Previous Section Table of Contents
Next Section
18 January 1923
The beloved of the Lord and handmaids of the Merciful throughout the Pacific Islands, Care of the members of the American Spiritual National Assembly.
Beloved co-workers in the Vineyard of God!
Though pressed on all sides by my manifold duties, yet I can always find the time to devote my attention to the interests of those far-away friends who though distant in body are yet at heart so near and dear to us all.
To realize that at this present hour, a company of steadfast and zealous lovers of `Abdu'l-Bahá are day and night absorbed by their one thought of earnest service to the Cause in those uttermost corners of the globe, is the highest inspiration and the greatest encouragement in the great task that lies before me.
I am well aware of the Divine Bounties that have been showered upon you in the past and I am confident that every one of you, realizing now more than ever before the significance of these bountiful gifts, will arise with greater selflessness and increased determination to bring this noble task entrusted to him by our beloved Master to a speedy and glorious consummation.
I shall be most pleased and gratified to receive a detailed and comprehensive report of all your activities, of your achievements in the past, your services at present, and your plans for the future.
Those distant islands, the object of our Master's love and tender care, occupy a warm and abiding place in our hearts, and their very names evoke within us so high a sense of hope and admiration that the passing of time and the vicissitudes of life can never weaken or remove.
Assuring you of my constant prayers on your behalf, I am your devoted brother in His service, Shoghi
21 January 1923
Dunn, "Morinda" Beachworth Road, Pymble, New South Wales
PRAYING FOR GLORIOUS SUCCESS IN YOUR NOBLE ENDEAVOURS
5 March 1923
Dunn, Castlebar Khyber Pass, Auckland (N.Z.)
GOD BLESS YOUR GLORIOUS WORK
12 March 1923
The beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful throughout America, Great Britain, Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, Japan and Australasia.
Fellow-workers in the Vineyard of God!
Over a year has elapsed since that calamitous Hour, when the glorious Person of `Abdu'l-Bahá was veiled from mortal eyes and His Spirit ascended the Kingdom of Glory; and I feel that the time is now ripe to take those fresh and momentous decisions which will enable us to fulfil, speedily and faithfully, the last wishes of our departed Master.
The year has been to the outside world a year of fear and suffering, of disillusion and turmoil. To us, however, the bereaved followers of a gracious and loving Master, it has been, despite the passing cares which His sudden departure must necessarily entail, a period of hope, of wholesome activity, marked throughout with a spirit of undiminished confidence in His power and of fidelity to His Cause.
From the East and from the West, from the North and from the South, the unnumbered servants of Bahá'u'lláh, disdainful of the evil
machinations of the enemies of His Cause, the breakers of His behests, have rallied to His Standard, and risen with one accord to carry on the great Work He has entrusted to their charge. All-hail to that undying Spirit of Fidelity which burns, and shall burn unceasingly, in the breasts of His loved ones! Great shall be their reward, and blissful the hour, when after a toilsome life of service, they are gathered to the glory of Bahá, and partake in their Beloved's Presence, of the joy of eternal Reunion.
But great achievements still await us in this world, and we feel confident that, by His grace and never-failing guidance, we shall now and ever prove ourselves worthy to fulfil His great Purpose for mankind. And who can fail to realise the sore need of bleeding humanity, in its present state of uncertainty and peril, for the regenerating Spirit of God, manifested this Day so powerfully in this Divine Dispensation? Four years of unprecedented warfare and world cataclysms, followed by another four years of bitter disappointment and suffering, have stirred deeply the conscience of mankind, and opened the eyes of an unbelieving world to the Power of the Spirit that alone can cure its sicknesses, heal its wounds, and establish the long-promised reign of undisturbed prosperity and peace.
Now surely, if ever, is the time for us, the chosen ones of Bahá'u'lláh and the bearers of His Message to the world, to endeavour, by day and by night, to deepen, first and foremost, the Spirit of His Cause in our own individuals lives, and then labour, and labour incessantly to exemplify in all our dealings with our fellow-men that noble Spirit of which His beloved Son, `Abdu'l-Bahá, has been all the days of His life a true and unique exponent. The sayings of our beloved Master have been noised abroad, His name has filled all regions, and the eyes of mankind are now turned expectant towards His disciples who bear His name and profess His teachings. Shall we not by our daily life vindicate the high claims of His teachings, and prove by our services the influence of His undying Spirit? This surely is our highest privilege, and our most sacred duty.
Let us, with a pure heart, with humility and earnestness, turn afresh to His counsels and exhortations, and seek from that Source of Celestial
Potency all the guidance, the Spirit, the power which we shall need for the fulfilment of our mission in this life.
Behold, the Station to which `Abdu'l-Bahá is now calling His loved ones from the Realm of Glory:-
"It behoveth the loved ones of God to be enamoured of one another and to sacrifice themselves for their fellow-workers in the Cause. They should yearn towards one another even as the sore athirst yearneth for the Water of Life, and the lover burneth to meet his heart's desire."
Such is the sublime, the glorious position He wishes us, and all the peoples and kindreds on earth to attain in this world; how much more to achieve unity and common understanding among ourselves, and then arise to herald with one voice the coming of the Kingdom and the salvation of mankind.
With unity of purpose firmly established in our minds, with every trace of personal animosity banished from our hearts, and with the spirit of whole-hearted and sustained fellowship kindled in our souls, can we hope to deliver effectively the Message of Bahá'u'lláh, and execute faithfully the various provisions of our Beloved's Will and Testament.
Steadfast in our faith, firm in our union, abounding in our love, fervent in our spirit, and selfless in our labours, let us arise and with prayerful hearts make another and supreme effort to fulfil these last words of our Beloved, His most cherished desire:-
"O ye that stand fast in the Covenant! When the hour cometh that this wronged and broken winged bird will have taken its flight unto the Celestial Concourse, when it will have hastened to the Realm of the Unseen, and its mortal frame will have either been lost or hidden neath the dust, it is incumbent upon the Afnán that are steadfast in the Covenant of God and have branched from the Tree of Holiness, the Hands of the Cause of God, (the Glory of the Lord rest upon them), and all the friends and loved ones, one and all, to bestir themselves and arise with heart and soul and in one accord to diffuse the sweet savours of God, to teach His Cause and to promote His Faith. 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 of Ya Bahá'il-Abhá!, must achieve renown in the world wherever they go, must burn brightly even as a candle in every meeting, and must kindle the flame of Divine Love in every Assembly; that the Light of Truth may rise resplendent in the midmost heart of the world, that throughout the East and throughout the West a vast concourse may gather under the shadow of the Word of God, that the sweet savours of Holiness may be diffused, that faces may shine radiantly, hearts be filled with the Divine Spirit and souls be made heavenly. In these days the most important of all things is the guidance of the nations and peoples of the world. Teaching the Cause is of utmost importance, for it is the head corner-stone of the foundation itself. This wronged servant has spent his days and nights in promoting the Cause, and urging the peoples to service. He rested not a moment, till the fame of the Cause of God was noised abroad in the world, and the celestial Strains from the Abhá Kingdom roused the East and the West. The beloved of God must also follow the same example. This is the secret of faithfulness, this is the requirement of servitude to the Threshold of Bahá."
We need but glance at the Words of Bahá'u'lláh and the Epistles of `Abdu'l-Bahá to realise the great privilege of teaching the Cause, its vital necessity, its supreme urgency, and its wide-reaching effects. These are the very words of `Abdu'l-Bahá:-
"In these days, the Holy Ones of the Realm of Glory, dwelling in the all-highest Paradise, yearn to return unto this world, and be of some service to the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh and prove their servitude to the Threshold of the Abhá Beauty."
What a wondrous vision these words unfold to our eyes! How great our privilege to labour in this Day in the Divine Vineyard! Is it not incumbent upon us to arise and teach His Cause with such an ardour
which no worldly adversity can quell, nor any measure of success can satiate?
And, now, that this all-important Work may suffer no neglect, but rather function vigorously and continuously in every part of the Bahá'í World; that the unity of the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh may remain secure and inviolate, it is of the utmost importance that in accordance with the explicit text of the Kitábu'l-Aqdas, the Most Holy Book, in every locality, be it city or hamlet, where the number of adult (21 years and above) declared believers exceeds nine, a local "Spiritual Assembly" be forthwith established. To it all local matters pertaining to the Cause must be directly and immediately referred for full consultation and decision. The importance, nay the absolute necessity of these Local Assemblies is manifest when we realise that in the days to come they will evolve into the local Houses of Justice, and at present provide the firm foundation on which the Structure of the Master's Will is to be reared in future.
The matter of Teaching, its direction, its ways and means, its extension, its consolidation, essential as they are to the interests of the Cause, constitute by no means the only issue which should receive the full attention of these Assemblies. A careful study of Bahá'u'lláh's and `Abdu'l-Bahá's Tablets will reveal that other duties, no less vital to the interests of the Cause, devolve upon the elected representatives of the friends in every locality.
It is incumbent upon them to be vigilant and cautious, discreet and watchful, and protect at all times the Temple of the Cause from the dart of the mischief-maker and the onslaught of the enemy.
They must endeavour to promote amity and concord amongst the friends, efface every lingering trace of distrust, coolness and estrangement from every heart, and secure in its stead an active and whole-hearted co-operation for the service of the Cause.
They must do their utmost to extend at all times the helping hand to the poor, the sick, the disabled, the orphan, the widow, irrespective of colour, cast and creed.
They must promote by every means in their power the material as well as the spiritual enlightenment of youth, the means for the education
of children, institute, whenever possible Bahá'í educational institutions, organise and supervise their work and provide the best means for their progress and development.
They must make an effort to maintain official, regular, and frequent correspondence with the various Bahá'í centres throughout the world, report to them their activities, and share the glad-tidings they receive with all their fellow-workers in the Cause.
They must bend every effort to promote the interests of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, and hasten the day when the work of this glorious Edifice will have been consummated.
They must encourage and stimulate by every means at their command, through subscription, reports and articles, the development of the various Bahá'í Magazines, such as the "Star of the West" and the "Magazine of the Children of the Kingdom" in the United States of America, the "Bahá'í News" of India, the "Sun of the East" (Khurshíd-i-Khávar) in Turkestán, the "Star of the East" in Japan, the "Sun of Truth" in Germany.
They must undertake the arrangement of the regular meetings of the friends, the feasts and the anniversaries, as well as the special gatherings designed to serve and promote the social, intellectual and spiritual interests of their fellow-men.
They must supervise in these days when the Cause is still in its infancy all Bahá'í publications and translations, and provide in general for a dignified and accurate presentation of all Bahá'í literature and its distribution to the general public.
These rank among the most outstanding obligations of the members of every Spiritual Assembly. In whatever locality the Cause has sufficiently expanded, and in order to ensure efficiency and avoid confusion, each of these manifold functions will have to be referred to a special Committee, responsible to that Assembly, elected by it from among the friends in that locality, and upon whose work the Assembly will have to exercise constant and general supervision.
These Local Spiritual Assemblies will have to be elected directly by the friends, and every declared believer of 21 years and above, far from
standing aloof and assuming an indifferent or independent attitude, should regard it his sacred duty to take part, conscientiously and diligently, in the election, the consolidation, and the efficient working of his own Local Assembly.
Regarding the establishment of "National Assemblies", it is of vital importance that in every country, where the conditions are favourable and the number of the friends has grown and reached a considerable size, such as America, Great Britain and Germany, that a "National Spiritual Assembly" be immediately established, representative of the friends throughout that country.
Its immediate purpose is to stimulate, unify and co-ordinate, by frequent personal consultations, the manifold activities of the friends as well as the Local Assemblies; and by keeping in close and constant touch with the Holy Land, initiate measures, and direct in general the affairs of the Cause in that country.
It serves also another purpose, no less essential than the first, as in the course of time it shall evolve into the National House of Justice, (referred to in `Abdu'l-Bahá's Will as the "secondary House of Justice") which according to the explicit text of the Testament will have, in conjunction with the other National Assemblies throughout the Bahá'í world to elect directly the members of the International House of Justice, that Supreme Council that will guide, organize and unify the affairs of the Movement throughout the world.
It is expressly recorded in `Abdu'l-Bahá's Writings that these National Assemblies must be indirectly elected by the friends; that is, the friends in every country must elect a certain number of delegates, who in their turn will elect from among all the friends in that country the members of the National Spiritual Assembly. In such countries, therefore, as America, Great Britain and Germany, a fixed number of secondary electors must first be decided upon, (95 for America, including the Pacific Islands; 95 for Germany; and 19 for Great Britain). The friends then in every locality where the number of adult declared believers exceeds nine, must directly elect its quota of secondary electors, assigned to it in direct proportion to its numerical strength.
These secondary electors, will then, either through correspondence, or preferably by gathering together, and first deliberating upon the affairs of the Cause throughout their country, (as the delegates to the Convention) then elect from among all the friends in that country nine who will be the members of the National Spiritual Assembly.
This National Spiritual Assembly, which pending the establishment of the Universal House of Justice will have to be re-elected once a year, obviously assumes grave responsibilities, for it has to exercise full authority over all the Local Assemblies in its province, and will have to direct the activities of the friends, guard vigilantly the Cause of God, and control and supervise the affairs of the Movement in general.
Vital issues, affecting the interests of the Cause in that country, such as the matter of translation and publication, the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, the Teaching Work, and other similar matters that stand distinct from strictly local affairs, must be under the full jurisdiction of the National Assembly.
It will have to refer each of these questions, even as the Local Assemblies, to a special Committee, to be elected by the members of the National Spiritual Assemblies from among all the friends in that country, which will bear to it the same relation as the local committees bear to their respective Local Assemblies.
With it too rests the decision whether a certain point at issue is strictly local in its nature, and should be reserved for the consideration and decision of the Local Assembly, or whether it should fall under its own province and be regarded as a matter which ought to receive its special attention. The National Spiritual Assembly will also decide upon such matters which in its opinion should be referred to the Holy Land for consultation and decision.
With these Assemblies, local as well as national, harmoniously, vigorously, and efficiently functioning throughout the Bahá'í world, the only means for the establishment of the Supreme House of Justice will have been secured. And when this Supreme Body will have been properly established, it will have to consider afresh the whole situation, and lay down the principle which shall direct, so long as it deems advisable, the affairs of the Cause.
Pending its establishment, and to ensure uniformity throughout the East and throughout the West, all Local Assemblies will have to be re-elected once a year, during the first day of Ridván, and the result of polling, if possible, be declared on that day.
In order to avoid division and disruption, that the Cause may not fall a prey to conflicting interpretations, and lose thereby its purity and pristine vigour, that its affairs may be conducted with efficiency and promptness, it is necessary that everyone should conscientiously take an active part in the election of these Assemblies, abide by their decision, enforce their decree, and co-operate with them whole-heartedly in their task of stimulating the growth of the Movement throughout all regions. The members of these Assemblies, on their part, must disregard utterly their own likes and dislikes, their personal interests and inclinations, and concentrate their minds upon those measures that will conduce to the welfare and happiness of the Bahá'í Community and promote the common weal.
And as the progress and extension of spiritual activities is dependent and conditioned upon material means, it is of absolute necessity that immediately after the establishment of Local as well as National Spiritual Assemblies, a Bahá'í Fund be established, to be placed under the exclusive control of the Spiritual Assembly. All donations and contributions should be offered to the Treasurer of the Assembly, for the express purpose of promoting the interests of the Cause, throughout that locality or country. It is the sacred obligation of every conscientious and faithful servant of Bahá'u'lláh, who desires to see His Cause advance, to contribute freely and generously for the increase of that Fund. The members of the Spiritual Assembly will at their own discretion expend it to promote the Teaching Campaign, to help the needy, to establish educational Bahá'í institutions, to extend in every way possible their sphere of service. I cherish the hope that all the friends, realizing the necessity of this measure, will bestir themselves and contribute, however modestly at first, towards the speedy establishment and the increase of that Fund.
The need for the centralization of authority in the National Spiritual
Assembly, and the concentration of power in the various Local Assemblies, is made manifest when we reflect that the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh is still in its age of tender growth and in a stage of transition; when we remember that the full implications and the exact significance of the Master's world-wide Instructions, as laid down in His Will are as yet not fully grasped, and the whole Movement has not sufficiently crystallized in the eyes of the world.
It is our primary task to keep the most vigilant eye on the manner and character of its growth, to combat effectively the forces of separatism and of sectarian tendencies, lest the Spirit of the Cause be obscured, its unity be threatened, its teachings suffer corruption, lest extreme orthodoxy on one hand, and irresponsible freedom on the other, cause it to deviate from that Straight Path which alone can lead it to success.
But let us be on our guard --- so the Master continually reminds us from His Station on high --- lest too much concern in that which is secondary in importance, and too long a preoccupation with the details of our affairs and activities, make us neglectful of the most essential, the most urgent of all our obligations, namely to bury our cares and teach the Cause, delivering far and wide this Message of Salvation to a sorely-stricken world.
To His valiant combatants on earth, who at times may feel disheartened, our ever-victorious Commander, `Abdu'l-Bahá, gives the following assurance:-
"O ye servants of the Sacred Threshold! The triumphant Hosts of the Celestial Concourse, arrayed and marshalled in the Realms above, stand ready and expectant to assist and assure victory to that valiant horseman who with confidence spurs on his charger into the arena of service. Well is it with that fearless warrior, who armed with the power of true Knowledge, hastens into the field, disperses the armies of ignorance, and scatters the hosts of error, who holds aloft the Standard of Divine Guidance, and sounds the Clarion of Victory. By the righteousness of the Lord! He hath achieved a glorious triumph and obtained the true victory..."
With such inspiring words as these, are we to remain any longer unmoved and inactive? His trumpet-call resounds on every side, and summons us to service; are we to tarry and hesitate? His Voice is calling aloud from every land; let us march on, undeterred and unafraid, and fulfil our glorious Destiny.
Shoghi
P.S. On another page is given the list of the best known and most current Bahá'í terms, and other Oriental names and expressions, all properly and accurately transliterated, the faithful adoption of which by all the Western friends will avoid confusion in future, and insure in this matter a uniformity which is greatly needed at present in all Bahá'í literature. The full code will be duly communicated to the various National Assemblies, and the transliteration of the Oriental terms mentioned in the English letters sent out by the Haifa Spiritual Assembly will provide a correct and reliable supplement to the above-mentioned list. I feel confident that all the friends will from now on follow this system and adhere scrupulously and at all times to this code in all their writings.
The list of those Bahá'í localities in the continent of America, where the number of adult declared believers exceeds nine, with their number of secondary electors apportioned among them according to their respective numbers, taken as an illustration of the principle which should govern the election of the secondary electors in every country:-
10 New York N.Y.
9 San Francisco, Calif.
8 Chicago, Ill.
7 Boston, Mass.
7 Washington, D.C.
6 Los Angeles, Calif.
5 Brooklyn, N.Y.
4 Seattle, Wash.
3 Newark, N.J.
3 Philadelphia, Pa.
3 Portland, Ore.
2 Glendale, Calif.
2 Urbana, Ill.
2 Akron,
2 Minneapolis, Minn.
2 Kenosha, Wisc.
2 Detroit, Mich.
2 Baltimore, Md.
2 Toronto, Canada.
1 Pasadena, Calif.
1 Spokane, Wash.
1 Montclair, N.J.
1 Atlantic City, N.J.
1 Muskegon, Mich.
1 Duluth, Minn.
1 Montreal, Canada.
1 Springfield, Mass.
1 Cleveland, O.
1 Jersey City, N.J.
1 Cincinnati, O.
1 Denver, Colo.
1 Racine, Wisc.
1 Okanagan, Wash.
The quotas have been assigned on the basis of the List compiled and sent a year ago to the Holy Land. The readjustment of these quotas will have to be undertaken by the American National Spiritual Assembly before this year's annual Convention, and should be based upon a revised and up to date census.
LIST OF ORIENTAL TERMS FREQUENTLY USED IN BAHA'I
LITERATURE, WITH MODERN TRANSLITERATION
this page requires "."s and I have attempted to generate these in a file
called "advance".AND ARRANGED ALPHABETICALLY
Abádih
'Abbás
`Abdu'l-Bahá
'Abdu'l-Hamíd
'Abdu'l-Husayn
'Abdu'lláh
Abdu'l-Fadl
'Adasíyyih
Adhirbáyján
Afnán
Aghsán
'Ahd
Ahmad
Ahsá'í
Ahváz
'Akká
'Alí
Alláh-u-Abhá
Alváh
Alváh-i-Salátín
Amín
Amru'lláh
Anzalí
Aqá
Aqdas
'Arabistán
Asmá'
'Aváshiq
Ayádí
Azal
'Azamat
'Azíz
Báb
Bábu'l-Báb
Baghdád
Bahá
Bahá'í
Bahá'u'lláh
Bahíyyih
Bahjí
BalÏchistán
Bandar-'Abbás
BárfurÏsh
Basrih
BátÏm
Bayán
Bayt
Bírjand
Bismi'lláh
Bukhárá
BurÏjird
BÏshir
BushrÏyih
BushrÏ'í
Chihríq
Dawlat-Abád
Dhabíh
Duzdáb
Fárán
Fárs
Firdawsí
Ganjih
Gílán
Gul
Gulastán
Habíb
Hadíth
Hájí
Hamadán
Haydar-'Alí
Haykal
Himmat-Abád
Husayn
Huvaydar
Ibráhím
'Ilm
Imám
Iqán
Irán
'Iráq
'Iráq-i-'Ajam
Isfáhán
'Ishqábád
Ishráqát
Ishtihárd
Islám
Ismá'ílíyyih
Istarábád
'Izzat
Jalál
Jamál
Jamál-i-Mubárak
Jásb
Ka'bih
Kalimát
Kamál
Karand
Karbilá
Káshán
Kawmu's-Sa'áyidih
Kawthar
Kázim
Kázimayn
Kirmán
Kirmánsháh
Khalkhál
Khániqayn
Khaylí-KhÏb
Khurásán
Khuy
Kitáb-i-'Ahd
Kitáb-i-Aqdas
Kurdistán
Láhíján
Lár
Lawh
Lurístán
MahbÏbu'sh-Shuhadá'
MahmÏd
Maqám
MákÏ
Maláyir
Marághih
Marhabá
Marv
Masá'il
Mashad
Mashíyyat
Mashriqu'l-Adhkár
Mázindarán
Mihdí
Mílán
Mírzá
Mishkín-Qalam
Muhammad
Muhammarih
Mujtahid
Mulk
Mullá
Munírih
Mustagháth
Nabíl
Najaf
Najaf-Abád
Náqidín
Násiru'd-Dín
NawrÏz
Nayríz
NíshábÏr
NÏr
Pahlaví
Qádíyán
Qahqahih
Qá'im
Qamsar
Qasr-i-Shírín
Qawl
QayyÏm
Qazvín
QÏchán
QuddÏs
Qudrat
Qum
Qur'án
Qurratu'l-'Ayn
Rafsinján
Rahím
Rahmán
Rahmat
Rasht
(this break only placed here to keep my pages similar to Barry's second draft set
13 March 1923
The beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful, throughout Australasia.
Dearly beloved brethren and sisters in `Abdu'l-Bahá!
I have been deeply touched by the welcome letter which our beloved friends, Mr. and Mrs. Dunn, have sent me from that far-away land, and I am delighted to hear of the deep and widespread interest that they have awakened in the hearts of its people in the truths of this glorious Revelation. Their marvellous energy, their unwavering determination, their devoted labours to spread the Teachings of Bahá'u'lláh far and wide have excited the admiration of all the resident friends in the Holy Land and have revived my hopes for the glorious future of that distant continent. I have incorporated the contents of that encouraging letter in the circular letter which is sent once every nineteen days by the Spiritual Assembly of Haifa to all the various Spiritual Assemblies throughout the East and I am confident that your news will be received by all of them with intense delight and gratitude.
May that small and rising community in Australia raise the Call of the New Day of God in the heart of that promising continent, and set aflame the hearts of its people with the Bahá'í Spirit that alone can give the world the Peace that it craves for and which no human power can ever hope to achieve.
I have also read with deep satisfaction the enclosed letters sent by my beloved Bahá'í brother & sister Mr. B. Dewing3 & Miss. Nora Lee.4
I very earnestly urge them to concentrate for the present their attention on the spread of the Movement in Australia, and do all they can to establish various Bahá'í centres in those remote regions of the globe. I sincerely and fervently pray on their behalf that they may be divinely guided and richly blessed in their efforts to consolidate the Work that has been so admirably and beautifully started in that land. Extreme pressure of work, unfortunately, prevents me from corresponding with the friends individually, but I wish to assure them one and all that in my hours of prayer and silent meditation, I remember them most tenderly and beseech on their behalf whenever I visit the Sacred Shrines, the protection and the grace of God, that they may herald the Glad-Tidings of the Kingdom to this distracted and disillusioned world.
Regarding the questions raised in our beloved Bahá'í brother, Mr. Dewing's letter, I feel that I can not add to what has already been fully and clearly stated by our Master `Abdu'l-Bahá in the book of "Some Answered Questions", where, I am sure, she will find the clue to all the perplexing questions that agitate the mind of man in his search after true knowledge. The more this Book is read with care and patience, the greater are its revelations, and the more complete the understanding of its inner truth and significance.
I am enclosing for your perusal various selections and prayers from the writings of Bahá'u'lláh and `Abdu'l-Bahá, which I am sure will
stimulate you to further action and greater perseverance in your labours for His Cause.
I eagerly await your individual as well as collective letters, and am so anxious to know more of the progress of your activities, and the plans that you contemplate for the effective propagation of the Movement in that part of the world.
Assuring you again of my constant prayers for your guidance, protection and success in the field of service,
I am your devoted brother and co-worker,
7 May 1923
The beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful in New South Wales, New Zealand and Victoria. Care of Mr. and Mrs. Hyde Dunn, Victoria.
Dearly beloved brethren and sisters in the Love of God!
The two letters which I have recently received from our active and devoted brother, Mr. Hyde Dunn, dated April 1st and 5th, have given me the greatest pleasure, as they indicated the growth of a deepfelt interest in the Movement, throughout those outlying regions of the earth.
How great is your privilege to labour in this Day in the Divine Vineyard! How sweet and encouraging the thought that the seeds you now scatter will soon germinate and yield an abundant harvest! It is my prayer and hope that your energy may never slacken, your faith and courage never fade, that you may advance, steadily and peacefully, and attain your heart's desire.
It is of the utmost importance that those friends whose souls have been illumined by the Light of this Divine Revelation, should if possible scatter over that vast continent, establish themselves in various localities, and from there as their permanent headquarters, travel in the vicinity and endeavour to win to this Cause the most able, the most enlightened of all men.
I shall be most happy to learn of the address of these various permanent residences, that I may immediately communicate with them
all, and do all that I can to consolidate their respective centres, and promote the work of Teaching. I would welcome also the permanent postal and telegraphic address of Mr. and Mrs. Hyde Dunn, which will enable me to keep in constant touch with the progress of the Work in that part of the world.
It is my ardent prayer that Mrs. Culbert5 will grow in understanding and power and become one of the resplendent lights in this Divine Dispensation.
I very strongly urge you, whenever possible to travel to the Islands of the South Seas, and there raise the glorious Call of the Kingdom, and attract many a soul to these heavenly Teachings. I pray at the Three Holy Shrines that the way may be made open, that obstacles may be speedily surmounted, that His promises may be fulfilled.
The Greatest Holy Leaf, whose health I am glad to announce is steadily improving, joins me in wishing you all the highest success in your noble and steadfast endeavours.
Your brother and co-worker,
22 June 1923
Miss. Margaret B. Stevenson,6 Clunie, 3 Cowie Road, Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand
My dear Bahá'í sister,
Your beautiful letter of April 3rd written to the beloved Guardian of
the Cause of God, our dear Shoghi Effendi was received. He was much impressed and charmed with the spirit of your letter which indicated deep devotion to and absolute dependence on the Holy Spirit of the beloved Master, `Abdu'l-Bahá.
He instructed me with a heart overflowing with love to answer your letter, conveying to you his high estimation for the beauty of the faith of the New Zealand friends and deep appreciation towards the splendid services of our dear Mr. and Mrs. Dunn who are so wonderfully blessed and assisted by the power of the Holy Ghost. He loves you all and prays for your happiness and spiritual growth.
It is true that your group is now still small, but he assures you that your group will before long grow larger and larger day by day. It has been always the case with the growth of every religion. Some pure soul or souls go to some land and sow the seeds of the heavenly teachings in the hearts of few who are most pure and so most receptive. The seeds will germinate and grow in them. The fruits of those seeds appear in the regeneration of the lives of those primary adherents. These primary adherents share the bounties they have received with other souls who through them obtain new life and light and in turn illumine other people.
The primary adherents are the stars of great magnitude in every land in the firmament of the Kingdom of God. They are the chosen people. They are like candles which, through their sacrificial efforts, are weeping their lives away in order to give light to the world and establish the purpose of their Lord and Saviour, which purpose is the salvation of mankind. Reflect upon the time of that great Saviour of mankind, His Holiness Jesus Christ! See how small the group of His disciples was! No matter how few the number of the disciples was, yet they through His power illumined the world. Our Era is similar to that, but through the development of humanity it is greater and through the evils of the material civilization and negligence of mankind our sacrifices must be greater. Divine light must make itself manifest in our daily life deeds.
In the early days of the appearance of our Saviour virtue was to save ourselves. When we are once established in our faith, then virtue is to save others. The three mottoes of education hold true in our case too.
First grow, then become and then contribute. We have developed; we have established ourselves; and now it is time to contribute to others. We have inexhaustible capital. The candles of our spiritual lives constantly weep away their lives in shedding light to the world, but they never become exhausted. For there is connection between our lives and that of Bahá'u'lláh and our beloved `Abdu'l-Bahá.
It cannot be described how much we long to see our dear New Zealand brethren and sisters. We hope the day will come when they can come to us and we to them. Meanwhile, we are praying at the Holy Threshold of our beloved Master for your success and happiness. We hope you will pray for us too. The effect of the prayers of the pure hearts is tremendously great.
Our dear Shoghi Effendi wants you not to look at your own capacity, but at the power of the Holy Ghost of God. He sends you all his loving greeting and tender affection.
With warm wishes and Bahá'í love I remain,
Your humble brother in His love, `Azizu'lláh S. Bahádur.
2 December 1923 [Bahá'ís of Australia and New Zealand]
Fellow-labourers in the Divine Vineyard!
Upon my return, after a forced and prolonged absence, to the Holy Land, it is my first and most ardent wish to renew and strengthen those ties of brotherly love and fellowship that bind our hearts together in our common servitude to His Sacred Threshold.
The two years that have elapsed since the passing of our beloved Master have been for the Cause, as well as for mankind, years of deep anxiety and strain. The momentous changes that are taking place in the history of both have proved so swift and far-reaching as to arouse in certain hearts a strange misgiving as to their stability and future.
On the one hand the remarkable revelations of the Beloved's Will and Testament so amazing in all its aspects, so emphatic in its injunctions, have challenged and perplexed the keenest minds, whilst the
ever-increasing confusion of the world, threatened as never before with disruptive forces, fierce rivalries, fresh commotions and grave disorder, have well-nigh overwhelmed the heart and damped the zeal of even the most enthusiastic believers in the destiny of mankind.
And yet, how often we seem to forget the clear and repeated warnings of our beloved Master, who in particular during the concluding years of his mission on earth, laid stress on the severe mental tests that would inevitably sweep over his loved ones of the West - tests that would purge, purify and prepare them for their noble mission in life.
And as to the world's evil plight, we need but recall the writings and sayings of Bahá'u'lláh, who, more than fifty years ago, declared in terms prophetic the prime cause of the ills and sufferings of mankind, and set forth their true and divine remedy. "Should the lamp of Religion be hidden", He declared, "chaos and confusion will ensue." How admirably fitting and applicable are these words to the present state of mankind!
Ours then is the duty and privilege to labour, by day, by night, amidst the storm and stress of these troublous days, that we may quicken the zeal of our fellow-man, rekindle their hopes, stimulate their interests, open their eyes to the true Faith of God and enlist their active support in the carrying out of our common task for the peace and regeneration of the world.
Let us take heart and be thankful to our beloved `Abdu'l-Bahá, as we remember his manifold blessings and unfailing care and protection, ever since the hour of his departure from our midst. The flames of sedition, so maliciously kindled in the past by those who have dared to flout his will, are gone forever, and the fondest hopes of these evil plotters are now abandoned, doomed never to revive. He has indeed redeemed his promise!
It seemed not a long time ago that their agitation, so violently renewed immediately after the passing of our Beloved, would for a time confuse the Divine Message of Bahá'u'lláh, obscure His Covenant, retard the progress of His Cause, and shatter its unity; and yet how well we see them all today, not through our efforts, but by their own folly, and above all, by the intervention of the hidden hand of God, reduced to the vilest and most humiliating position.
And now, with the Cause purified and inwardly victorious, Its principles vindicated, Its enemies silenced and sunk in unspeakable misery, may we not, henceforth, direct all our efforts to collective action and constructive achievement; and in utter disregard of the flickerings of their fast-fading light, arise to carry out those urgent measures that will secure the outward and complete triumph of the Cause?
I for my part, as I look back on the unfortunate circumstances of ill-health and physical exhaustion that have attended the opening years of my career of service to the Cause, feel hardly gratified, and would be truly despondent but for the sustaining memory and inspiring example of the diligent and ceaseless efforts which my fellow-workers the world over have displayed during these two trying years in the service of the Cause.
I cherish the hope that, from now on the Beloved may bestow upon me all the strength and vigour that will enable me to pursue over a long and unbroken period of strenuous labour the supreme task of achieving, in collaboration with the friends in every land, the speedy triumph of the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh. This is the prayer I earnestly request all my fellow brethren and sisters in the Faith to offer on my behalf.
Let us pray to God that in these days of world encircling gloom, when the dark forces of nature, of hate, rebellion, anarchy and reaction are threatening the very stability of human society, when the precious fruits of civilisation are undergoing severe and unparalleled tests, we may all realise more profoundly than ever, that though but a mere handful amidst the seething masses of the world, are in this day the chosen instruments of God's Grace, that our Mission is most urgent and vital to the fate of humanity and, fortified by these sentiments, arise to achieve God's holy purpose for mankind.
Your brother in His service, Shoghi
For my beloved brethren and sisters in Australia and New Zealand - Shoghi
Previous Section Table of Contents
Next Section
|
|
