in response to pioneer calls. Belfast, Edinburgh, St.

+P481
Ives, Brighton, and Bournemouth, making six moves in just
over two years by a lady in her late sixties. In 1953 she responded
immediately and was enrolled as a Knight of &Baha'u'llah for
Malta where, after numerous vicissitudes and a small but painful
accident which affected her for many months, she was able, some
twenty years later, to witness the formation of the first Spiritual
Assembly in Malta. She passed away, after twenty-seven years of
dedicated pioneering which covered four territories, in May
1974, when the Universal House of Justice cabled: "PASSING
NOBLE SOUL OLGA MILLS GRIEVOUS LOSS BRITISH &BAHA'I COMMUNITY.
HER LONG STEADFAST DEVOTION &BAHA'U'LLAH SHEDS LUSTRE
ANNALS FAITH THAT COMMUNITY. ISLAND MALTA HISTORICALLY
FAMOUS CLASSICAL CHRISTIAN ISLAMIC ERAS RECIPIENT NEW
SPIRITUAL POTENTIALITIES THROUGH HEROIC SERVICE KNIGHT
&BAHA'U'LLAH DEDICATED BAND PIONEERS. EXPRESS FRIENDS RELATIVES
LOVING SYMPATHY ASSURE ARDENT PRAYERS PROGRESS SOUL."
("&Baha'i World", Vol. XVI, p. 531.)


ALFRED AND EDITH LUCY SUGAR page 210
After hearing of the Faith from her brother, E. T. Hall, Lucy
Sugar accepted the Faith on 28 November 1921, but Alfred
remained agnostic until about 1925. He became well known for
his depth of knowledge of the Faith and for his cogent argument.
He was a teacher of the highest order and was largely responsible
for the development of the Faith around Lancashire and over the
Pennines into Bradford and Leeds. Lucy was a member of the
National Assembly in 1929 and Alfred was a member during
eight of the following thirteen years.
Alfred died in December 1961 at the age of 92 (or 93) and was
followed in March 1966 by Lucy aged 90.


CHARLES WILLIAM DUNNING,
Knight of &Baha'u'llah page 211
Born in or near Leeds, March 1885. Met and embraced the Faith
in 1948 and within a fortnight offered to pioneer to Belfast.
After serious illness and a period of recuperation in Cardiff, he
served in Sheffield until 1953. "Charlie" answered the Guardian's
call to settle in unopened territories in the Ten Year Crusade and
he arrived in Kirkwall, Orkney in September 1953, opening the
way, "essentially ... alone" for the founding of Kirkwall Spiritual

+P482
Assembly. After four years, broken by ill health and persecution,
he was, for his own safety, sent back to Cardiff. After a bad fall
in 1967 from which he never fully recovered, he passed away
quietly in his sleep on Christmas Day, 1967 in Cardiff. ("&Baha'i
World", Vol. XIV, pp. 305-8.)


MISS CLAIRE GUNG page 211
Born in Germany, became a &Baha'i in Torquay and later joined
the small &Baha'i group in Cheltenham in 1940. She moved to
Manchester and later pioneered to Northampton in November
1946 to become member of the first Spiritual Assembly there. In
1948 she again pioneered to help form the first Spiritual
Assembly in the "Pivotal Centre" of Cardiff. In 1950, during the
"Year of Respite", Claire became the first pioneer actually to
move from the British community to settle in Africa. Hailed by
the Guardian as the "Mother of Africa" she worked for some
years in Tanganyika and then moved to Uganda where she
established a multi-racial kindergarten; she is still at her pioneer
post at the time of writing (1979).


MRS. LIZZIE FOWLER HAINSWORTH page 211
Became a &Baha'i in Bradford in 1946 after replying to her
younger son Philip that she had not become a &Baha'i during his
absence in the Armed Forces because "Nobody had asked me to".
She pioneered to Nottingham in 1946, to Oxford in 1949 and,
at the age of 72, was the first believer in the British Isles to offer
to pioneer in the Two Year Plan to Africa. (Convention 1950.)
She died in Bradford in September 1951 before she could join
her son Philip in Uganda. The Guardian wrote of her through
his secretary, "She has truly shown an exemplary &Baha'i spirit in
every way.... He wishes more of the &Baha'is would arise to such
heights of devotion and sacrifice."


MISS MARGARET SULLIVAN (later MRS. MARGARET
NELSON) page 211
Pioneered to Dublin and was on the first Local Assembly there
in 1948. She was Caretaker of the National &Hazi'ratu'l-Quds,
London from December 1970 to August 1976, and then became
a founder member of the Tameside Assembly, Lancashire.


+P483
CYRIL AND MARGARET JENKERSON page 217
Became &Baha'is in Bradford in 1940 and pioneered to Oxford to
be members of the first Assembly there in 1949. (It is of interest
to note that in 1938 there were only three Spiritual Assemblies
in the British Isles--in London, Manchester and Bournemouth,
and a total of about eighty registered &Baha'is, yet in Bradford
there were, during the course of about two years, so many new
registrations that the first Assembly was elected there in 1939
and by 1949 that Community had sent out ten pioneers from its
first twenty-five believers.) The Jenkersons pioneered to Cyprus
in 1978 and are still there (1979).


RICHARD H. BACKWELL page 218
Became a &Baha'i in Ceylon in 1944 where he was an officer in
the Royal Air Force. Returning to Britain in 1946, he pioneered
in Nottingham, Newcastle, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Leeds; was
a member of the National Spiritual Assembly from 1947 until
January 1955 when he pioneered to British Guiana, now Guyana.
He was for a time part-time manager of the &Baha'i Publishing
Trust and Editor of the &Baha'i Journal. After his return from
Guiana, he settled with his family in Northern Ireland in 1963
and again served on the National Assembly until 1968 when he
was appointed an Auxiliary Board Member. His valuable
contributions to &Baha'i literature include the compilations with
which he was associated--"Pattern of &Baha'i Life", "Principles of
&Baha'i Administration", "The Covenant of &Baha'u'llah", "Guidance
for Today and Tomorrow", "A Faith for Everyman", and
his unique approach to the Christians, "The Christianity of Jesus".
He passed away on 4 October 1972 at the age of 58 when the
Universal House of Justice included in their cable: "GRIEF PASSING
EARLY AGE RICHARD BACKWELL GREATLY ASSUAGED TERMINATION
HIS SUFFERING CONTEMPLATION DISTINGUISHED RECORD SERVICE
SOUTH AMERICA BRITISH ISLES SPIRITUAL RADIANCE EVENING
EARTHLY LIFE..." ("&Baha'i World", Vol. XV, pp. 525-27.)


MISS ADA WILLIAMS page 222
Pioneered to Motherwell in 1948 and then to Blackpool in
1965. She has travelled widely to teach the Faith at home and
overseas, visiting Malta, South Africa and Canada where her
great spirit was most inspiring; she is still travelling (1979).


+P484
MRS CONSTANCE LANGDON-DAVIES page 224
Was one of the early believers in Torquay where she associated
with Mark Tobey, Bernard Leach and other artists and writers
at Dartington Hall. She accepted the Faith in December 1936
and served on the National Assembly for fifteen of the years
from 1938 until her unexpected death in Oxford in December
1954. She had pioneered to help form the first Assembly there
1949.


GEORGE K. MARSHALL page 228
Became a &Baha'i in 1949 although he had lived most of his life
with his father, one of the early British believers, in Birmingham.
(See "John L. Marshall".) George pioneered for a short while to
Belfast and then in 1950 to Glasgow where he lived for seven
years, except for a short pioneering project to maintain the
Assembly in Edinburgh. He died at an early age on 30 March
1958.


MRS MARGUERITE PRESTON (&nee Wellby) page 231
Became a &Baha'i in 1936, was a member of the National
Assembly for three and a half years during the period 1939 to
1945. She married Terence Preston, a Kenya tea grower, in
August 1945 and settled in Kenya where she was the only &Baha'i
until the pioneers began to settle under the Two Year Plan. Her
husband died unexpectedly in July 1951 leaving her with three
young children and she and her eldest child were killed in an
aeroplane crash when she was returning to Kenya after a short
holiday in England, in February 1952.


BERNARD LEACH, C.H., C.B.E. page 239
It was through Mark Tobey that world famous potter and
author Bernard Leach became a &Baha'i in the early 1930's. He has
through his works, his books, his press, radio and television
interviews introduced the Faith with love, dedication and
dignity to people in many spheres of society in Britain, Japan and
America. He was honoured by Her Majesty the Queen and
made a Companion of Honour. Even at ninety years of age,
though blind, he was serving the Cause with distinction through
his writings and interviews. In March 1977, he opened, with
much favourable publicity, an exhibition of his works at the

+P485
Victoria and Albert Museum London. In 1919, when Bernard
was about to leave Japan, the late Soetsu Yangi, the well-known
Japanese art critic and philosopher and Bernard's friend for over
fifty years, paid tribute: "When he leaves us we shall have lost
the one man who knows Japan on its spiritual side... I consider
his position in Japan, and also his mission in his own country to
be pregnant with the deepest meaning. He is trying to knit the
East and West together by art, and it seems likely that he will be
remembered as the first to accomplish as an artist, what for so
long mankind has been dreaming of bringing about...."
He passed away in May 1979 and to the National Assembly the
Universal House of Justice cabled:
"KINDLY EXTEND LOVING SYMPATHY RELATIVES FRIENDS PASSING
DISTINGUISHED VETERAN UPHOLDER FAITH &BAHA'U'LLAH BERNARD
LEACH. HONOURS CONFERRED UPON HIM RECOGNITION HIS WORLD-WIDE
FAME CRAFTSMAN POTTER PROMOTER CONCORD EAST AND
WEST ADD LUSTRE ANNALS BRITISH &BAHA'I HISTORY AND HIS EAGER
WILLINGNESS USE HIS RENOWN FOR SERVICE FAITH EARN ETERNAL
GRATITUDE FELLOW BELIEVERS. ASSURE ARDENT PRAYERS PROGRESS
HIS SOUL."


SAMUEL SCOTT page 240
Became a &Baha'i when he was 76 years old and pioneered to
Norwich at the age of 84. He passed away on 31 December
1951, at the age of 86.


JOHN FERRABY,
Hand of the Cause of God. page 250
Accepted the Faith in 1941 and was elected to the National
Assembly almost immediately. He was Secretary from 1946
until December 1960 when he took up duties at the World
Centre. He was also for a number of years manager of the &Baha'i
Publishing Trust. On his passing in September 1973 the
Universal House of Justice called for memorial meetings "ALL
COMMUNITIES &BAHA'I WORLD" and referred to his "VALUABLE
CONTRIBUTION &BAHA'I LITERATURE THROUGH HIS BOOK `ALL
THINGS MADE NEW'". ("&Baha'i World", Vol. XVI, p. 511.)


MRS FLORENCE "MOTHER" GEORGE page 256
Always proud of the designation "Mother" given to her by
&Abdu'l-Baha when she was one of the early pilgrims to the Holy

+P486
Land, it was Mother George who introduced the Faith to Dr.
John Esslemont. For very many years she conducted Sunday
afternoon meetings in her Chelsea home in London and she
passed away on 4 November 1950 at the age of 91. ("&Baha'i
World", Vol. XII, p. 697.)


&MUSA &BANANI,
Hand of the Cause of God. page 257
Pioneered with his wife &Samihih to Uganda in 1951 and was
elevated to the rank of Hand of the Cause in February 1952. The
beloved Guardian also described him as the "spiritual conqueror
of Africa". In spite of failing health he visited most African
territories, served for some five years as the sole Hand of the
African Continent, and finally, after many years of constant
suffering, passed away at his pioneering post in Kampala,
Uganda, on 4 September 1971. The Universal House of Justice
cabled: "PROFOUNDLY MOURN PASSING DEARLY LOVED HAND
CAUSE &MUSA &BANANI RECALL WITH DEEP AFFECTION HIS SELFLESS
UNASSUMING PROLONGED SERVICES CRADLE FAITH HIS EXEMPLARY
PIONEERING UGANDA CULMINATING HIS APPOINTMENT AS HAND
CAUSE AFRICA AND PRAISE BELOVED GUARDIAN AS SPIRITUAL
CONQUEROR THAT CONTINENT. INTERMENT HIS REMAINS AFRICAN
SOIL UNDER SHADOW MOTHER TEMPLE ENHANCES SPIRITUAL
LUSTRE THAT BLESSED SPOT. FERVENTLY PRAYING SHRINES PROGRESS
HIS NOBLE SOUL. MAY AFRICA NOW ROBBED STAUNCH VENERABLE
PROMOTER DEFENDER FAITH FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE CHEER HIS
HEART &ABHA KINGDOM. CONVEY FAMILY MOST TENDER SYMPATHIES
ADVISE HOLD MEMORIAL MEETINGS ALL COMMUNITIES &BAHA'I
WORLD BEFITTING GATHERINGS MOTHER TEMPLES". ("&Baha'i
World", Vol. XV, pp. 421-3.)


&ALI &NAKHJAVANI page 257
Left Persia in early 1951, after service for the Faith in youth and
teaching activities and as a member of the National Assembly, to
join his wife, Violette and her parents, &Musa and &Samihih &Banani,
in the British Isles, preparatory to their pioneering to Africa. His
teaching activities in Africa took him to remote African villages,
and, later, as assistant to Mr. &Banani when he was appointed
Hand of the Cause, to many countries on the African continent.
Elected Chairman of the first Regional National Assembly of
Central and East Africa, then as member of the first elected

+P487
International Council and finally as member of the Universal
House of Justice in 1963.


&HASSAN AND ISOBEL &SABRI page 266
&Hassan, a young Egyptian &Baha'i studying in England in 1945
met Isobel Locke, an American pioneer to England, and they
both served with distinction in the Six Year Plan, &Hassan on the
National Youth and National Teaching Committees and the
Nottingham, Birmingham, Belfast, Liverpool, Cardiff and
Bristol Spiritual Assemblies, and Isobel on the Assemblies in
Edinburgh, Blackpool, Sheffield and Bristol, as well as on the
National Teaching Committee. They married in 1951 and
pioneered to Tanganyika and Uganda, where &Hassan was on the
first National Spiritual Assembly of Central and East Africa.
Isobel became a Counsellor and &Hassan Secretary of the
Continental Pioneer Committee for Africa. They subsequently
pioneered to Kenya where they still serve (1979).


ARTHUR NORTON page 267
Was the Treasurer of the special fund for the Shrine of the &Bab
when he received some letters and receipts. He and his wife
Marion were founder members of the Bradford &Baha'i community
as well as being the first pioneers to Sheffield during the
Six Year Plan. He served on the National Assembly for seven
and a half years during the period 1938-1946, when he was
obliged to retire due to ill-health in December 1946.


ERIC MANTON page 273
Became a &Baha'i in Northampton in 1946 where he was a
member of the first Spiritual Assembly. He later pioneered to
Edinburgh where he was also on the first Scottish Assembly and
to the virgin territory of Northern Rhodesia in 1951. He was
Chairman of the first National Spiritual Assembly of South
Central Africa in 1964 and of the National Assembly of Zambia
for nine years from its formation in 1967. He has remained at his
post and became a Zambian citizen in 1973.


DR. &ABBAS AND &SHOMAIS &AFNAN, page 278
&Abbas &Afnan was a student in Paris and came to England as a
pioneer to Africa for the Two Year Plan. &Shomais &Ala'i was the

+P488
second Persian &Baha'i student to come to Northampton to train
as a nurse and arrived in 1948. They married at Summer School,
Cottingham, Yorkshire in 1951 and pioneered soon afterwards--
&Shomais to Ethiopia and &Abbas to Persia. &Abbas joined &Shomais
in Africa in 1953. They returned to England in 1958 and opened
the town of Burnley where an Assembly was formed in 1961. In
1975 &Abbas pioneered to Newfoundland and &Shomais joined
him in July 1976. &Abbas was a member of the National
Assembly from 1964 until his pioneer move, and &Shomais was
active in United Nations' affairs. &Shomais toured Persia in 1971
at the request of the Universal House of Justice, was one of the
representatives of the &Baha'i International Community at the
International Women's Year Convention in Mexico in 1975
and travelled extensively in the British Isles in 1978-1979.


EDMUND (TED) CARDELL,
Knight of &Baha'u'llah page 281
Became a &Baha'i in Canada in 1948 and returned to his father's
farm in England some time later. He pioneered to Kenya in
October 1951 where he was a founder member of the first local
Assembly in Nairobi. He became Knight of &Baha'u'llah for
South West Africa in 1953 and returned to England in 1963. He
was elected to the National Assembly in 1973 and is still a
member (1979).


DR. JOHN GEORGE MITCHELL,
Knight of &Baha'u'llah page 307
Became a &Baha'i in 1950, was member of the National Assembly
from 1952 to 1954 from which he pioneered as a Knight of
&Baha'u'llah for Malta. He had pioneered for a short while in
Blackpool. He passed away on 19 February 1957 at the age of 50.
("&Baha'i World", Vol. XIII, p. 901.)


MISS IRENE BENNETT page 321
Became a &Baha'i in Kenya in 1953 and has been in pioneering
posts since that time. She has served in Portugal, Switzerland,
Scotland, Kenya, Uganda (where she was an Auxiliary Board
Member), Nigeria, and is presently (1980) in the Central African
Republic.


+P489
MISS DOROTHY WIGINGTON page 362
Became a &Baha'i at Summer School, Exeter in July 1954 and has
been a staunch member of the Oxford Assembly from January
1955.


ERNEST WILLIAM GREGORY page 381
Responded to an experimental postal card advertisement in
Sheffield and accepted the Faith there in March 1951. He was
elected to the National Assembly in 1954 when John Mitchell
pioneered to Malta. He served until 1963 when he became an
Auxiliary Board Member. He left in April 1974 to serve at the
World Centre and passed away there in April 1978. The
Universal House of Justice cabled: "ANNOUNCE PASSING TO &ABHA
KINGDOM MORNING OF FIRST DAY &RIDVAN DISTINGUISHED SERVANT
&BAHA'U'LLAH ERNEST GREGORY. HIS OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION
GROWTH BRITISH &BAHA'I COMMUNITY AS MEMBER MANY YEARS
NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY AND LATER MEMBER AUXILIARY
BOARD ENSURE HIM HIGH PLACE THAT COMMUNITY'S ANNALS. HIS
STIRLING QUALITIES ENDEARED HIM TO ALL AT WORLD CENTRE
FAITH WHERE HIS LOSS KEENLY FELT. ADVISE BRITISH COMMUNITY
JOIN PRAYERS THANKSGIVING HIS LIFE PROGRESS HIS SOUL."


DR. ERNEST SPENCER MILLER page 395
Became a &Baha'i in September 1951 in Liverpool and at great
sacrifice left his medical practice to pioneer to Cardiff in 1955.
For some years prior to his death in October 1976, he lived
partly in Liverpool and partly in Anglesey, North Wales. The
Universal House of Justice cabled: "GRIEVED LOSS DEVOTED
BELIEVER ERNEST MILLER WHO RENDERED DISTINGUISHED SERVICES
BRITISH HOME FRONT ENDEARED HIMSELF FELLOW BELIEVERS.
EXTEND SYMPATHY FRIENDS ASSURE ARDENT PRAYERS SACRED
THRESHOLD PROGRESS HIS SOUL &ABHA KINGDOM."


IAN SEMPLE page 411
Heard of the Faith at the first public meeting organised by the
Oxford Spiritual Assembly in 1949 and accepted it shortly
afterwards. He was elected to the National Assembly in January
1955 and was a member until &Ridvan 1961, serving as Secretary
from January 1960 to January 1961. In 1956 he pioneered to
Edinburgh for two and a half years, and was appointed to the

+P490
Auxiliary Board for the Propagation of the Faith in November
1957. He was elected to the International &Baha'i Council at
&Ridvan 1961, and to the Universal House of Justice in 1963.


MISS JEAN M. CAMPBELL page 414
Jean Campbell accepted the Faith in Oxford in 1949 in time to
be on the first Spiritual Assembly there. She served as the
Assembly secretary for some years, pioneered to Aberdeen in
1959 and then to Malta in February 1964 where she is still at her
pioneer post (1979).


JOHN CHARLES CRAVEN page 416
Was associated closely with E. T. Hall and Rebecca Hall from
the earliest days of the Faith in Manchester, and remained a
dedicated worker until his death, aged 80 in 1958. "Uncle John"
kept up a wide correspondence with many of the early believers,
and it was in a letter to him that Dr. T. K. Cheyne D.D. made his
"Declaration" of belief in &Baha'u'llah. He received three Tablets
from the Master and was on the National Assembly for six of the
first eight years. His teaching of the Faith was mostly in the
Altrincham area and among his workmates.


ADDENDUM FOR &H. M. BALYUZI page 473
His crowning work, "&Baha'u'llah--the King of Glory" was still
at the binders when he passed away at his home in London on 12
February 1980. The Universal House of Justice cabled the &Baha'i
world, "WITH BROKEN HEARTS ANNOUNCE PASSING DEARLY LOVED
HAND CAUSE &HASAN BALYUZI. ENTIRE &BAHA'I WORLD ROBBED ONE
OF ITS MOST POWERFUL DEFENDERS MOST RESOURCEFUL HISTORIANS.
HIS ILLUSTRIOUS LINEAGE HIS DEVOTED LABOURS DIVINE VINEYARD
HIS OUTSTANDING LITERARY WORKS COMBINED IN IMMORTALISING
HIS HONOURED NAME IN ANNALS BELOVED FAITH. CALL ON FRIENDS
EVERYWHERE HOLD MEMORIAL GATHERINGS. PRAYING SHRINES HIS
EXEMPLARY ACHIEVEMENTS STEADFASTNESS PATIENCE HUMILITY
HIS OUTSTANDING SCHOLARLY PURSUITS WILL INSPIRE MANY
DEVOTED WORKERS AMONG RISING GENERATIONS FOLLOW HIS
GLORIOUS FOOTSTEPS."