HIGH
ENDEAVOURS

MESSAGES
TO ALASKA

SHOGHI EFPENDI

"May the Beloved guide, aid and protect you in your high and historic endeavours, assist you to extend rapidly the range of your meritorious activities, and win memorable victories in the service of His Faith."

August 26, 1955

National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Alaska, Inc.

Before p. v (of Contents):

Photograph of a letter written on behalf of the Guardian with a postscript in his own handwriting. (Letter No. 25 in the text).

Photograph of the message from the Guardian to the First National Convention of the Bahá'ís of Alaska, Ridván, 1957. (Letter No. 37 in the text).

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

1. The title comes from instances in which the beloved Guardian used this phrase (Letters 2, 22, & 25) and related ones (1, 37, 42, & 75) in postscripts both to individuals and institutions.

2. The front cover design represents stars seen in northern latitudes. One is Polaris (also known as "North Star", "Polestar", "Naked Eye", and "Fixed Star"). The other seven are commonly called the "Big Dipper". (These seven prominent stars are from the circumpolar constellation of Ursa Major and are also known by the common names "Wagon", "Plough", "Charle's Wain"‹or "Peasant Cart"‹and "Septentriones".) This design was selected for three reasons:

A. In the northern hemisphere these stars have long been used as navigational aids. The guidance contained in this volume is like the "Fixed Star" for navigating or charting the spiritual destiny of Alaska.
B. A traditional association has linked these northern stars with circumpolar or northern countries and territories.
C. Alaska's flag shows these eight stars on a field of blue.

3. Special appreciation is due Janet Stout and Marzieh Miller who did the original sorting and compiling; Ray Hudson who arranged the material; and Vivian Ayerst for manuscript typing.

4. The Vern Huffman Memorial Fund was used to defray publication costs of this book. His life was closely associated with the early development of the Faith in Alaska (letters No. 44, 48, and 75), and his death, January 12, 1974, occurred during final manuscript preparation prior to publication.

INDEX

This guide to subjects treated in the letters and statements is not exhaustive. It does no more than provide the reader with an initial step in the study of this compilation. Listings are made by the number of the letter or statement.

'Abdu'l-Bahá
Photographs of, 94
Administration
Consider each case individually, 42
Danger of too many rules, 42
Alaska
Activities followed closely, 13
A prize of the first Seven Year Plan, 57
Awake to the Faith as never before, 75
Believers
   full of initiative and devotion, 15
   spirit that animates believers, 7
   spirit of optimism and joyous service, 42
   unity of believers, 84
   vigor and enthusiasm, 55, 83
1951 Convention, 8
1955 Convention, 25
Far-off and hitherto unexplored, I
First All Alaska Summer Teaching Conference, 23
Future, 11, 13, 25, 33, 37, 42, 47, 61, 67
Guardian requests localities, 17
Importance, 13, 23, 61, 75, 81
National Spiritual Assembly
   be like beating of healthy heart, 42
   be like loving parent, 42
   "crowning institution," 20
   formation of, 37, 41, 42
   foundation for, 13. 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 22, 25, 26, 31, 33, 65, 66, 69, 72, 73, 75
   new spirit released with formation, 37, 38, 43
   practical way of settling goals, 48
   See also: Endowments, Fund, Haziratu'1-Quds, Temple
Six Year Plan, 37, 42
Small yet highly promising, 42
Teaching work:
   challenge to Alaskan Bahá'ís, 20
   each victory becomes stepping stone, 55
   must excite admiration, 42
   rapid expansion delighted Guardian's heart, 19
   remarkable progress, 22
Aleuts:
Importance of teaching, 54
Means of teaching, 76
Translations, 21, 76
American Bahá'í Community, 37, 48
Anti-Christ, 85
Apostolic Age, 1
Attacks on Faith, 31

Baha'u'llah:
Confirmations of, 2, 3
Use of "We," 104
Children, 102
Christ:
Resurrection, 86
Virgin birth, 87
Concourse on High:
Applaud sacrifices, 42
Assist believers, 1, 3, 34, 51
In marshall array, 26
Conferences:
Intercontinental Teaching Conference (1953), 10
Summer Teaching Conference (First All Alaska), 23
Consolidation, 33

Endowments, 42, 44
Eskimos, 4, 6
Contribution on their behalf to
Shrine of the Bab, 64
Exert greater effort to teach Eskimos, 22
Gifts made by, 7, 60
Importance of teaching, 7, 54, 62, 69
Letter to first Eskimo believer, 5
Must assume notable share in teaching work, 42
Ridvan Feast in Eskimo home, 64
Translations, 56, 62, 68
Esperanto, 4

Fear, 88
Food storage, 89
Fund:
Appreciation for contributions, 20, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 35, 38, 41, 43, 47, 49, 51, 55, 62, 64, 65, 67, 75
Contributions on behalf of Eskimos, 64
Contributions link believers with World Center, 38, 47
Hazíratu'l-Quds fund, 17, 66
   gift from Guardian, 16
Inauguration of National Fund, 37
   gift from Guardian, 39
God:
Knowledge, of, 59, 90

Hazíratu'l-Quds, 19, 22, 24, 66
Fund for, 16
Gift from Guardian, 16
Location, 17
Heaven and Hell, 59

Immortality, 32, 51, 91
Foundations of, 28
Indians:
Enrollment of first Alaskan Indian, 27
Enrollment of third Alaskan Indian, 35
Guardian hopes Indians will teach Indians, 35
Must assume notable share in teaching work, 42
Promise of Abdu'l-Bahá, 29, 54
Requests list of, 52
Individual qualities:
Consult committees for guidance, 68
Living the life, 56
Perseverance, 1, 2
   perseverance in action, 28, 58
Personal efforts, 2, 74
Self-knowledge, 5
Self-sacrifice, 28
Investments, 92

Local Spiritual Assemblies:
Ketchikan Assembly formed, 27
Urge formation of first Assembly, 1, 6
See also: Foundation for National Spiritual Assembly
Locations mentioned:
Aleutian Chain, 15
Anchorage, 31, 67, 82
Anchorage Recording District, 18, 20
Barrow, 80
Fairbanks, 33, 53
Ketchikan, 27, 34
Kodiak, 78
Kotzebue, 14, 15
Point Barrow, 17
Selewik, 71
Tanana Valley, 45
Tuluksak, 5, 6
Unalaska, 79
Love and Marriage, 68

Manifestations:
Future Manifestations, 93
Pre-existence of, 96
Mayberry, Florence, 42

Native People, 21, 37
Must assume notable share in teaching work, 42
Vital obligation of converting, 42
Northern Regions:
Destiny of region, 42
Importance of having believers far north, 17
Ring stone of Greatest Holy Leaf. 50
Sacrifices:
Draws forth blessings, 42
Shoghi Effendi:
Appreciates good news, 17
Arduous duties, 2
Awaits victorious news, 42
Delight with pioneering services, 1
Happy over work in Alaska, 31, 38
Hopeful the friends will arise to teach, 35
Last letter to Alaska, 55
Particularly pleased with Alaska, 42
Prayer and desire for Alaska, 42
Proud of Indian believers, 29
Rapid pace of work, 6, 59
Thoughts often with the friends, 6
Shrine of the Báb, 9, 62
Smith, Joseph, 97
Soul, 98
Soviet Union, 42
Summer School, 42

Teaching:
Acceleration, 100
All must participate, 42
Appeal to "scatter," 13, 16
Children, 102
Confirmations of Holy Spirit found in teaching, 26, 43, 49
Difficulties, 58
Dominating spirit, 38
Every effort exerted, 42
Foundation of all activities, 39
Greatest responsibility, 41
In virgin areas, 63
Keynote of success in teaching, 28, 65, 67
Leave no stone unturned, 33
Most urgent task, 39
Need to compensate for set-back in Persia, 23
On "Home Front," 32, 35, 65, 67
Order of importance in Bahá'í service, 68
Redouble efforts, 20, 25, 30
Remedy for mankind, 101
Source of existence, 102
Source of immortality, 28, 32, 51
Spirit of the time is teaching, 28
Teaching is keynote of spiritual success, 34, 51
Teaching relatives, 77, 104
Upward surge essential, 26
Temple:
Alaska temple site, 40, 42
Dedication of Wilmette House of Worship, 10, 12
Epoch of Temple Building, 12
Ten Year Crusade, 37
Inauguration and goal, 10
Virgin areas settled, 65, 67

Unalaska Bahá'í Center, 76
Universal participation, 42
Universe:
Original state not known, 59

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