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26 January 1924
The dearly-beloved ones of `Abdu'l-Bahá throughout Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, and the adjoining islands of the Pacific.
Friends and heralds of the Kingdom of Bahá'u'lláh!
A fresh breeze, laden with the perfume of your love and devotion to our beloved Cause, was wafted again from your distant southern shores to the Holy Land, and has served to remind us one and all of that unquenchable spirit of service and self-sacrifice which the passing of our Beloved has in these days kindled in almost every corner of the world. The letters now and then received from those faithful untiring pioneers of the Cause of God Mr. and Mrs. H. Dunn, are in themselves not only a convincing testimony of the ever-advancing Faith of God, proclaimed by Bahá'u'lláh, but set as well a magnificent example to those who yearn and endeavour to further His Cause and adhere faithfully to `Abdu'l-Bahá's last instructions.
The progress of your labours, however modest and inconspicuous at first, the world and all the forces therein can never resist; and the Spirit of Bahá'u'lláh working so amazingly through every one of you the changes and chances of this distracted world can never quench. You are assuredly of those few, yet highly favoured, harbingers of the new Day of God, towards the establishment of which the world in its distress and turmoil is fastly, though unconsciously, moving on, and the full triumph of which, if it be His Will and Desire, I trust, you will all witness.
I pray that your meeting and collaboration with our beloved Martha Root, that admirable and zealous disciple of `Abdu'l-Bahá, will stimulate and advance your work, fortify your spirit, and reinforce your endeavours to penetrate fields, hitherto unexplored, wherein you may achieve signal victories. My ardent prayer at His sacred Shrine is that your vision of so great and precious a Cause may never grow dim, that your convictions may never falter, that you may continue, steadfast, radiant and undaunted, your task so nobly begun, and achieve in the fullness of time its destined and glorious consummation.
In this prayer join me the bereaved Ladies of the holy household whose eyes are turned tenderly and expectant towards you, seeking and finding in every one of you the alleviation of their grief at the Beloved's sudden departure, and the hope for the triumph of a Cause for which He laboured and gave His life. That you will guard His trust and achieve His victory, we are firmly convinced, and together with this expression of our confidence and firm belief may we convey to you all a measure of our undying love and deep affection.
Your devoted brother in His service, Shoghi
Haifa,
January 28th 1924
Mr. And Mrs. Clara and Hyde Dunn
82 Leopold Street
South Yarra, Victoria
Australia
My dear Bah‚ ' brother and sister,
Your detailed and spiritually most interesting letter of Dec. 18th written to our beloved Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, arrived last week and imparted great joy to his dear heart. He ordered the letter to be translated into Persian and read to the friends in the meeting held yesterday at the Holy Shrine of the Beloved of our hearts, 'Abdu'l-Baha'. It rejoiced the dear friends who visited the Holy Shrine and prayed on your behalf so that you both may be day by day more and more confirmed and assisted in the service of the Kingdom. They were so glad also to hear that their brothers and sisters in that distant continent are so enflamed with the fire of God and so firm in the Covenant of the Most Glorious.
Today Shoghi Effendi instructed me to answer your letter and convey to you his deep appreciation of your disinterested services with the assurance that he always remembers you at the Holy Shrines in his ardent supplication. You should be ascertained that the supporting power of the Holy Spirit of our Lord, ‘Abdu'l-Bahá and His Hosts of confirmation are accompanying you and your group in your teaching campaign in the Island of Tasmania. We are eagerly expecting your good news concerning this tour. He also especially prays for the growth and spiritual happiness of Mrs Kathleen Hall and that faithful soul, Mary Robertson. Surely these dear souls are the pioneers of the Cause, who will shine eternally as brilliant stars in the firmament of the Cause of God. He sends Miss Effie Baker and Miss Hastings his loving greeting and assures them of his effectionate prayers for them.
The money order for the sum of five pounds sterling and ten shillings sent by the Melbourne Assembly as contribution to the Pilgrim-house fund has been received and enclosed you will find the receipt signed by our dear Guardian. You will find also enclosed a cheque for the sum of nineteen pounds sterling payable to our order. This sum our dear Shoghi Effendi is sending you to use it in the way of spreading the Holy Teachings of God. The way of spending this money is left to your own discretion.
The members of the holy family are all well, admiring your ardour and untiring zeal in the service of the Holy Cause and sending you their loving greeting.
With warm Bah‚ ' love and greeting I remain, always,
Your humble brother in the Covenant
'Azizullah S. Bahadur
P.S. The cheque I am enclosing is for the sum of nineteen pounds, nine shillings sterling equivalent to nineteen Egyptian pounds given by our beloved Guardian to forward. It is drawn by the Banco Di Roma, Haifa Branch on the Midland Bank Limited, London, dated 29th of Jan. 1924, numbered 3/M.183195/8085 and payable to Mrs. H. Dunn.
Yours 'Azizullah
My best Beloved Co-workers:
What an encouragement and what an inspiration to be revived every now and then with a fresh breeze wafting from far away Australia and laden with the perfume of your love and devotion for His Sacred Cause!
A thousand times well done, my dearly beloved ones! Your warmth, your perseverence, your confidence, your faith, will I am certain establish our precious Cause in the very heart of that continent which in future will ring with the greatest name and extol the glorious self-sacrificing labours of you who are the pioneers of His Cause in those far away regions. Your reward will be unexpectedly great and your efforts will be richly recompensed by ‘Abdu'l-Bahá himself in the world to come. May this modest sum advance your work and be of some help to you.
Your true brother
Shoghi
10 October 1924
Miss. Martha Root, C/o American Consul, Sydney, Australia.
My dear Bahá'í sister, Martha,
Your interesting letter of Sept. 10th written to our dear Shoghi Effendi arrived yesterday and gladdened his dear heart. He appreciates very highly your sacrificial efforts in spreading the divine teachings in those distant countries and prays for your success very affectionately.
Today he instructed me to write a few words and inform you of the receipt of your letter and assure you of his great love for you. As to the plan of your future journeys he wishes you to follow the dictates of your pure heart. Depend entirely on the guidance of our Beloved, `Abdu'l-Bahá who will guide you whether to travel alone or with sister Effie Baker.7 Shoghi Effendi prays for her confirmation too.
He is very glad to hear that our brother Mr. Dewy8 is wonderfully confirmed in the realisation of his high aspirations in service to the Cause of God. He especially prays at the Holy Shrines for his success and wishes you to convey to him his affectionate Bahá'í greeting.
Shoghi Effendi also instructed me to send twenty pounds to you through our brother Roy.9 This is meant as a little contribution towards your comfort in travelling.
The G.H. Leaf and the other members of the Holy Family are sending you their tender love and assure you of their loving prayers for you too.
Your humble brother in service to our Beloved, `Abdu'l-Bahá and our dear Guardian, `Azizu'lláh
26 December 1924 [Effie Baker]
My dear Bahá'í sister,
I wish to thank you for your kind letter to our dear Shoghi Effendi, and desire to assure you of his great pleasure to see you here in Haifa, the Holy Land not only for Jews & Christians but for Bahá'ís also.
We all hope that you will have a pleasant journey from Australia, and will soon find yourself in the warmer country of Palestine. Shoghi Effendi feels that your field of service is very wide in Australia and hopes & prays that you will succeed not only in living a true Bahá'í life but also in attracting new souls to the great message of God.
The family of the Master all join me in the utmost love to the friends there and especially to your own dear self,
Yours in His Service, Soheil.
My dear precious fellow-worker,
Just a word to assure you personally of my unceasing prayers for your welfare & the success of your glorious efforts for the spread of the Cause. Persevere in teaching, work unceasingly & the victory will be yours.
Your true brother, Shoghi.
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