BAHA'I ADMINISTRATION
(U.S., 1974 edition)
FILENAME: BA.FN
FILEDATE: 08-06-94
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PART ONE
Excerpts from the Will and Testament of `Abdu'l-Bahá
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BAHÁ'Í ADMINISTRATION
Excerpts from the Will and Testament of `Abdu'l-Bahá
All-praise to Him Who, by the Shield of His Covenant, hath
guarded the Temple of His Cause from the darts of doubtfulness,
Who by the Hosts of His Testament hath preserved the Sanctuary
of His Most Beneficent Law and protected His Straight and Luminous
Path, staying thereby the onslaught of the company of
Covenant-breakers, that have threatened to subvert His Divine Edifice;
Who hath watched over His Mighty Stronghold and All-glorious
Faith, through the aid of men whom the slander of the
slanderer affects not, whom no earthly calling, glory and power
can turn aside from the Covenant of God and His Testament, established
firmly by His clear and manifest words, writ and revealed
by His All-glorious Pen and recorded in the Preserved Tablet.
Salutation and praise, blessing and glory rest upon that primal
branch of the Divine and Sacred Lote-Tree, grown out, blest, tender,
verdant and flourishing from the Twin Holy Trees; the most wondrous,
unique and priceless pearl that doth gleam from out the twin
surging seas; upon the offshoots of the Tree of Holiness, the twigs
of the Celestial Tree, they that in the Day of the Great Dividing have
stood fast and firm in the Covenant; upon the Hands (pillars) of
the Cause of God that have diffused widely the Divine Fragrances,
declared His Proofs, proclaimed His Faith, published abroad His
Law, detached themselves from all things but Him, stood for righteousness
in this world, and kindled the Fire of the Love of God in
the very hearts and souls of His servants; upon them that have
believed, rested assured, stood steadfast in His Covenant and followed
the Light that after my passing shineth from the Dayspring
of Divine Guidance--for behold! he is the blest and sacred bough
that hath branched out from the Twin Holy Trees. Well is it with
him that seeketh the shelter of his shade that shadoweth all mankind.
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O ye beloved of the Lord! The greatest of all things is the
protection of the True Faith of God, the preservation of His Law,
the safeguarding of His Cause and service unto His Word. Ten
thousand souls have shed streams of their sacred blood in this path,
their precious lives they offered in sacrifice unto Him, hastened
wrapt in holy ecstasy unto the glorious field of martyrdom, upraised
the Standard of God's Faith and writ with their life-blood upon
the Tablet of the world the verses of His Divine Unity. The sacred
breast of His Holiness, the Exalted One, (may my life be a sacrifice
unto Him) was made a target to many a dart of woe, and in
Mazindarán, the Blessed feet of the Abhá Beauty (may my life be
offered up for His loved ones) were so grievously scourged as to
bleed and be sore wounded. His neck also was put into captive
chains and His feet made fast in the stocks. In every hour, for a
period of fifty years, a new trial and calamity befell Him and fresh
afflictions and cares beset Him. One of them: after having suffered
intense vicissitudes, He was made homeless and a wanderer and
fell a victim to still new vexations and troubles. In `Iráq, the Day-Star
of the world was so exposed to the wiles of the people of malice
as to be eclipsed in splendor. Later on He was sent an exile to
the Great City (Constantinople) and thence to the Land of Mystery
(Adrianople), whence, grievously wronged, He was eventually
transferred to the Most Great Prison (`Akká). He Whom the world
hath wronged (may my life be offered for His loved ones) was
four times banished from city to city, till at last condemned to
perpetual confinement, He was incarcerated in this Prison, the prison
of highway robbers, of brigands and of manslayers. All this is
but one of the trials that have afflicted the Blessed Beauty, the rest
being even as grievous as this.
According to the direct and sacred command of God we are
forbidden to utter slander, are commanded to show forth peace
and amity, are exhorted to rectitude of conduct, straightforwardness
and harmony with all the kindreds and peoples of the world. We
must obey and be the well-wishers of the governments of the land,
regard disloyalty unto a just king as disloyalty to God Himself and
wishing evil to the government a transgression of the Cause of
God.
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O God, my God! Thou seest this wronged servant of Thine,
held fast in the talons of ferocious lions, of ravening wolves, of
bloodthirsty beasts. Graciously assist me, through my love for
Thee, that I may drink deep of the chalice that brimmeth over with
faithfulness to Thee and is filled with Thy bountiful Grace; so that,
fallen upon the dust, I may sink prostrate and senseless whilst my
vesture is dyed crimson with my blood. This is my wish, my heart's
desire, my hope, my pride, my glory. Grant, O Lord my God, and
my Refuge, that in my last hour, my end, may even as musk shed
its fragrance of glory! Is there a bounty greater than this? Nay,
by Thy Glory! I call Thee to witness that no day passeth but that
I quaff my fill from this cup, so grievous are the misdeeds wrought
by them that have broken the Covenant, kindled discord, showed
their malice, stirred sedition in the land and dishonored Thee amidst
Thy servants. Lord! Shield Thou from these Covenant-breakers
the mighty Stronghold of Thy Faith and protect Thy secret Sanctuary
from the onslaught of the ungodly. Thou art in truth the
Mighty, the Powerful, the Gracious, the Strong.
O God, my God! Shield Thy trusted servants from the evils of
self and passion, protect them with the watchful eye of Thy loving
kindness from all rancour, hate and envy, shelter them in the impregnable
stronghold of Thy Cause and, safe from the darts of
doubtfulness, make them the manifestations of Thy glorious Signs,
illumine their faces with the effulgent rays shed from the Dayspring
of Thy Divine Unity, gladden their hearts with the verses revealed
from Thy Holy Kingdom, strengthen their loins by Thy all-swaying
power that cometh from Thy Realm of Glory. Thou art the All-bountiful,
the Protector, the Almighty, the Gracious!
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 been either
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, (pillars) 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
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and in one accord, to diffuse the sweet savors of God, to teach
His Cause and to promote His Faith. It behooveth 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 "O Thou the Glory of Glories!"
(Yá-Bahá'u'l-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
savors 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 night 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!
The disciples of Christ forgot themselves and all earthly things,
forsook all their cares and belongings, purged themselves of self
and passion 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!
O my loving friends! After the passing away of this wronged
one, it is incumbent upon the Aghsán (Branches), the Afnán
(Twigs) of the Sacred Lote-Tree, the Hands (pillars) of the Cause
of God and the loved ones of the Abhá Beauty to turn unto Shoghi
Effendi--the youthful branch branched from the two hallowed and
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sacred Lote-Trees and the fruit grown from the union of the two
offshoots of the Tree of Holiness,--as he is the sign of God, the
chosen branch, the guardian of the Cause of God, he unto whom
all the Aghsán, the Afnán, the Hands of the Cause of God and His
loved ones must turn. He is the expounder of the words of God
and after him will succeed the first-born of his lineal descendants.
The sacred and youthful branch, the guardian of the Cause of
God, as well as the Universal House of Justice, to be universally
elected and established, are both under the care and protection of
the Abhá Beauty, under the shelter and unerring guidance of His
Holiness, the Exalted One (may my life be offered up for them
both). Whatsoever they decide is of God. Whoso obeyeth him
not, neither obeyeth them, hath not obeyed God; whoso rebelleth
against him and against them hath rebelled against God; whoso
opposeth him hath opposed God; whoso contendeth with them hath
contended with God; whoso disputeth with him hath disputed with
God; whoso denieth him hath denied God; whoso disbelieveth in
him hath disbelieved in God; whoso deviateth, separateth himself
and turneth aside from him hath in truth deviated, separated himself
and turned aside from God. May the wrath, the fierce indignation,
the vengeance of God rest upon him! The mighty stronghold shall
remain impregnable and safe through obedience to him who is the
guardian of the Cause of God. It is incumbent upon the members
of the House of Justice, upon all the Aghsán, the Afnán, the Hands
of the Cause of God to show their obedience, submissiveness and
subordination unto the guardian of the Cause of God, to turn unto
him and be lowly before him. He that opposeth him hath opposed
the True One, will make a breach in the Cause of God, will subvert
His word and will become a manifestation of the Center of Sedition.
Beware, beware, lest the days after the ascension (of Bahá'u'lláh)
be repeated when the Center of Sedition waxed haughty and rebellious
and with Divine Unity for his excuse deprived himself and
perturbed and poisoned others. No doubt every vainglorious one
that purposeth dissension and discord will not openly declare his
evil purposes, nay rather, even as impure gold, would he seize
upon divers measures and various pretexts that he may separate the
gathering of the people of Bahá. My object is to show that the
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Hands of the Cause of God must be ever watchful and so soon
as they find anyone beginning to oppose and protest against the
guardian of the Cause of God cast him out from the congregation
of the people of Bahá and in no wise accept any excuse from him.
How often hath grievous error been disguised in the garb of truth,
that it might sow the seeds of doubt in the hearts of men!
O ye beloved of the Lord! It is incumbent upon the guardian
of the Cause of God to appoint in his own life-time him that shall
become his successor, that differences may not arise after his passing.
He that is appointed must manifest in himself detachment from
all worldly things, must be the essence of purity, must show in
himself the fear of God, knowledge, wisdom and learning. Thus,
should the first-born of the guardian of the Cause of God not
manifest in himself the truth of the words:--"The child is the
secret essence of its sire," that is, should he not inherit of the
spiritual within him (the guardian of the Cause of God) and his
glorious lineage not be matched with a goodly character, then must
he (the guardian of the Cause of God), choose another branch to
succeed him.
The Hands of the Cause of God must elect from their own
number nine persons that shall at all times be occupied in the important
services in the work of the guardian of the Cause of God.
The election of these nine must be carried either unanimously or
by majority from the company of the Hands of the Cause of God
and these, whether unanimously or by a majority vote, must give
their assent to the choice of the one whom the guardian of the Cause
of God hath chosen as his successor. This assent must be given in
such wise as the assenting and dissenting voices may not be distinguished.
(secret ballot)
O friends! The Hands of the Cause of God must be nominated
and appointed by the guardian of the Cause of God. All must be
under his shadow and obey his command. Should any, within or
without the company of the Hands of the Cause of God disobey
and seek division, the wrath of God and His vengeance will be upon
him, for he will have caused a breach in the true Faith of God.
The obligations of the Hands of the Cause of God are to diffuse
the Divine Fragrances, to edify the souls of men, to promote learning,
to improve the character of all men and to be, at all times and
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under all conditions, sanctified and detached from earthly things.
They must manifest the fear of God by their conduct, their manners,
their deeds and their words.
This body of the Hands of the Cause of God is under the direction
of the guardian of the Cause of God. He must continually
urge them to strive and endeavor to the utmost of their ability
to diffuse the sweet savors of God, and to guide all the peoples
of the world, for it is the light of Divine Guidance that causeth all
the universe to be illumined. To disregard, though it be for a
moment, this absolute command which is binding upon everyone, is
in no wise permitted, that the existent world may become even as
the Abhá Paradise, that the surface of the earth may become
heavenly, that contention and conflict amidst peoples, kindreds, nations
and governments may disappear, that all the dwellers on
earth may become one people and one race, that the world may
become even as one home. Should differences arise they shall be
amicably and conclusively settled by the Supreme Tribunal, that
shall include members from all the governments and peoples of the
world.
O ye beloved of the Lord! In this sacred Dispensation, conflict
and contention are in no wise permitted. Every aggressor deprives
himself of God's grace. It is incumbent upon everyone to show
the utmost love, rectitude of conduct, straightforwardness and sincere
kindliness unto all the peoples and kindreds of the world, be
they friends or strangers. So intense must be the spirit of love
and loving-kindness, that the stranger may find himself a friend, the
enemy a true brother, no difference whatsoever existing between
them. For universality is of God and all limitations earthly. Thus
man must strive that his reality may manifest virtues and perfections,
the light whereof may shine upon everyone. The light of the
sun shineth upon all the world and the merciful showers of Divine
Providence fall upon all peoples. The vivifying breeze reviveth
every living creature and all beings endued with life obtain their
share and portion at His heavenly board. In like manner, the affections
and loving-kindness of the servants of the One True God must
be bountifully and universally extended to all mankind. Regarding
this, restrictions and limitations are in no wise permitted.
Wherefore, O my loving friends! Consort with all the peoples,
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kindreds and religions of the world with the utmost truthfulness,
uprightness, faithfulness, kindliness, good-will and friendliness;
that all the world of being may be filled with the holy ecstasy of
the grace of Bahá, that ignorance, enmity, hate and rancor may
vanish from the world and the darkness of estrangement amidst
the peoples and kindreds of the world may give way to the Light
of Unity. Should other peoples and nations be unfaithful to you
show your fidelity unto them, should they be unjust toward you
show justice towards them, should they keep aloof from you attract
them to yourself, should they show their enmity be friendly towards
them, should they poison your lives sweeten their souls, should they
inflict a wound upon you be a salve to their sores. Such are the
attributes of the sincere! Such are the attributes of the truthful.
And now, concerning the House of Justice which God hath
ordained as the source of all good and freed from all error, it must
be elected by universal suffrage, that is, by the believers. Its members
must be manifestations of the fear of God and daysprings of
knowledge and understanding, must be steadfast in God's faith and
the well-wishers of all mankind. By this House is meant the Universal
House of Justice, that is, in all countries, a secondary House
of Justice must be instituted, and these secondary Houses of Justice
must elect the members of the Universal one. Unto this body all
things must be referred. It enacteth all ordinances and regulations
that are not to be found in the explicit Holy Text. By this body
all the difficult problems are to be resolved and the guardian of the
Cause of God is its sacred head and the distinguished member for
life of that body. Should he not attend in person its deliberations,
he must appoint one to represent him. Should any of the members
commit a sin, injurious to the common weal, the guardian of the
Cause of God hath at his own discretion the right to expel him,
whereupon the people must elect another one in his stead.
O ye beloved of the Lord! It is incumbent upon you to be submissive
to all monarchs that are just and show your fidelity to every
righteous king. Serve ye the sovereigns of the world with utmost
truthfulness and loyalty. Show obedience unto them and be their
well-wishers. Without their leave and permission do not meddle
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with political affairs, for disloyalty to the just sovereign is disloyalty
to God himself.
This is my counsel and the commandment of God unto you.
Well is it with them that act accordingly.
By the Ancient Beauty! This wronged one hath in no wise
borne nor doth he bear a grudge against any one; towards none
doth he entertain any ill-feeling and uttereth no word save for the
good of the world. My supreme obligation, however, of necessity,
prompteth me to guard and preserve the Cause of God. Thus, with
the greatest regret, I counsel you saying:--"Guard ye the Cause
of God, protect His law and have the utmost fear of discord. This
is the foundation of the belief of the people of Bahá (may my
life be offered up for them). "His Holiness, the Exalted One,
(the Báb) is the Manifestation of the Unity and Oneness of God
and the Forerunner of the Ancient Beauty. His Holiness the
Abhá Beauty, (may my life be a sacrifice for His steadfast friends)
is the Supreme Manifestation of God and the Dayspring of His
Most Divine Essence. All others are servants unto Him and do
His bidding." Unto the Most Holy Book every one must turn and
all that is not expressly recorded therein must be referred to the
Universal House of Justice. That which this body, whether unanimously
or by a majority doth carry, that is verily the Truth and
the Purpose of God himself. Whoso doth deviate therefrom is
verily of them that love discord, hath shown forth malice and
turned away from the Lord of the Covenant. By this House is
meant that Universal House of Justice which is to be elected from
all countries, that is, from those parts in the East and West where
the loved ones are to be found, after the manner of the customary
elections in Western countries such as those of England.
O ye beloved of the Lord! Strive with all your heart to shield
the Cause of God from the onslaught of the insincere, for souls
such as these cause the straight to become crooked and all benevolent
efforts to produce contrary results.
O God, my God! I call Thee, Thy Prophets and Thy Messengers,
Thy Saints and Thy Holy Ones, to witness that I have declared
conclusively Thy Proofs unto Thy loved ones and set forth
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clearly all things unto them, that they may watch over Thy Faith,
guard Thy Straight Path and protect Thy Resplendent Law. Thou
art, verily, the All-knowing, the All-wise!
Whosoever and whatsoever meeting becometh a hindrance to
the diffusion of the Light of Faith, let the loved ones give them
counsel and say: "Of all the gifts of God the greatest is the gift
of Teaching. It draweth unto us the Grace of God and is our first
obligation. Of such a gift how can we deprive ourselves? Nay,
our lives, our goods, our comforts, our rest, we offer them all as
a sacrifice for the Abhá Beauty and teach the Cause of God."
Caution and prudence, however, must be observed even as recorded
in the Book. The veil must in no wise be suddenly rent asunder.
The Glory of Glories rest upon you.
O ye the faithful loved ones of `Abdu'l-Bahá! It is incumbent
upon you to take the greatest care of Shoghi Effendi, the twig that
hath branched from the fruit given forth by the two hallowed
and Divine Lote-Trees, that no dust of despondency and sorrow
may stain his radiant nature, that day by day he may wax greater
in happiness, in joy and spirituality, and may grow to become even
as a fruitful tree.
For he is, after `Abdu'l-Bahá, the guardian of the Cause of
God, the Afnán, the Hands (pillars) of the Cause and the beloved
of the Lord must obey him and turn unto him. He that obeyeth him
not, hath not obeyed God; he that turneth away from him, hath
turned away from God and he that denieth him, hath denied the
True One. Beware lest anyone falsely interpret these words, and
like unto them that have broken the Covenant after the Day of
Ascension (of Bahá'u'lláh) advance a pretext, raise the standard
of revolt, wax stubborn and open wide the door of false interpretation.
To none is given the right to put forth his own opinion or
express his particular convictions. All must seek guidance and turn
unto the Center of the Cause and the House of Justice. And he
that turneth unto whatsoever else is indeed in grievous error.
The Glory of Glories rest upon you!
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PART TWO
Letters from Shoghi Effendi
Guardian of the Bahá'í Cause
January 21, 1922-July 17, 1932
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LETTERS FROM SHOGHI EFFENDI
Guardian of the Bahá'í Cause
Dearly beloved brethren and sisters in `Abdu'l-Bahá:
At this early hour when the morning light is just breaking upon
the Holy Land, whilst the gloom of the dear Master's bereavement
is still hanging thick upon the hearts, I feel as if my soul turns in
yearning love and full of hope to that great company of His loved
ones across the seas, who now share with us all the agonies of His
separation.
It is idle for me to emphasize how much the sorrowful ladies
of the Holy Household look forward to the work that lies before
the friends in the American continent, who in the past have rendered
so glorious a service to His Cause and will now, faithful to His
special love for them, carry on their mission still more gloriously
than ever before. True, the shock has been too terrible and sudden
for us all to recover from in so short a time, but whenever we recall
His Sayings and read His Writings, hope springs in our hearts
and gives us the peace that no other material comfort can give.
How well I remember when, more than two years ago, the
Beloved Master turning to a distinguished visitor of His, who was
seated by Him in His garden, suddenly broke the silence and said:--
"My work is now done upon this plane; it is time for me to pass on
to the other world." Did He not in more than one occasion state
clearly and emphatically:--"Were ye to know what will come to
pass after me, surely would ye pray that my end be hastened?"
In a Tablet sent to Persia when the storm raised years ago by that
Committee of Investigation was fiercely raging around Him, when
the days of His incarceration were at their blackest, He reveals the
following:--"Now in this world of being, the Hand of Divine
Power hath firmly laid the foundations of this all-highest Bounty
and this wondrous Gift. Gradually whatsoever is latent in the innermost
of this Holy Cycle shall appear and be made manifest, for now
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is but the beginning of its growth and the dayspring of the revelation
of its Signs. Ere the close of this Century and of this Age, it
shall be made clear and manifest how wondrous was that Springtide
and how heavenly was that Gift!"
With such assuring Utterances and the unmistakable evidences
of His sure and clear knowledge that His end was nigh, is there
any reason why the followers of His Faith, the world over, should
be perturbed? Are not the prayers He revealed for us sufficient
source of inspiration to every worker in His Cause? Have not His
instructions paved before us the broad and straight Path of Teaching?
Will not His now doubly effective power of Grace sustain
us, strengthen us and confirm us in our work for Him? Ours is
the duty to strive by day and night to fulfill our own obligations
and then trust in His Guidance and never failing Grace. Unity
amongst the friends, selflessness in our labors in His Path, detachment
from all worldly things, the greatest prudence and caution in
every step we take, earnest endeavor to carry out only what is His
Holy Will and Pleasure, the constant awareness of His Presence and
of the example of His Life, the absolute shunning of whomsoever
we feel to be an enemy of the Cause ... these, and foremost among
them is the need for unity, appear to me as our most vital duties,
should we dedicate our lives for His service. Should we in this
spirit arise to serve Him, what surer and greater promise have we
than the one His Glorious Father, Bahá'u'lláh, gives us in His Most
Holy Book:--"Verily, We behold you from Our Realm of Effulgent
Glory, and shall graciously aid whosoever ariseth for the triumph
of Our Cause with the hosts of the Celestial Concourse and a company
of Our chosen angels."
How dearly all the Holy Leaves+F1 cherish that memory of the
departed Master, as He commented upon the fresh tidings that
poured in from that continent, admiring the untiring activity of
the friends, the complete subordination of their material interests
to those of the Cause, the remarkable spread of the Movement
in their midst and their staunch firmness in the Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh.
It is these encouraging reflections of the Master about His
loved ones in America and the tests intellectual rather than physical
which He said He would send to them to purify them and make ever
+F1 Descendants (feminine) of Bahá'u'lláh.
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brighter than before--it is these comments and promises of His that
make of the Movement in that land such a potential force in the
world today. The Beloved Master's cable to the friends in that
region is a clear indication of the presence of those counteracting
forces that may usher in those storms of tests that the Master Himself
has said will ultimately be for the good of the Cause in that
land.
And finally, the ladies of the Sacred Household and we, the rest
of His kindred and family, will pray at His Hallowed Shrine for
every one of you and He will surely watch over and enhance in the
course of time that noble part of His heritage that He has bequeathed
to His friends in the Far West; friends from whom in return He
expects so much and whom He has loved and still doth love so dearly.
Your sincere co-worker in His Cause,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine.
January 21st, 1922.
Dear fellow-workers in the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh:--
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 endeavor to realize 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.
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The Mission of the Cause
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.
It is my firm conviction which I now express with all sincerity
and candor, that the dignity and unity of the Cause urgently demands--
particularly throughout the American continent--that the
friends should in their words and conduct emphasize and give absolute
prominence to the constructive dynamic principles of Bahá'u'lláh,
rather than attach undue importance to His negative Teachings.
With hearts cleansed from the least trace of suspicion and filled
with hope and faith in what the spirit of love can achieve, we must
one and all endeavor at this moment to forget past impressions, and
with absolute good-will and genuine cooperation 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 good-will,
of forbearance 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
+P19
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 group
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-Bahá wish us, as He looks down upon us with
loving expectation from His glorious Station, to obliterate as much
as possible all traces of censure, of conflicting discussions, of cooling
remarks, of petty unnecessary observations that impede the onward
march of the Cause, that damp the zeal of the firm believer and
detract from the sublimity of the Bahá'í Cause in the eyes of the
inquirer? In order, however, to insure fair and quick and vigorous
action whenever such an evil activity is revealed and has been carefully
ascertained, the best and only means would appear to be, for
the careful observer, once he is assured of such an evil action, and
has grown hopeless of the attitude of kindness and forbearance, to
report it quietly to the Spiritual Assembly representative of the
friends in that locality and submit the case to their earnest and full
consideration. Should the majority of the 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.
+P20
Local and National Spiritual Assemblies
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 Bahá'u'lláh and `Abdu'l-Bahá
on the duties and functions of the Spiritual Assemblies in every land
(later to be designated as the local Houses of Justice), emphatically
reveals the sacredness of their nature, the wide scope of their activity,
and the grave responsibility which rests upon them.
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 harmonized
to exalt Thy Word amidst mankind. O Lord, our God!
Make us the signs of Thy Divine Guidance, the Standards of Thy
exalted Faith amongst men, servants to Thy mighty Covenant. O
Thou our Lord Most High! Manifestations of Thy Divine Unity
in Thine Abhá Kingdom, and resplendent stars shining upon all
regions. Lord! Aid us to become seas surging with the billows of
Thy wondrous Grace, streams flowing from Thy all-glorious
Heights, goodly fruits upon the Tree of Thy heavenly Cause, trees
waving through the breezes of Thy Bounty in Thy celestial Vineyard.
O God! Make our souls dependent upon the Verses of Thy
Divine Unity, our hearts 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
+P21
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 Bahá, and should it exceed this
number it does not matter. It behooveth 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-Bahá reveals the following:--"It is incumbent
upon every one not to take any step without consulting the
Spiritual Assembly, and they must assuredly obey with heart and
soul its bidding and be submissive unto it, that things may be properly
ordered and well arranged. Otherwise every person will act independently
and after his own judgment, will follow his own desire,
and do harm to the Cause."
"The prime requisites for them that take counsel together are
purity of motive, radiance of spirit, detachment from all else save
God, attraction to His Divine Fragrances, humility and lowliness
amongst His loved ones, patience and long-suffering in difficulties
and servitude to His exalted Threshold. Should they be graciously
aided to acquire these attributes, victory from the unseen Kingdom
of Bahá shall be vouchsafed to them. In this day, assemblies of
consultation are of the greatest importance and a vital necessity.
Obedience unto them is essential and obligatory. The members
thereof must take counsel together in such wise that no occasion for
ill-feeling or discord may arise. This can be attained when every
member expresseth with absolute freedom his own opinion and
setteth forth his argument. Should any one oppose, he must on no
account feel hurt for not until matters are fully discussed can the
right way be revealed. The shining spark of truth cometh forth
only after the clash of differing opinions. If after discussion, a
+P22
decision be carried unanimously, well and good; 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 honored 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 honored 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 endeavor to fulfill these conditions
+P23
the Grace of the Holy Spirit shall be vouchsafed unto them,
and that assembly shall become the center 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."
So great is the importance and so supreme is the authority of
these assemblies that once `Abdu'l-Bahá after having himself and
in his own handwriting corrected the translation made into Arabic
of the Ishráqát (the Effulgences) by Sheikh 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 honor, Sheikh Faraju'llah,
has here rendered into Arabic with greatest care the Ishráqát
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
+P24
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 cooperation 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 friends, the full, speedy and efficient working of
the spiritual activities of His loved ones.
Committees of the National Assembly
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 Bahá'í organ, the matter of publication, or reprinting Bahá'í
literature and its distribution among the various assemblies, the
means whereby the teaching campaign may be stimulated and maintained,
the work of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, the racial question in
relation to the Cause, the matter of receiving Orientals and association
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 handmaids of Bahá'u'lláh are so devoutly and earnestly
engaged, to be harmonized and conducted with unity, cooperation
and efficiency, that the effect of such a combined and systematized
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
+P25
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.
Haifa, Palestine.
March 5, 1922.
IN THE NAME OF GOD
This servant, after that grievous event and great calamity, the
ascension of His Holiness `Abdu'l-Bahá to the Abhá Kingdom, has
been so stricken with grief and pain and so entangled in the troubles
(created) by the enemies of the Cause of God, that I consider that
my presence here, at such a time and in such an atmosphere, is not
in accordance with the fulfilment of my important and sacred duties.
For this reason, unable to do otherwise, I have left for a time
the affairs of the Cause both at home and abroad, under the supervision
of the Holy Family and the headship of the Greatest Holy
Leaf+F1 until, by the Grace of God, having gained health, strength,
self-confidence and spiritual energy, and having taken into my
hands, in accordance with my aim and desire, entirely and regularly
the work of service I shall attain to my utmost spiritual hope and
aspiration.
The servant of His Threshold,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine.
Circa May, 1922 (undated).
Our Common Servitude
May I also express my heartfelt desire that the friends of God
in every land regard me in no other light but that of a true brother,
united with them in our common servitude to the Master's Sacred
Threshold, and refer to me in their letters and verbal addresses
always as Shoghi Effendi, for I desire to be known by no other
name save the one our Beloved Master was wont to utter, a name
which of all other designations is the most conducive to my spiritual
growth and advancement.
Haifa, Palestine.
Circa May, 1922 (undated).
+F1 Bahíyyih, sister of `Abdu'l-Bahá.
+P26
To the loved ones of `Abdu'l-Bahá throughout the continent of America.
Dear fellow-workers in the Holy Vineyard of Bahá!
Now that my long hours of rest and meditation are happily at
an end, I turn my face with renewed hope and vigor to that vast
continent the soil of which is pregnant with those seeds that our
beloved Master has so tenderly and so profusely scattered in the
past. Prolonged though this period has been, yet I have strongly
felt ever since the New Day has dawned upon me that such a needed
retirement, despite the temporary dislocations it might entail, would
far outweigh in its results any immediate service I could have
humbly tendered at the Threshold of Bahá'u'lláh.
I am now confident that the energies of my beloved brethren
and sisters across the seas, far from being damped by my sudden
disappearance from the field of service, will henceforth be fully
maintained, nay redoubled in their intensity, that we may all together
carry triumphantly to the uttermost corners of the world the
glorious Standard of Bahá.
Bereft of all news whatsoever during my hours of restful seclusion,
I now feel the more the thrill of the various tidings, few but
indeed promising, that have been awaiting my return to the Holy
Land. The work of the noble Edifice that the mighty hands of the
All-wise Master has reared in this world can suffer no delay, nor
can its foundations be made to totter, whatever the apparent obstacles
its enemies in their impotent wrath and despair may throw
in its way. We need not wait too long, for already from various
quarters there comes the news that the awful promises of `Abdu'l-Bahá
regarding the Covenant-breakers have been strikingly fulfilled!
But it behooves us not to dwell for a moment on these doomed
and darkened efforts, for the shining light of the Master's unfailing
guidance is beckoning us to more constructive service, to nobler and
worthier achievements.
We have, not a long time ago, with tearful eyes commemorated
the world over the passing hour of our beloved Master. Would to
God it has marked in our lives, which we all have consecrated to
+P27
His service, a fresh, solemn and unswerving resolution of devotion
and fidelity to His Cause
Your brother and co-worker,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
December 16, 1922.
To the members of the National Spiritual Assembly, the elected representatives of all believers throughout the continent of America.
Esteemed co-workers in the Vineyard of God:
To have been unable, owing to unforeseen and unavoidable
circumstances, to correspond with you ever since you entered upon
your manifold and arduous duties is to me a cause of deep regret
and sad surprise! I am however assured and sustained by the
conviction, never dimmed in my mind, that whatsoever comes to
pass in the Cause of God, however disquieting in its immediate
effects, is fraught with infinite Wisdom and tends ultimately to
promote its interests in the world. Indeed, our experiences of the
distant past, as well as of recent events, are too numerous and
varied to permit of any misgiving or doubt as to the truth of this
basic principle--a principle which throughout the vicissitudes of
our sacred mission in this world we must never disregard or forget.
I cannot refrain from expressing in this, my first letter to you
my deep gratitude and great pleasure in learning how promptly,
thoroughly and admirably you have conducted the affairs of the
Cause in that land. Of the sincerity of your efforts, of the determination
with which you have faced your delicate and difficult
task, I have never doubted for a moment, as I knew too well of the
ardent spirit of service and fellowship which the sudden passing of
our Beloved had infused in all his followers everywhere. But
great was my surprise to know how the ever-present Hand of the
Master has removed so speedily all the difficulties in our way and
how the light of His Divine Guidance caused the darkness of
doubts, of fears and mistrust to vanish.
The efficient manner in which you have carried out my humble
suggestions has been a source of great encouragement to me and
has revived confidence in my heart. I have read and re-read the
+P28
reports of your activities, have studied minutely all the steps you
have taken to consolidate the foundations of the Movement in
America, and have learned with a keen sense of satisfaction the
plans you contemplate for the further rise and spread of the Cause
in your great country. I very highly approve of the arrangements
you have made for centralizing the work in your hands and of
distributing it to the various committees, who each in its own
sphere, have so efficiently and thoroughly undertaken the management
of their own affairs.
What has given me still greater pleasure is to learn that the
members of this Central Body which has assumed so grave a responsibility
and is facing such delicate and difficult tasks, command
individually and collectively not only the sympathy of their spiritual
brethren and sisters but who also can confidently rely on their active
and whole-hearted support in the campaign of service to the Cause
of Bahá'u'lláh. It is indeed as it should be, for if genuine and
sustained cooperation and mutual confidence cease to exist between
individual friends and their local and national assemblies, the all-beneficent
work of the Cause must cease and nothing else can
enable it to function harmoniously and effectively in future.
True, the Cause as every other movement has its own obstacles,
complications and unforeseen difficulties, but unlike any other human
organization it inspires a spirit of Faith and Devotion which
can never fail to induce us to make sincere and renewed efforts to
face these difficulties and smooth any differences that may and must
arise.
I look forward with fervent hope to hear of these renewed
efforts on your part and of the strong determination which you
will never suffer to slacken, to maintain at any cost the unity, the
effectiveness and the dignity of the Cause.
May I through you express my heartfelt gratitude to the members
of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár Building Committee, Mr. Alfred E.
Lunt, Mrs. Corinne True, Dr. Zia Bagdadi, Mr. Charles Mason
Remey, Mr. Louis Bourgeois, Mr. Leo Perron for their incessant
labors in speeding the work of this noble Edifice which when
raised and completed will prove to be the most powerful factor in
the promulgation of the Cause in America.
+P29
Will you also extend to the members of the Publishing and
Reviewing Committees, Mr. William H. Randall, Mr. Mountfort
Mills, Mr. Roy C. Wilhelm, Mr. Albert R. Vail, Miss Edna True,
Mrs. Marjory Morten and Mr. Alfred E. Lunt, my high appreciation
for the very efficient management of their departments and
their devotion to a work which if consistently maintained cannot
fail to impress and attract a vast number of the enlightened public.
Regarding the Star of the West, I wish to congratulate in particular
the members of the Publishing Committee on the quality of their
work. I have perused with particular interest the last numbers of
the Magazine and am glad to note an encouraging improvement in
its management, its style, its general presentation and the nature
and number of its articles.
To the members of the Teaching Committee, Mr. William
Randall, Mrs. Agnes S. Parsons, Mr. Albert Vail, Mr. Louis G.
Gregory and Mrs. Mariam Haney I offer my very best wishes and
assure them of my constant prayers on their behalf, that their
services to such a vital department in the affairs of the Cause, so
primary and immediate in its importance, may be crowned with
brilliant success.
For the members of the Children's Educational Work Committee,
Mrs. Grace Ober, Mrs. Louise Boyle, Mrs. Victoria
Bedikian, Mrs. Hebe Struven, Mrs. Grace Foster, Mr. Stanwood
Cobb and Mr. Allen McDaniel, I supplicate Divine Assistance,
that He may graciously aid them in a work which was so near
and dear to the Master's heart and enable them to assist in the rise
of future devoted and efficient servants to the Cause of God.
On behalf of all the members of these Committees, I shall pray
at the Three Hallowed Shrines, that they may become purified
channels of His Grace and instruments of His Divine Plan for this
world. For my part, I shall not fail to offer my humble share of
help and assistance to every one of them in their respective work
and would welcome from each a special report on their present
activities and of their plans for the future.
Awaiting from you all the joyous news of the deepening as
well as the spreading of the Cause for which our beloved Master
has given His time, His life, His all, and remembering your labors
+P30
of love and service every time I lay my head upon the Sacred
Thresholds,
I am, as ever, your brother in His Service,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
December 23rd, 1922.
P.S. I would be pleased and gratified if you could inform all
the various local spiritual assemblies of my wish and desire to receive
as soon as possible from every local assembly a detailed and
official report on their spiritual activities, the character and organization
of their respective assemblies, accounts of their public
and private gatherings, of the actual position of the Cause in their
province, and of their plans and arrangements for the future. Pray
convey to all of them my best wishes and the assurance of my
hearty assistance in their noble work of service to mankind.
SHOGHI.
To the members of the National Spiritual Assembly.
Beloved co-workers in the Cause of God!
In the midst of your unceasing labors for the progress of the
Movement in that country, I am sure you would welcome every now
and then such news as shall breathe a fresh spirit into your activities
and stimulate you to further effort for the promotion of His
Cause.
Only the other day, in the course of my study of various Bahá'í
documents, I came, as if by mere chance, across a very important
message from our beloved `Abdu'l-Bahá, bearing no date, and revealing
no sign as to exactly where, how and to whom it was given,
written in the Master's own handwriting upon a leaflet that seemed
ordinary and ill-preserved in appearance but which on close study
proved of the profoundest interest to all believers in the East as
well as in the West. As to the authenticity of these remarkable
words, so clearly and forcibly written, there is no doubt whatsoever,
and the measure of assurance it shall inspire in the loved ones of Persia
and the spirit of hopeful encouragement it shall breathe in the
friends of the West, have urged me to communicate it to you, that
+P31
subject to your consideration and consent, it may be published+F1
amongst the friends and redouble their confidence in the very
remarkable share the West is destined to contribute to the immediate
spread of the Movement throughout the world.
Recently, I have rendered it myself into English and enclosed
is a copy of the full translation.
Star of the West
May I also mention in passing the fact that since my return
to the Holy Land I have directed and emphatically urged in my
letters, the friends in Persia, Turkestan, Caucasus, Great Britain,
India, Egypt and Syria to subscribe, through their respective Assemblies,
to the Star of the West, report regularly to that paper and
through their Assemblies the news of their activity and contribute
every now and then carefully written articles approved and sanctioned
by the same Assemblies.
I trust that this measure will react favorably on the Star of the
West and will serve to stimulate the members of the Publishing
Committee to further activity in their sphere of service to the
Cause.
Awaiting eagerly your letters and wishing you the fullest success
in your very arduous duties,
I am your devoted brother,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
January 12, 1923.
The beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful throughout the United States and Canada.
Beloved brothers and sisters in `Abdu'l-Bahá:
Our dear friend, Jináb-i-Fádil-i-Mazindarání, accompanied by
his family, has gladly and gratefully responded to the kind invitation
of the American friends to visit them once more and extend his
helping hand to the many friends who are so faithfully laboring
throughout that continent for the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh.
+F1 Published in the booklet "Prayer of Bahá'u'lláh: Prayers and Tablets of `Abdu'l-Bahá."
+P32
Deeply appreciative of the sentiments of warm and abiding
affection which his co-workers of that land have abundantly shown
him in the past, fired with the zeal of service which the passing of
our Beloved has kindled in every heart and hopeful of the immediate
future of the Cause in those regions, he is proceeding to America
with the sole purpose of promoting far and wide and with greater
efficiency and vigor the all-important work of teaching.
As to the extent of his sojourn, the details of his travel, his
plan for visiting the various spiritual centers and all other matters
related to his visit, I have left them all to his own discretion, that
he may, after consultation with the various Spiritual Assemblies,
do as he deems best and most serviceable to the interests of the
Cause in that land.
That all the friends may realize more fully the urgent and
supreme necessity of teaching the Cause in these days; that they
may arise to inaugurate a more strenuous, systematized and extensive
campaign of service--these are the high aims he has set before
himself and which he intends, with the unfailing help and wholehearted
support of every believer in America, to achieve in the
immediate future.
May his second visit to your shores mark, in its character and
results, a new and memorable era in the history of the Cause in that
great country!
Your brother and co-worker,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine.
January 16, 1923.
To the members of the National Spiritual Assembly.
Dear friends:
It is a great pleasure for me to share with you the translation+F1
of some of the prayers and Tablets of our beloved Master, the reading
of which I trust will inspire you and strengthen you in your
work of service to His Cause.
I trust that in the course of time I will be enabled to send you
+F1 These translations, with others received later, were published as a pamphlet by the N.S.A.
+P33
regularly correct and reliable translations of the various prayers
and Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh, and `Abdu'l-Bahá, which will unfold
to your eyes a new vision of His Glorious Mission on earth and
give you an insight into the character and meanings of His Divine
Teachings.
I shall await very eagerly any suggestions you would like to
give me on this point and on all other matters that pertain to the
interests of the Cause in America, and I assure you again of my
readiness and wish to be of help and service to those faithful and
devoted servants of Bahá'u'lláh in that land.
Your brother and co-worker,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
January 17th, 1923.
To the members of the National Spiritual Assembly.
Dearest friends:
I have just completed the translation of a number of selections+F1
from the Master's soul-stirring Words to His loved ones in Persia,
revealed some twenty-five years ago, and during the darkest days
of His incarceration in the prison city of `Akká.
You will realize, as you read them, the unshakable confidence
of `Abdu'l-Bahá in the inevitable growth of the Cause, even in the
most perilous days of His life. Their perusal will enable you all to
grasp more fully the significance of this Movement and its dynamic
power, the urgent need for sustained unity and harmony amongst
the friends, and the glory of the station that awaits in the world
to come every faithful servant of Bahá'u'lláh.
May they contribute their share to the unfolding of the Spirit
of the Cause in that land, and may they infuse in all the friends
that ardent spirit of service and fellowship that will enable them
to fulfill their glorious destiny in this world!
Your brother and co-worker,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
February 13, 1923.
+F1 Published in the booklet "Prayer of Bahá'u'lláh: Prayers and Tablets of `Abdu'l-Bahá."
+P34
To 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 to 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 fulfill, 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.
Condition of the World
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 fulfill His great Purpose
for mankind. And who can fail to realize 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
+P35
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.
Responsibility of Bahá'ís
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 endeavor
by day and by night, to deepen, first and foremost, the Spirit
of His Cause in our own individual lives, and then labor, and
labor 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 fulfillment 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 behooveth the loved ones of God to be enamored 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
+P36
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 hope,
fervent in our spirit, and selfless in our labors, let us arise and with
prayerful hearts make another and supreme effort to fulfill 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 savors of God, to teach His Cause
and to promote His Faith. It behooveth 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 Yá-Bahá'u'l-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 savors 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 the 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
+P37
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 realize 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 Abhá beauty."
What a wondrous vision these words unfold to our eyes! How
great our privilege to labor in this Day in the Divine Vineyard!
Is it not incumbent upon us to arise and teach His Cause with such
an ardor which no worldly adversity can quell, nor any measure of
success can satiate?
Election of Local Assemblies
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 Kitáb-i-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 realize 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.
Duties of Spiritual Assemblies
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
+P38
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 endeavor 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 cooperation 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 color, caste 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, organize 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 centers 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 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" (Khurshid-i Khavar) in Turkestan, 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.
+P39
These rank among the most outstanding obligations of the
members of every Spiritual Assembly. In whatsoever locality the
Cause has sufficiently expanded, and in order to insure 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.
National Assemblies
Regarding the establishment of "National Assemblies," it is of
vital importance that in every country, where the conditions are
favorable 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 coordinate 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
+P40
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),
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 Assembly, 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
+P41
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.
Annual Election of Assemblies
Pending its establishment, and to insure 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 vigor, that its affairs may be conducted with
efficiency and promptness, it is necessary that every one should
conscientiously take an active part in the election of these Assemblies,
abide by their decisions, enforce their decree, and cooperate
with them wholeheartedly 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.
The Bahá'í Fund
And as the progress and execution 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
+P42
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 separation 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.
The Most Essential Obligation
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
us the following assurance:
"O ye servants of the Sacred Threshold! The triumphant Hosts
+P43
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 unto 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, unfettered and
unafraid, and fulfill our glorious Destiny.
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
March 12, 1923.
Transliteration of Bahá'í Terms
P.S. On another page+F1 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 spelling
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.
To the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful, the accredited delegates to the Annual Convention of America, Chicago, Illinois.
Dearly beloved brothers and sisters in `Abdu'l-Bahá:
On this auspicious occasion, when the elected representatives of
the Bahá'í Community throughout the continent of America, gathered
+F1 The complete list of terms is to be found in Bahá'í World, volume VII.
+P44
for the first time within the Foundation Hall of the stately
edifice of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, are assembled to take counsel together
regarding those vital issues that confront the Cause of
Bahá'u'lláh in that land, may I, as one of your humble fellow-workers
in the field of service, offer you from the very depths of
my heart my brotherly love and sincere greetings, and assure you
of my fervent prayers for the success of your deliberations and
the attainments of your hearts' desire.
You stand at this challenging hour in the history of the Cause
at the threshold of a new era; the functions you are called upon
to discharge are fraught with immense possibilities; the responsibilities
you shoulder are grave and momentous; and the eyes of
many peoples are turned, at this hour, towards you, expectant to
behold the dawning of a Day that shall witness the fulfilment of
His divine Promise.
Forgetful of the past and its vicissitudes, conscious of the need
for renewed and combined effort, freed from all earthly limitations
and motives, with every lingering trace of ill-feeling forever banished
from our hearts, freshly united and determined, let us join
in deep and silent communion with the ever-watchful Spirit of our
beloved `Abdu'l-Bahá, and with humility and earnestness supplicate
for the guidance that will enable us to fulfil the task which is now
committed to our charge. May this year's Convention, by the range
of its activities, by the character of its proceedings, by its faithful
adherence to the divine Instructions of our loving Master, and
above all by its radiant spirit of enthusiasm and true fellowship,
prove itself one of the greatest landmarks in the history of the
Cause in America.
May the all-pervading Spirit of Bahá'u'lláh so permeate the
souls of its members as to cause it to mirror forth the glories and
the splendors of the Celestial Concourse.
Your devoted brother,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine.
April 8, 1923.
+P45
To the members of the American National Spiritual Assembly.
Dearest friends:
I have lately received your long-awaited reports on the present
situation of the Movement in that land, and have read them all,
together with their enclosures, with the utmost care and deepest
interest.
I am much impressed and feel deeply gratified to learn of your
devoted and unremitting labors, individually and collectively in the
field of service to the Cause; of your constant vigilance and watchful
care in upholding its fundamental principles and guarding its essential
interests; of the efficiency, faithfulness and vigor with which
you are conducting the administration of its affairs throughout that
land.
Many and grave may be the obstacles, whether from within or
from without, which we shall have to encounter in the days to
come, but we feel sure that if we but maintain consistently before
our eyes a broad and noble vision of its significance and vital necessity
in these days, and above all of its universality and all-conquering
power, we shall be enabled to surmount them, one and all, and by
the Power of Faith, carry the Ark of the Covenant to its Haven of
Safety and Triumph.
It is, I firmly believe, of the utmost urgent importance that,
with unity of purpose and action firmly established in our midst, and
with every trace of the animosity and mistrust of the past banished
from our hearts, we should form one united front and combat,
wisely and tactfully, every force that might darken the spirit of the
Movement, cause division in its ranks, and narrow it by dogmatic
and sectarian belief.
National Spiritual Assemblies
It is primarily upon the elected members of the National Spiritual
Assemblies throughout the Bahá'í world that this highly important
duty devolves, as in their hands the direction and management of all
spiritual Bahá'í activities have been placed and centralized, and as
they constitute in the eyes of the people of their country the supreme
body in that land that officially represents, promotes and safeguards
the various interests of the Cause, it is my fervent prayer and my
+P46
most cherished desire, that the unfailing guidance of Bahá'u'lláh
and the blessings of our beloved Master will enable them to set a
high and true example to all other Bahá'í institutions and local
Assemblies, and will show them what absolute harmony, mature
deliberation and whole-hearted cooperation can achieve.
Should such a representative and responsible body fail to realize
this fundamental requisite for all successful achievement, the whole
structure is sure to crumble, and the Great Plan of the Future, as
unfolded by the Master's Will and Testament, will be rudely disturbed
and grievously delayed.
Regarding the management of the Star of the West, as I have
already intimated, this Bahá'í organ as well as other similar publications,
far from being regarded as the special organ of a certain
group or particular locality, should fall under the exclusive control
of the National Spiritual Assembly, which, aided by a special committee,
shall minutely guide and judiciously scrutinize all the information
it gives, the character of the articles and translations it
publishes, and the tone and language it assumes in all its issues....
Reports of Activities
I shall always await from the members of the National Spiritual
Assembly, collective, official and comprehensive reports on their
manifold activities, sent to me at frequent intervals, and bearing
upon the inner and outward currents of the Movement, the relations
of Assemblies to one another, and the general standing and the
various aspects of the progress of the Cause throughout the land.
I would welcome more specific reports sent to me by the various
committees of the National Spiritual Assembly, enclosed in the
National Assembly's letter, and approved by all its members.
Mashriqu'l-Adhkár
I have read with keen interest all the enclosures regarding the
Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, have shared the up-to-date news they contained
with the friends throughout the East, and note with particular
pleasure the completion of the Basement Section, with its spacious
Foundation Hall ready for the holding of meetings and the gatherings
of friends. Though the prospect of the immediate resumption
+P47
of building activity does not seem bright at present, yet I hope
and pray that these difficulties will soon disappear, and the work of
this unique Edifice, stimulated and advanced in time by the zeal
and self-sacrifice of the friends the world over, will soon attain its
glorious consummation. I beg to enclose my humble contribution
of 19 pounds, as my share of the numerous donations that have
reached the Temple Treasury in the past year.
Pray convey to the members of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár Committee
the highest sense of my appreciation for their devoted and
strenuous labors, and my constant prayers for the success of the
task which they have set themselves to accomplish.
With regard to the situation in Persia, and the condition of the
friends in that land, I have requested the Tihrán Spiritual Assembly
to send me immediately an authoritative and full report of the exact
situation, whereupon I shall duly inform you of the exact steps to
be taken to insure the well-being and safety of the tried believers
in Persia....
The holding of State Congresses, Amity Conventions, and other
universal associations of the friends in America, will naturally fall
within the province of the National Spiritual Assembly, which will
direct and supervise the work of them all by the aid of special committees,
each constituted for a specific purpose. The matter of
receiving Orientals is left entirely in the hands of the National
Spiritual Assembly, whose special committee for this purpose will
have to investigate all the questions arising in this connection in
future. Please convey to the members of the newly constituted
Library Committee my deep appreciation of their labors in this
important field of service, and assure them of my prayers for their
success.
Touching the point raised in the Secretary's letter regarding
the nature and scope of the Universal Court of Arbitration, this and
other similar matters will have to be explained and elucidated by
the Universal House of Justice, to which, according to the Master's
explicit instructions, all important and fundamental questions must
be referred. At present the exact implication and full significance
of the provisions of the Master's Will are as yet imperfectly understood,
and time will serve to reveal the wisdom and the far-reaching
effects of His words.
+P48
I am enclosing on a separate sheet the full authoritative code,
widely adopted by contemporary Orientalists throughout the world,
which will serve as a basis for the transliteration of Bahá'í terms
and Oriental names.+F1
Remembering you all in my hours of visit and prayer at the
Three Holy Shrines, and wishing you success from all my heart,
I am your brother and fellow-worker,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine.
April 9th, 1923.
To the members of the National Spiritual Assembly.
Beloved fellow-workers in the Cause:
I am not sure whether I have sent you before a copy of this
glorious Tablet revealed by Bahá'u'lláh for His beloved `Abdu'l-Bahá,
written in His own blessed handwriting, and which we found
among his papers and documents soon after the Master's Ascension.
It reveals in terms of touching tenderness the unique station of
`Abdu'l-Bahá, and constitutes an unchallengeable evidence of His
supreme authority.
I am also enclosing my rendering of various passages of the
Kitáb-i-Aqdas+F2 which you may feel at liberty to circulate amongst
the friends.
Wishing you all success in your work,
I am your devoted brother,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
April 27th, 1923.
To the members of the National Spiritual Assembly.
My friends and fellow-workers in the Cause of God!
Your most welcome message, imparting the glad news of a
successful Convention, has rejoiced my heart and fortified my hope
+F1 See previous footnote on transliterations.
+F2 Published in "The Star of the West" during the year 1923.
+P49
in this year of active service, that has just unfolded itself before
you.
I am certain that, as the newly elected representatives of the
Bahá'í Community throughout America, you are, one and all, well
aware of your mighty responsibilities, and fully realize the tremendous
need for a full understanding amongst the friends, and their
active and sustained cooperation in spreading far and wide the
Cause of Bahá'u'lláh throughout that vast continent.
I fervently hope that in collaboration with our wise, able and
devoted brother, Jináb-i-Fádil, you will inaugurate a brilliant and
vigorous campaign of Teaching, that shall by its very splendor
banish the darkness of differences and contention that so impede
the majestic and onward march of the Cause in every land.
Central Fund
That you may reinforce this Teaching Campaign--so vitally
needed in these days--and conduct, properly and efficiently, the rest
of your manifold activities, spiritual as well as humanitarian, it is
urgently necessary to establish that Central Fund, which if generously
supported and upheld by individual friends and local Assemblies,
will soon enable you to execute your plans with promptness
and vigor.
It is my earnest prayer, in the day-time and in the night season,
that the ever-guiding Hand of our loved and departed Master may
graciously aid you to surmount every obstacle, and will lead, through
you,--His chosen ones in that land,--the Ark of His Cause, to its
promised haven of glory and triumph.
With heartfelt congratulations and best wishes,
I am your brother and fellow-worker,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine.
May 6th, 1923.
P.S. I enclose a copy of my translation+F1 of Bahá'u'lláh's Words
of Wisdom, which you will feel at liberty to circulate amongst the
friends.
+F1 Published in the Bahá'í Magazine, Star of the West.
+P50
To the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful throughout America, care of the members of the American National Spiritual Assembly.
Fellow-laborers 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 pain. 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 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, has well-nigh overwhelmed the heart and damped
the zeal of even the most enthusiastic believer 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.
The Cause of Human Suffering
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 declares, "Chaos and confusion
will ensue." How admirably fitting and applicable are these words
to the present state of mankind!
+P51
Ours is then the duty and privilege to labor, by day and by
night, amidst the storm and stress of these troublous days, that we
may quicken the zeal of our fellow-men, rekindle their hopes, stimulate
their interest, 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 out for ever, 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 to 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 vigor that will enable me to pursue over
a long and unbroken period of strenuous labor the supreme task of
+P52
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 most precious fruits of civilization are undergoing severe and
unparalleled tests, we may all realize, more profoundly than ever,
that though but a mere handful amidst the seething masses of the
world, we 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.
Haifa, Palestine.
November 14, 1923.
To the members of the American National Spiritual Assembly.
Friends and fellow-workers in the Vineyard of God!
After a long and unbroken silence, it gives me the greatest joy
to be enabled to correspond again with my dearly-beloved co-workers
of the National Spiritual Assembly.
Your three letters, dated June 8th, July 10th and October 12th,
have been safely received, and to each I have given my earnest and
fullest attention. Their perusal which reflects only a certain amount
of your activities together with the study of the enclosed communications
and circulars and of the detailed and admirable report of the
proceedings of the Annual Convention have all served to heighten
my admiration for the thoroughness, the ability, and the devotion
with which you are conducting the affairs of the Cause of God in
that land.
How often I have wished and yearned to be nearer to the field
of your activities and thus be able to keep in a more constant and
closer touch with every detail of the manifold and all-important
services you render. I cherish the hope that erelong the facilities
in the means of communication and transport will serve to draw
+P53
us still nearer to one another, and fulfill, though partially, this
long-desired wish.
The Annual Convention
I have been made happy and grateful to learn from your first
letter that "throughout the sessions (of the last Convention) the
atmosphere was one of great detachment and spirituality combined
with practical vision and purpose." I am deeply convinced that if
the Annual Convention of the friends in America, as well as the
National Spiritual Assembly, desire to become potent instruments
for the speedy realization of the Beloved's fondest hopes for the
future of that country, they should endeavor, first and foremost, to
exemplify, in an increasing degree, to all Bahá'ís and to the world
at large the high ideals of fellowship and service which Bahá'u'lláh
and the beloved Master repeatedly set before them. They can claim
the admiration, the support and eventually the allegiance of their
fellow-countrymen only by their strict regard for the dignity, the
welfare, and the unity of the Cause of God, by their zeal, their
disinterestedness, and constancy in the service of mankind, and by
demonstrating, through their words and deeds, the need and practicability
of the lofty principles which the Movement has proclaimed
to the world.
The efforts you have displayed, and the considerable success
you have achieved in consolidating the forces of the Movement in
the United States and Canada have been a source of inspiration to
every one of us, and, I am certain, will spur the friends throughout
the East to combined and sympathetic activity for the promotion of
the Cause.
My fervent prayer at the three Holy Shrines is that the bountiful
Lord may bless His American friends who constitute the vanguard
of His host in the Western world, and prosper them in their
material affairs and pursuits, that the Cause which stands today in
sore need of material help and assistance may advance, rapidly and
unhindered, towards the fulfillment of its destiny.
The Bahá'í Fund
With regard to the Bahá'í Fund, recently established amongst
the friends, I trust that the matter now stands clear to every one
+P54
throughout the country. As I have previously intimated, although
individual friends and local Assemblies are absolutely free to specify
the object and purpose of their donations to the National Spiritual
Assembly, yet, in my opinion, I regard it of the utmost vital importance
that individuals, as well as local Assemblies, throughout
the land should, in view of the paramount importance of National
Teaching and as an evidence of their absolute confidence in their
national representatives, endeavor, however small at first, to contribute
freely towards the upkeep and the increase of the National
Bahá'í Fund, so that the members of the National Assembly may
at their full discretion expend it for whatever they deem urgent
and necessary.
The Mashriqu'l-Adhkár
Concerning the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, I shall always recall with
pride and gratitude the self-sacrifice of the American friends and,
in particular the devoted services of our dear Bahá'í sister, Mrs.
True, and our beloved brethren, Dr. Bagdadi, Mr. Remey and
Mr. Bourgeois, whose persistent efforts and devoted services are in
the eyes of all friends highly praiseworthy. I would feel indeed
disheartened were the friends to think for a moment, that its work
should fall into abeyance, nay, rather they should do all in their
power (and I trust their fellow-brethren and sisters throughout the
East may share in their stupendous efforts) to provide for the
steady and uninterrupted progress of the work, until the day may
come when this sublime Edifice, raised in its majestic splendor in
the very heart of the continent, may be yet another evidence of the
triumph and vitality of the Cause.
Your reference to the friends in Akron, Ohio, and their harmonious
participation in the proceedings of the Convention have
rejoiced my heart, for it has removed another obstacle in the way of
the rapid and vigorous development of the Cause in those regions.
The beneficent services and unremitting labors of that selfless
and able teacher of the Cause of God, Jináb-i-Fádil-i-Mazandarání,
the details of whose travels and activities I have followed with deep
interest, have been to me a constant source of hope and real encouragement,
and my hope is that the seeds he has so wisely sown
may with your support yield in the not distant future an abundant
harvest.
+P55
Green Acre
I was delighted to hear of the progressive activities of that
dearly-beloved spot, Green Acre, upon which the Master has bestowed
His tender care and loving-kindness, and of which we are
all hopeful that it may become, while the work of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár
is in progress, the focal center of the devotional, humanitarian,
social and spiritual activities of the Cause. The sacrifice
of the time, energy and money made by our dearly beloved friends,
Mr. and Mrs. Randall, Mr. and Mrs. Schopflocher, and those who
have helped them in their task, I shall never forget, and will fervently
pray on their behalf that our Beloved may fulfill their heart's
desire. I feel that no interference with its present organization
should be attempted, as it enjoys in its present condition unique
opportunities for the diffusion of the Bahá'í spirit and the promotion
of the Word of God.
I am glad to report that the situation of the houses in Baghdád
is free from immediate danger, though the issue has not yet been
definitely determined. I wish in this respect to express my high
admiration and deep gratitude for the promptness, caution, and care
with which you, and particularly Mrs. Parsons and Mr. Mills, have
approached and handled this delicate question. I shall inform you
of any future developments in this matter.
With regard to the Star of the West, I have been impressed by
the beauty and force of the various articles contributed to the Journal
by Mr. Horace Holley and Mr. Stanwood Cobb, and would indeed
welcome with genuine satisfaction an even more active participation
on their part in the editorial section of the Bahá'í Magazine.
I have addressed a few days ago a cable to the secretary of the
National Spiritual Assembly, requesting the friends to exercise
restraint and caution in the use and distribution of the record of
the Master's voice. In my view, it should be used only on special
occasions and be listened to with the utmost reverence. The dignity
of the Cause, I am sure, would suffer from too wide and indiscriminate
use of one of the most precious relics of our departed
Master.
Regarding the short film of the Master, for which, as well as
for the record of His voice, I am deeply indebted to the selfless
+P56
efforts and services of my dear brother, Mr. Roy C. Wilhelm, it
would be undoubtedly better to combine it with other films representing
various scenes in the history of the Cause, taken in countries
visited by the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh and `Abdu'l-Bahá. As this would
take considerable time and preparation and would entail much expense
I wonder whether it would be an expense and burden to you
to forward only to the Holy Land one copy of the actual film, as
it would impart untold happiness and consolation to the bereaved
ladies of the Holy Household.
I am gratified to peruse the able and masterly work of my dear
fellow-worker, Mr. Horace Holley, a work+F1 which I have no doubt
will by virtue of its subject matter, its comprehensiveness and
uniqueness arouse widespread and genuine interest in the Movement.
I am looking forward eagerly to similar productions by the pen of
such able and gifted servants of Bahá'u'lláh.
I am enclosing for all the friends recent translations of those
highly significant utterances of Bahá'u'lláh, revealed some fifty years
ago, and pregnant with His divine wisdom. His ringing call to
humanity in its hour of peril sounds prophetic in these days of
utter gloom.
I am forwarding also a copy of the transliterated Oriental terms
with few corrections of minor type errors. I am confident that the
friends will not feel their energy and patience taxed by a scrupulous
adherence to what is an authoritative and universal, though arbitrary
code for the spelling of Oriental terms.
Committees of the National Assembly
The diligent efforts exerted by the various committees of the
National Spiritual Assembly, those for National Teaching, for the
Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, the Star of the West, the National Library, for
the reviewing and publication of Bahá'í literature, for education, for
the National Archives and the Race Amity Conventions, have
cheered and heartened me in the discharge of my manifold duties,
and constitute in themselves a convincing evidence and inspiring
example to the Bahá'í world of the efficient spiritual administration
of the affairs of the Bahá'í world.
As to the spiritual activities of the "Children of the Kingdom"
+F1 Bahá'í Scriptures, New York, 1923; replaced by Bahá'í World Faith, 1943.
+P57
in America, my hope and prayer is that they may grow to become
efficient servants of the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh. Their devotion and
self-sacrifice, their readiness to help the cause of the Bahá'í Temple,
their activity in connection with the Bahá'í Magazine are all unmistakable
signs of the glorious future of the Cause in that land. May
the care and loving-kindness of the Heavenly Father guide them,
protect them and aid them in their future mission in life.
The Greatest Holy Leaf, the Holy Mother, and the other ladies
of the Holy Household wish to join me, one and all, in expressing
to every one of you their deep thankfulness and their highest appreciation
for the efficient and admirable manner with which you
are coordinating the dynamic forces of the Cause, and conducting
its affairs throughout America.
The sum of 100 English pounds which you have offered to the
Cause through me, I must acknowledge with deep appreciation and
gratitude, and wish to inform you that a part of it has been directly
expended for the furthering of the interests of the Cause throughout
the world, and the rest for the embellishment of the Well-Beloved's
Shrine on Mount Carmel.
With deep gratitude, and hoping to hear from you, singly and
collectively, I am your true brother,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine.
November 26, 1923.
To the members of the American National Spiritual Assembly.
My dearest friends:
On November 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
+P58
Sharples, the honorary secretary of the committee of organization,
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 practiced
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 organization and objects."
In their last letter, the members of the National Spiritual Assembly
of Great Britain further informed me that the idea of the
above-mentioned conference has originated with the Theosophical
Society, but these having later dropped its management, the organization
of the conference passed into the hands of the School
of Oriental Studies and the Sociological Society. You will also
note from the enclosed copy of a letter addressed by the same Miss
Sharples to the President of the British National Spiritual Assembly
that the time offered to the Bahá'í representatives will be
very limited, and that most probably the allotted time will be just
sufficient to read their papers or deliver their address and engage
in the discussion that might arise after their formal presentation of
the Cause.
As the British Empire Exhibition, of which this conference
forms a part, is itself a semi-official undertaking, and receives
actually the generous support and active participation of the government
authorities throughout the British Empire, I feel that the
opportunities now offered to the Bahá'í world should not be missed,
as this chance, if properly utilized, might arouse and stimulate
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
+P59
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 Bahá'í Movement which I trust
might serve as a basis and example of the paper in question. An
account of the most salient features of the history of the Cause,
a brief but impressive reference to its many heroes and martyrs, a
convincing and comprehensive presentation of its 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.
The greatest care and caution must be exercised in choosing
those who can best provide and fulfill 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 Bahá'ís. I would be pleased to receive your
views as to who should represent Canada at the Conference. India
is the only other country within the British Empire that can send a
native Bahá'í representative to the conference, and it is rather unfortunate
that the United States of America should have to be
excluded, as the speakers at the conference must necessarily be subjects
of the British Empire.
I am enclosing recent translations+F1 of the prophetic and most
remarkable words of Bahá'u'lláh and `Abdu'l-Bahá which I trust
+F1 Published in "The Star of the West."
+P60
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-Bahá.
Your fellow-worker,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
January 4th, 1924.
To the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful throughout America.
My dear fellow-workers:
I gather from various sources that the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh, in
the course of its sure yet toilsome march towards the salvation of
the world, has encountered of late further obstacles, which in the
eyes of some appear to retard its progress and hinder its growth.
I have learned with feelings of sadness and surprise that some vague
sense of apprehension, a strange misconception of its immediate
purpose and methods, is slowly gaining ground, steadily affecting
its wholesome growth and vigorous development throughout the
continent.
Though such signs should appear from time to time, and however
unrepresentative they be of the vast and growing mass of its convinced
and zealous supporters, the world over, what, I wonder, could
have caused this uneasiness of mind? Are such misgivings possible,
though on the part of but a few, in the face of the remarkable
manifestations of so remarkable a movement? To what extent do
they form a part of those mental tests and trials destined at various
times by the Almighty to stir and reinvigorate the body of His
Cause, and how far are they traceable to our imperfect state of
understanding, to our weaknesses and failings?
Divine Destiny and Human Frailty
That the Cause of God should, in the days to come, witness many
a challenging hour and pass through critical stages in preparation
for the glories of its promised ascendancy in the new world has
been, time and again, undeniably affirmed by our departed Master,
+P61
and is abundantly proved to us all by its heroic past and turbulent
history. And yet, if it is the lot of the chosen ones of God, the
people of Bahá, to face adversity and suffer tribulation before
achieving ultimate victory, are we to believe that whatever befalls us
is divinely ordained, and in no wise the result of our faint-heartedness
and negligence?
Surely now, if ever, is the time to turn our eyes inwardly, to
bestir ourselves, to invoke the Most Great Name, and standing together,
summon to our aid and support all the faith, the strength,
and the courage that we shall need to meet our pressing obligations
and discharge our trust.
The Plight of Mankind
The plight of mankind, the condition and circumstances under
which we live and labor are truly disheartening, and the darkness of
prejudice and ill-will enough to chill the stoutest heart. Disillusion
and dismay are invading the hearts of peoples and nations, and the
hope and vision of a united and regenerated humanity is growing
dimmer and dimmer every day. Time-honored institutions, cherished
ideals, and sacred traditions are suffering in these days of
bewildering change, from the effects of the gravest onslaught, and
the precious fruit of centuries of patient and earnest labor is faced
with peril. Passions, supposed to have been curbed and subdued, are
now burning fiercer than ever before, and the voice of peace and
good-will seems drowned amid unceasing convulsions and turmoil.
What, let us ask ourselves, should be our attitude as we stand under
the all-seeing eye of our vigilant Master, gazing at a sad spectacle
so utterly remote from the spirit which He breathed into the world?
Are we to follow in the wake of the wayward and the despairing?
Are we to allow our vision of so unique, so enduring, so precious
a Cause to be clouded by the stain and dust of worldly happenings,
which, no matter how glittering and far-reaching in their immediate
effects, are but the fleeting shadows of an imperfect world? Are
we to be carried away by the flood of hollow and conflicting ideas,
or are we to stand, unsubdued and unblemished, upon the everlasting
rock of God's Divine Instructions? Shall we not equip ourselves
with a clear and full understanding of their purpose and implications
for the age we live in, and with an unconquerable resolve arise to
+P62
utilize them, intelligently and with scrupulous fidelity, for the enlightenment
and the promotion of the good of all mankind?
Humanity, torn with dissension and burning with hate, is crying
at this hour for a fuller measure of that love which is born of God,
that love which in the last resort will prove the one solvent of its
incalculable difficulties and problems. Is it not incumbent upon us,
whose hearts are aglow with love for Him, to make still greater
effort, to manifest that love in all its purity and power in our dealings
with our fellow-men? May our love of our beloved Master, so
ardent, so disinterested in all its aspects, find its true expression in
love for our fellow-brethren and sisters in the faith as well as for
all mankind. I assure you, dear friends, that progress in such matters
as these is limitless and infinite, and that upon the extent of our
achievements along this line will ultimately depend the success of
our mission in life.
The New World Order
And as we make an effort to demonstrate that love to the world
may we also clear our minds of any lingering trace of unhappy
misunderstandings that might obscure our clear conception of the
exact purpose and methods of this new world order, so challenging
and complex, yet so consummate and wise. We are called upon by
our beloved Master in His Will and Testament not only to adopt it
unreservedly, but to unveil its merit to all the world. To attempt to
estimate its full value, and grasp its exact significance after so short
a time since its inception would be premature and presumptuous on
our part. We must trust to time, and the guidance of God's Universal
House of Justice, to obtain a clearer and fuller understanding
of its provisions and implications. But one word of warning must
be uttered in this connection. Let us be on our guard lest we measure
too strictly the Divine Plan with the standard of men. I am not
prepared to state that it agrees in principle or in method with the
prevailing notions now uppermost in men's minds, nor that it should
conform with those imperfect, precarious, and expedient measures
feverishly resorted to by agitated humanity. Are we to doubt that
the ways of God are not necessarily the ways of man? Is not faith
but another word for implicit obedience, whole-hearted allegiance,
uncompromising adherence to that which we believe is the revealed
+P63
and express will of God, however perplexing it might first appear,
however at variance with the shadowy views, the impotent doctrines,
the crude theories, the idle imaginings, the fashionable conceptions
of a transient and troublous age? If we are to falter or hesitate, if
our love for Him should fail to direct us and keep us within His
path, if we desert Divine and emphatic principles, what hope can we
any more cherish for healing the ills and sicknesses of this world?
Pending the establishment of the Universal House of Justice,
whose function it is to lay more definitely the broad lines that must
guide the future activities and administration of the Movement, it
is clearly our duty to strive to obtain as clear a view as possible of
the manner in which to conduct the affairs of the Cause, and then
arise with single-mindedness and determination to adopt and maintain
it in all our activities and labors.
The Foundation of the House of Justice
The various Assemblies, local and national, constitute today the
bedrock upon the strength of which the Universal House is in future
to be firmly established and raised. Not until these function vigorously
and harmoniously can the hope for the termination of this
period of transition be realized. It devolves upon us whose dearest
wish is to see the Cause enter upon that promised era of universal
recognition and world achievements, to do all in our power to consolidate
the foundations of these Assemblies, promoting at the same
time a fuller understanding of their purpose and more harmonious
cooperation for their maintenance and success.
Let us also remember that at the very root of the Cause lies the
principle of the undoubted right of the individual to self-expression,
his freedom to declare his conscience and set forth his views. If
certain instructions of the Master are today particularly emphasized
and scrupulously adhered to, let us be sure that they are but provisional
measures designed to guard and protect the Cause in its
present state of infancy and growth until the day when this tender
and precious plant shall have sufficiently grown to be able to withstand
the unwisdom of its friends and the attacks of its enemies.
Let us also bear in mind that the keynote of the Cause of God
is not dictatorial authority but humble fellowship, not arbitrary
power, but the spirit of frank and loving consultation. Nothing
+P64
short of the spirit of a true Bahá'í can hope to reconcile the principles
of mercy and justice, of freedom and submission, of the sanctity of
the right of the individual and of self-surrender, of vigilance, discretion
and prudence on the one hand, and fellowship, candor, and
courage on the other.
Duties of Elected Representatives
The duties of those whom the friends have freely and conscientiously
elected as their representatives are no less vital and
binding than the obligations of those who have chosen them. Their
function is not to dictate, but to consult, and consult not only among
themselves, but as much as possible with the friends whom they
represent. They must regard themselves in no other light but that
of chosen instruments for a more efficient and dignified presentation
of the Cause of God. They should never be led to suppose that they
are the central ornaments of the body of the Cause, intrinsically
superior to others in capacity or merit, and sole promoters of its
teachings and principles. They should approach their task with
extreme humility, and endeavor, by their open-mindedness, their
high sense of justice and duty, their candor, their modesty, their
entire devotion to the welfare and interests of the friends, the Cause,
and humanity, to win, not only the confidence and the genuine support
and respect of those whom they serve, but also their esteem and
real affection. They must, at all times, avoid the spirit of exclusiveness,
the atmosphere of secrecy, free themselves from a domineering
attitude, and banish all forms of prejudice and passion from their
deliberations. They should, within the limits of wise discretion,
take the friends into their confidence, acquaint them with their plans,
share with them their problems and anxieties, and seek their advice
and counsel. And, when they are called upon to arrive at a certain
decision, they should, after dispassionate, anxious and cordial consultation,
turn to God in prayer, and with earnestness and conviction
and courage record their vote and abide by the voice of the majority,
which we are told by our Master to be the voice of truth, never
to be challenged, and always to be whole-heartedly enforced. To
this voice the friends must heartily respond, and regard it as the
only means that can insure the protection and advancement of the
Cause.
+P65
Election of Delegates
Again I earnestly appeal to every one of you, and renew my
only request with all the ardor of my conviction, to make, before
and during the coming Convention, yet another effort, this time
more spontaneous and selfless than before, and endeavor to approach
your task--the election of your delegates, as well as your national
and local representatives--with that purity of spirit that can alone
obtain our Beloved's most cherished desire. Let us recall His
explicit and often-repeated assurances that every Assembly elected
in that rarefied atmosphere of selflessness and detachment is, in
truth, appointed of God, that its verdict is truly inspired, that one
and all should submit to its decision unreservedly and with cheerfulness.
Let us first strive to fulfill these conditions, difficult yet essential,
in our lives, so that, contented and assured, we may make of this
new year of activity a year of abundant blessings, of unprecedented
achievements.
May this dearest wish be fulfilled!
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
February 23, 1924.
The beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful throughout the Continent of America:
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 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
+P66
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.
Our Inner Life
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 organized 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 Abhá 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 splendor of those eternal principles proclaimed by
Bahá'u'lláh.
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-Bahá, who
from His station above is the sure witness of all that you have
endured and suffered for Him.
+P67
Dawn of a Brighter Day
And now as I look into the future, I hope to see the friends at
all times, in every land, and of every shade of thought and character,
voluntarily and joyously rallying round their local and in particular
their national centers of activity, upholding and promoting their
interests with complete unanimity and contentment, with perfect
understanding, genuine enthusiasm, and sustained vigor. This indeed
is the one joy and yearning of my life, for it is the fountainhead
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.
Haifa, Palestine.
September 24, 1924.
To my dearly-beloved brothers and sisters in `Abdu'l-Bahá: care of the American 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-Bahá.
May we not pause for a moment, and gather our thoughts?
How has it fared with us, His little band of followers, since
that day? Whither are we now marching? What has been our
achievement?
Menace of Social Chaos
We have but to turn our eyes to the world without to realize the
fierceness and the magnitude of the forces of darkness that are
struggling with the dawning light of the Abhá 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 worldwide ruin. Races, alienated more than ever before, are
filled with mistrust, humiliation and fear, and seem to prepare themselves
+P68
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 unceasing 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, 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? But 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 fellow-men, however remotely connected and humble
in origin, can we hope to exalt in the eyes of a self-seeking world
the genuineness of the all-conquering love of God. Not until we
live ourselves the life of a true Bahá'í can we hope to demonstrate
the creative and transforming potency of the Faith we profess.
Nothing but the abundance of our actions, nothing but the purity
of our lives and the integrity of our characters, can in the last resort
establish our claim that the Bahá'í spirit is in this day the sole agency
that can translate a long-cherished ideal into an enduring achievement.
Paramount Duty of Every Bahá'í
With this vision clearly set before us, and fortified by the knowledge
of the gracious aid of Bahá'u'lláh and the repeated assurances
of `Abdu'l-Bahá, let us first strive to live the life and then arise with
one heart, one mind, one voice, to reinforce our numbers and achieve
+P69
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 behooveth 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 `Yá Bahá'u'l-Abhá!' (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,
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
the individual regeneration--the essential requisite of teaching--
let us arise to teach His Cause with righteousness, conviction,
understanding and vigor. Let this be the paramount and most
urgent duty of every Bahá'í. 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; familiarize
ourselves with their manners, traditions, thoughts and customs;
arouse, stimulate and maintain universal interest in the Movement,
and at the same time endeavor 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
+P70
appeal yet sober in argument, confident in tone, unswerving in
conviction, dignified in His manners--such were the distinguishing
features of our Beloved's noble presentation of the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh.
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 realize the urgency, the
sacredness, the immensity, the glory of our task?
I entreat you, dear friends, to continue, nay, to redouble your
efforts, 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.
Haifa, Palestine,
November 24th, 1924.
To my dear friends and fellow-workers, the members of the American National Spiritual Assembly.
My friends and fellow-workers:--
The letters which our able and devoted friend, Mr. Horace
Holley, has addressed in your behalf to the Greatest Holy Leaf and
myself have all been received, and, together with their enclosures,
read with the closest attention. It is indeed highly gratifying to
observe that notwithstanding the strain and stress of the critical
period through which our beloved Cause is passing, the elected representatives
of the friends in America have, with unflinching faith,
+P71
undaunted courage, and conspicuous ability, persevered in their task
and fulfilled their arduous duties.
The splendid contribution you have made to the efforts of your
fellow-workers in England in connection with the Conference on
the Living Religions within the British Empire, we all heartily
appreciate and regard as a fresh evidence of the growing power and
solidarity of the Cause of God. Both in the admirable paper which
you arranged to be drafted and prepared, and in the person of your
devout, trusted and talented President, who performed his duty with
absolute fidelity and high distinction, you have rendered the Cause
of Bahá'u'lláh a fresh and distinguished service. May the results
achieved lend a fresh impetus to the onward march of the Cause
in the West.
The recent measures you have adopted in view of the necessity
of promoting fuller confidence and a greater measure of understanding
and cooperation between the body of the believers and the local
and National Assemblies, will, I am confident, be of the greatest
value, and indicate clearly that you are fully aware of the true
position, the privileges and responsibilities of every Bahá'í Assembly.
Mashriqu'l-Adhkár
We all long to hasten by wise and effective measures the completion
of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, and we fervently supplicate the All-Bountiful
to bless richly our teaching work that our numbers may
be reinforced in time by men who with sufficient means at their
disposal may voluntarily and abundantly support this vast and noble
endeavor. I trust that you will encounter no further obstacles in
receiving the necessary support to meet the immediate needs of this
Universal House of Worship as decided at your recent general
gathering in Chicago.
Bahá'í Magazine
The Star of the West, the latest issues of which I have read
with genuine satisfaction, has admittedly made a notable advance
towards the ideal which the Master has set before it. Articles on
broad humanitarian lines, well-conceived, adequately treated, and
powerfully presented, should have their proper place in every issue
+P72
together with such accounts of the history and the teachings of the
Cause as will portray to the Bahá'í and non-Bahá'í alike the unique
beauty as well as the compelling power of the Bahá'í spirit. Matters
political and partisan in character should be carefully avoided as they
would eventually lead to entanglements that would be not only futile
but positively harmful. As regards the Persian Section: I feel that
in view of the severe restrictions imposed on the friends in Persia
its temporary suspension would be well-advised, particularly as it
makes such a disproportionate demand on the meagre resources of
the friends in America.
The increasing efforts displayed by my beloved brothers and
sisters in America, both individually and collectively, and the action
taken by you in constituting regional Teaching Committees are of
vital importance to the spread of the Cause in the present stage of
our work. I feel that we should all collaborate in widening its
scope, intensifying its influence, assuring its continuity, and endeavoring
to subordinate every other activity to this most urgent
and vital task. It is our bounden duty to do all in our power to give
the Cause from day to day a fuller publicity, to maintain and stimulate
the interest aroused, and to concentrate at the same time our
attention on a chosen few, endeavoring tactfully and persistently to
make of them earnest and unreserved supporters of the Bahá'í
Faith.
I am deeply conscious of the manifold and unavoidable difficulties
that confront you in your labors for the administration of the
affairs of the Cause. Vast distances; personal professional preoccupations;
insufficient number of capable and experienced teachers,
unhampered by the necessity of earning their means of livelihood;
the inadequacy of the means at your disposal, financial and otherwise;
the prevailing tendencies in the general thought, sentiment,
and manners of the people in whose midst you work--all these,
though insuperable obstacles at present, will, if we stand steadfast
and faithful, be one by one removed, and pave the way for the
ultimate ascendency of the Cause and the fruition and triumph of
our labors.
As to the projected prayer-book, I feel the need for a specially
prepared compilation of the prayers of Bahá'u'lláh and `Abdu'l-Bahá
designed for the general public which would both prove of value
+P73
for devotional purposes and act as a fresh incentive to eager and
inspiring minds. I am enclosing copies of prayers which you may
have not yet received and trust to send you more in future. I should
be glad to receive any particulars you might wish me to consider
in this connection.
Our untiring and devoted sister, Dr. Moody (the handmaid of
the Most High), has had to her profound regret to discontinue for
a time the invaluable and unique services she has been rendering
to the Cause in Persia. She is proceeding to America, and will
familiarize you with the deplorable state of affairs in that unhappy
country. You will get first-hand information from her regarding
the present condition and activities of our long-suffering friends in
Persia, and she will take counsel with you as to the best way to
meet the needs and serve the Cause of Education in Tihrán. I
hope and pray that as soon as circumstances permit, the friends in
America may enable Dr. Moody to take back with her to Persia
suitable, capable and ardent collaborators who will contribute their
distinct share towards the uplift and the advancement of their
brethren and sisters in that land.
Concerning the magazine ... I feel we must make it unmistakably
plain to those in charge of it that the Bahá'ís would gladly
and gratefully respond to the invitation to cooperate with those that
are responsible for it immediately they are fully satisfied that nothing
is or will be published by them, whether in the magazine or
elsewhere, that would, however indirectly, prejudice or reflect upon
their conception of what the Bahá'í Movement is or stands for.
Should this be refused, and unfriendly and harmful matters be published
against them, the attitude of all of us should be a definite
refusal to help and absolute non-interference, as well as the absence
of any form of retaliation which will instead of achieving
our end defeat our purpose. We should leave him in the hands
of God.
As to the suggestion of the Annual Convention being held next
summer at Green Acre, I believe it to be both wise and helpful, and
trust that it will forge another link between the Bahá'ís as a body
and its founders and trustees, and will serve to draw them closer
and closer to the outward form as well as to the spirit of the activities
of the friends in America.
+P74
The financial help extended recently by the friends in America
to their fellow-workers of the Faith in Qadiyán, Punjab, has given
us all intense satisfaction and made us deeply grateful. Their contribution
has immediately been forwarded to them through the
National Spiritual Assembly of India and Burma, and will, I am
certain, enhance the prestige and the influence of the Cause.
I feel that the conditions are now favorable for the circulation
of the Will and Testament of `Abdu'l-Bahá only in manuscript form
and among recognized believers in America. Every such believer
should be trusted with a single copy with the express understanding
that no duplicate copies or extracts of it be made or published anywhere.
Bahá'í Year Book
The suggestion made by my dear and able friend, Mr. Horace
Holley, as to the compilation of an annual "Bahá'í Year Book" is
extremely valuable and timely. I am much impressed by it, and feel
that an immediate start should be made. I believe it can best be
now undertaken under the direction and supervision of your Assembly
until the time should come for the friends in the East and
particularly Persia to participate effectually in its development. I
trust you will send me a copy of the skeleton of the material you
propose to include, and I shall here attempt to fill up any gap and
render any assistance I can to make it as comprehensive, as attractive,
and as authoritative as possible.
I am sending through my dear brother, Mr. M. Mills, various
relics and Tablets of our beloved `Abdu'l-Bahá, the only and priceless
treasures of the devoted gardener of Bahá'u'lláh's Shrine, Ustad
Abu'l-Qasim Khurasani, who has offered them to be preserved in
his behalf in the Archives of the friends in America. I am hoping
to be able to send you in future precious additions to what the
Archives Committee has already collected, and may I in this connection
express to those who have conceived so admirable a plan my
profound admiration and heartfelt gratitude.
I wish to assure you in conclusion of my readiness and genuine
desire to help you and serve you to the utmost of my ability. I fully
realize the enormous burden that weighs on your shoulders, and
am constantly mindful of the distinct and eminent share you are
+P75
contributing to the advancement of the Cause. I wish you from
the depths of my heart entire satisfaction in your glorious work.
Our beloved Master is surely watching from the Realm Beyond
over His children whom He nurtured and loved so well, and will
certainly guide you in every step you take, and crown your patient
efforts with signal success.
Your brother and fellow-worker,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
November 27, 1924.
To my dearly-beloved friends, the members of the American National Spiritual Assembly.
My dear and precious fellow-workers:
The three communications dated November 19, November 22
and December 22, which I have recently received from that indefatigable
servant of Bahá'u'lláh, my esteemed spiritual brother, Mr.
Holley, have given me great satisfaction and have cheered and
sustained me in my work. I have read most carefully the minutes
of your December meeting and am particularly pleased to note in
many respects the notable advance you have made in establishing
the Cause upon a wider and surer foundation.
History of the Cause
With reference to the need, so often expressed, for an authentic
and comprehensive history of the Cause, I am glad to inform you
of the action contemplated by the National Spiritual Assembly of
Persia in instructing and urging the local Assemblies throughout
the country to take immediate steps for the formation in every
locality of a special committee which will seek the assistance and the
testimony of the remnants of the earliest believers and pioneers of
the Cause in Persia in collecting most carefully all available evidence
and data for the compilation of a comprehensive, reliable and representative
history of the Movement from its earliest dawn to the
present day. I have communicated with the National Assembly of
Persia, regarding this urgent and vital necessity, and I feel the time
is not far distant when a free rendering into English of this stirring
+P76
narrative as well as an abridged form of it will be made available
for both the Bahá'ís and the general public in the West.
The efforts recently displayed by the Publishing Committee so
clearly reflected in the minutes of their meeting of November 2,
1924, a copy of which I have read with the closest attention, indicate
the efficiency, the zeal and the determination with which they are
conducting this vital branch of Bahá'í activity. The scope of their
effective work is expanding rapidly, and I wish to assure them one
and all of my prayers for the fruition of their labors and the further
development and consolidation of their work.
There have been of late no fresh developments in the situation
of the House of Baghdád. The case, which is now before the court
of First Instance, has been postponed for some time and we still
await anxiously the decision of the court. Any hope of an immediate
and final solution of this intricate problem seems for the present
remote. In the event of our success the case may still be referred
by our powerful opponents to the Court of Appeal--the highest in
the land--and should its decision be in our favor the government
may at any time--as it does not seem unlikely--decide, by retaining
the keys in its custody, to postpone indefinitely the execution of such
a verdict in order to allay the fierce hostility of the clerical element
as well as the Shi'ite population of `Iráq.
Should a crisis occur, I will immediately inform you and endeavor
to define more clearly any measure that I feel should be
taken by the American Assemblies to insure the security of the
House of Bahá'u'lláh.
Bahá'í Periodicals
Regarding the publication of Bahá'í periodicals in America,
there is no doubt whatsoever that every individual Bahá'í is free to
inaugurate and conduct any magazine of his own provided that
nothing is published therein which in the estimation of the National
Assembly tends in the least to become detrimental or injurious to the
highest interests of the Cause. Within these limits, and these limits
only, private initiative should in no wise be discouraged and is indeed
highly praiseworthy. It is for the National Assembly, however, to
exercise its judgment as to what extent the resources at their disposal
+P77
enable them to aid financially the individual undertakings of
the friends. Should the response of the friends and Assemblies to
the appeals made on behalf of the National Fund be prompt, sustained
and generous, the National Assembly will, I am certain,
justify its sympathy, good-will and genuine cooperation with every
individual Bahá'í enterprise. I would, however, at this early state
of our work, strongly urge, nay entreat, the friends not to dissipate
their efforts, but to seek, after frank, mature and continuous deliberation,
to arrive at a common conclusion as to the most urgent
requirements and needs of the hour, and having unified their views
to strive to uphold and enforce them with promptitude, wholeheartedness
and understanding.
News Letter
The first printed issue of the National Assembly's News Letter
prepared and signed on behalf of the Assembly by its able secretary,
stands as a bright and eloquent testimony of his thoroughness, his
industry, his conspicuous ability, his undoubted self-sacrifice. The
Cause is entering upon a new era of renewed and concerted activity.
Its method of presentation has unmistakably improved, and this general
advancement in standard is in no small measure attributable to
the distinctive capacity of your Assembly. My constant prayer is
that He who watches over and inspires your manifold activities may
bless more richly than ever before your noble endeavors.
Temple Meetings
With reference to the matter of meeting in the Foundation Hall
of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, I feel that the Foundation Hall should
serve the purpose both of devotional gatherings where the revealed
Word of God is read and chanted, and meetings at which subjects
strictly Bahá'í in character are presented, propounded and discussed.
I have no doubt that every conscientious and thoughtful Bahá'í will
scrupulously and at all times observe the commandment of Bahá'u'lláh
and the instructions of `Abdu'l-Bahá relative to the maintenance
of the sacredness, the dignity, and the universality of an edifice that
will in time become God's universal House of Worship.
+P78
May the blessings of our Almighty Master rest upon your deliberations.
Your true brother,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
January 16, 1925.
To the esteemed members of the American National Spiritual Assembly.
My well-beloved and precious fellow-workers:
I have perused your recent communication, dated December
29th, and signed on your behalf by your vigilant and capable secretary,
with an interest and attention worthy of the paramount importance
of the issues it raises.
The matter of the revision of the English version of the Hidden
Words, in view of the rapidity of the sale of the copies recently
printed, is of urgent importance. I shall as soon as my multitudinous
preoccupations permit avail myself of the opportunity of Dr.
Esslemont's happy sojourn in the Holy Land to collaborate with him
in any necessary alterations of the text. I strongly hope, except
in the event of unforeseen circumstances, to undertake this task in
the course of this coming month.
In connection with the fundamental questions of general policy
referred to in your letter, I feel that the basic principles, laid down
but briefly stated in my past letters, which must guide the administration
of the affairs of the Bahá'í Movement, pending the definite
formation of the first authoritative Universal House of Justice,
must be further affirmed, elucidated, and explained in greater detail,
for the complete knowledge of all the individual members of the
vast and growing community of the believers in America.
The National Convention
Hitherto the National Convention has been primarily called together
for the consideration of the various circumstances attending
the election of the National Spiritual Assembly. I feel, however,
that in view of the expansion and the growing importance of the
administrative sphere of the Cause, the general sentiments and tendencies
+P79
prevailing among the friends, and the signs of increasing
interdependence among the National Spiritual Assemblies throughout
the world, the assembled accredited representatives of the
American believers should exercise not only the vital and responsible
right of electing the National Assembly, but should also fulfill the
functions of an enlightened, consultative and cooperative body that
will enrich the experience, enhance the prestige, support the authority,
and assist the deliberations of the National Spiritual Assembly.
It is my firm conviction that it is the bounden duty, in the interest
of the Cause we all love and serve, of the members of the incoming
National Assembly, once elected by the delegates at Convention
time, to seek and have the utmost regard, individually as well as
collectively, for the advice, the considered opinion and the true
sentiments of the assembled delegates. Banishing every vestige of
secrecy, of undue reticence, of dictatorial aloofness, from their
midst, they should radiantly and abundantly unfold to the eyes of
the delegates, by whom they are elected, their plans, their hopes,
and their cares. They should familiarize the delegates with the
various matters that will have to be considered in the current year,
and calmly and conscientiously study and weigh the opinions and
judgments of the delegates. The newly elected National Assembly,
during the few days when the Convention is in session and after
the dispersal of the delegates, should seek ways and means to
cultivate understanding, facilitate and maintain the exchange of
views, deepen confidence, and vindicate by every tangible evidence
their one desire to serve and advance the common weal. Not infrequently,
nay oftentimes, the most lowly, untutored and inexperienced
among the friends will, by the sheer inspiring force of selfless
and ardent devotion, contribute a distinct and memorable share to a
highly involved discussion in any given Assembly. Great must be
the regard paid by those whom the delegates call upon to serve in
high position to this all-important though inconspicuous manifestation
of the revealing power of sincere and earnest devotion.
National Spiritual Assembly
The National Spiritual Assembly, however, in view of the unavoidable
limitations imposed upon the convening of frequent and
long-standing sessions of the Convention, will have to retain in its
+P80
hands the final decision on all matters that affect the interests of the
Cause in America, such as the right to decide whether any local
Assembly is functioning in accordance with the principles laid down
for the conduct and the advancement of the Cause. It is my earnest
prayer that they will utilize their highly responsible position, not
only for the wise and efficient conduct of the affairs of the Cause,
but also for the extension and deepening of the spirit of cordiality
and wholehearted and mutual support in their cooperation with
the body of their co-workers throughout the land. The seating of
delegates to the Convention, i.e., the right to decide upon the validity
of the credentials of the delegates at a given Convention, is vested
in the outgoing National Assembly, and the right to decide who
has the voting privilege is also ultimately placed in the hands of the
National Spiritual Assembly, either when a local Spiritual Assembly
is for the first time being formed in a given locality, or when differences
arise between a new applicant and an already established local
Assembly. While the Convention is in session and the accredited
delegates have already elected from among the believers throughout
the country the members of the National Spiritual Assembly for the
current year, it is of infinite value and a supreme necessity that as
far as possible all matters requiring immediate decision should be
fully and publicly considered, and an endeavor be made to obtain
after mature deliberation, unanimity in vital decisions. Indeed, it
has ever been the cherished desire of our Master, `Abdu'l-Bahá, that
the friends in their councils, local as well as national, should by their
candor, their honesty of purpose, their singleness of mind, and the
thoroughness of their discussions, achieve unanimity in all things.
Should this in certain cases prove impracticable the verdict of the
majority should prevail, to which decision the minority must under
all circumstances, gladly, spontaneously and continually, submit.
Nothing short of the all-encompassing, all-pervading power of
His Guidance and Love can enable this newly-enfolded order to
gather strength and flourish amid the storm and stress of a turbulent
age, and in the fulness of time vindicate its high claim to be universally
recognized as the one Haven of abiding felicity and
peace.
Regarding the pamphlet entitled "The Passing of `Abdu'l-Bahá,"
I believe some additional material, consisting mainly of a few
+P81
selections from leading American newspapers, would increase its
value and extend its scope. I shall be glad to receive a copy of the
reprinted edition, and I wish you success in this endeavor.
My dearly-beloved friend and fellow-worker, Mr. Mountfort
Mills, is now with me in Haifa, and will ere long join you in the
discharge of your manifold and arduous duties. I greatly value his
assistance in the difficult task and the complex and often urgent
problems that are before me, and I trust that his return to America
will lend a fresh impetus to the glorious work of service you are
rendering to the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh.
I wish you success from all my heart.
Your brother and fellow-worker,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
January 29th, 1925.
To the members of the American National Spiritual Assembly.
My dearly-beloved fellow-workers:
The communications lately received from your distinguished
secretary, dated January 8th, February 6th and 13th, and March
17th, together with the enclosed minutes, reports and letters, have
been read with profound interest and genuine satisfaction. The
methods you pursue, the new measures for publicity which you have
adopted, the increasing confidence you have achieved, and the degree
of support, both moral and financial, which you have deservedly
earned from the body of the believers are all encouraging signs that
testify to the growing solidarity of a Cause destined to confer inestimable
benefits upon mankind.
Great as is the promise of the Movement for the future, it has
already revealed in a remarkable manner to every unprejudiced
observer its indomitable spirit of loving sacrifice and true fellowship
burning with undiminished ardor in the breasts of its followers both
in the land of its birth and in the great Republic of the West. The
heroism and fortitude lately displayed by its sorely-tried adherents
in Persia, and the prompt and generous contributions of the American
believers who have spontaneously responded to the call of their
needy brethren of the East have served to kindle the flame of enthusiasm
in many a heart, and forged fresh bonds of fellowship
+P82
which will prove of the highest value for the advancement of the
Bahá'í Faith. I would specially request you to convey to all the
friends in the name of the oppressed Bahá'ís of Persia, and particularly
the homeless sufferers of Nayríz, the expression of their
deepest gratitude and highest appreciation. May America's noble
donations draw even as a magnet the blessings of the Almighty
Giver upon the task it has set itself to achieve!
I am delighted to learn of the evidences of growing interest, of
the sympathetic understanding, and brotherly cooperation on the
part of two capable and steadfast servants of the One True God,
Dr. H. Randall and Dr. Guthrie, whose participation in our work
I hope and pray will widen the scope of our activities, enrich our
opportunities, and lend a fresh impetus to our endeavors. I wish
them happiness and success from all my heart.
News Letter
The News Letter which you have lately initiated fulfills a very
vital function and has been started admirably well. I would urge
you to enlarge its scope, as much as your resources permit, that in
time it may devote a special section to every phase of your activities,
administrative, devotional, humanitarian, financial, educational and
otherwise. That it may attain its object it must combine the essential
qualities of accuracy, reliability, thoroughness, dignity and wisdom.
It should become a great factor in promoting understanding,
providing information on Bahá'í activity, both local and foreign, in
stimulating interest, in combating evil influences, and in upholding
and safeguarding the institutions of the Cause. It should be made
as representative as possible, should be replete with news, up-to-date
in its information, and should arouse the keenest interest among
believers and admirers alike in every corner of the globe. I cherish
great hopes for its immediate future, and I trust you will devote
your special attention to its development, and by devising well-conceived
and worldwide measures transform this News Letter into
what I hope will become the foremost Bahá'í Journal of the world.
Title of Assemblies
As to the title to be adopted for letterheads, I would suggest,
pending the formation of the Universal House of Justice, the phrase
+P83
"The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United
States and Canada," retaining the word "spiritual" and restricting
the meaning of the term "assembly" to be applied only to the body
of nine elected by the friends whether for local or national purposes.
Representation at Convention
I have already replied to your cable in connection with the representation
of groups of less than nine adult believers at the annual
Convention and the matter of proxy, the latter being left to the
discretion of the National Spiritual Assembly. Should the conditions
be altered, and the number of Bahá'í localities multiply, the
situation will have to be considered afresh and a new basis for representation
adopted.
The Mashriqu'l-Adhkár
Regarding the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, I would again most emphatically
urge the believers in America, and ask you to do the utmost
you can to devise every possible means for the removal of every
outstanding financial liability incurred in this connection. I would
remind you of the supreme and urgent necessity of raising the full
sum decided upon by the National Spiritual Assembly at its meeting
in Chicago in order to meet the immediate needs of this great future
House of Worship. I would welcome a full, authorized and up-to-date
statement on its present situation, its assets and liabilities and
an estimate of the cost for its completion.
In conclusion I wish to renew the assurance of my ardent prayers
for you and for those whom you represent in safeguarding and
promoting the sacred interests of so precious a Cause. I am fully
alive to the vastness and delicacy of your task, I heartily appreciate
your indefatigable efforts and unflinching determination, I am continually
reminded of our Master's assurances of a dazzling future
before you. May His love enfold you, His Spirit guide you, and
His power enable you to achieve signal victory.
Your brother in the Master's service,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
April 10th, 1925.
+P84
To the members of the American National Assembly.
Dearly-beloved fellow-workers:
I have read with deep interest your two recent communications
dated April 4th and 18th, and am gratified to learn of the steady
expansion of your manifold activities.
Election of National Assembly
Regarding the method to be adopted for the election of the National
Spiritual Assemblies, it is clear that the text of the Beloved's
Testament gives us no indication as to the manner in which these
Assemblies are to be elected. In one of His earliest Tablets, however,
addressed to a friend in Persia, the following is expressly
recorded:--
"At whatever time all the beloved of God in each country appoint
their delegates, and these in turn elect their representatives, and
these representatives elect a body, that body shall be regarded as the
Supreme Baytu'l-'Adl (Universal House of Justice)."
These words clearly indicate that a three-stage election has been
provided by `Abdu'l-Bahá for the formation of the International
House of Justice, and as it is explicitly provided in His Will and
Testament that the "Secondary House of Justice (i.e., National
Assemblies) must elect the members of the Universal One," it is
obvious that the members of the National Spiritual Assemblies will
have to be indirectly elected by the body of the believers in their
respective provinces. In view of these complementary instructions
the principle, set forth in my letter of March 12th, 1923, has been
established requiring the believers (the beloved of God) in every
country to elect a certain number of delegates who, in turn, will
elect their national representatives (Secondary House of Justice or
National Spiritual Assembly) whose sacred obligation and privilege
will be to elect in time God's Universal House of Justice.
Should the appointing of the delegates be made a part of the
functions of local Spiritual Assemblies, who are already elected
bodies, the principle of a four-stage election would be introduced
which would be at variance with the provisions explicitly laid down
in the Master's Tablet. On the other hand, were the local Spiritual
Assemblies, the number of whose members is strictly confined to
+P85
nine, to elect directly the members of the National Spiritual Assembly--
thus maintaining the principle of a three-stage election--
all Bahá'í localities, which must necessarily differ in numerical
strength, would then have to share equally in the election of the
National Spiritual Assembly--a practice which would be contrary
to fairness and justice. Moreover, the central principle guiding for
the present the administration of the Cause has been to make the
Bahá'í National Spiritual Assemblies as independent as possible in
the conduct of such affairs as fall within their province, and to
lessen the hampering influence of any institution within their jurisdiction
that might, whether directly or indirectly, impair their authority
and prestige.
Membership Roll
I would also strongly urge the members of every incoming
National Spiritual Assembly to take all necessary steps to insure that
every local Assembly throughout America, without any exception
whatsoever, should immediately after its election send the complete
list of its members together with the full address of its secretary
to the National Secretary, who in turn will forward them to me
directly, enclosing his own address as well as the list of the members
of the National Spiritual Assembly. It would also be extremely
helpful, should actual circumstances permit, to devise with the
wholehearted assistance of every local Assembly ways and means
for the compilation of an authoritative, up-to-date, and exhaustive
list of recognized believers in America, supplemented by the full
address of each believer's permanent residence--this list to be continually
revised according to every change affecting the residence
and number of such believers. This would be particularly advisable
in view of the permanent residence of isolated believers in various
parts of the country, as well as of those who form parts of groups
as yet numerically too small for the formation of a local Spiritual
Assembly.
However desirable these steps may be, it is evident that they are
secondary in their importance and urgency to the pressing and
ever-increasing issues that vitally affect the spread and the consolidation
of the work which you are called upon to perform, and
which it is my privilege to assist in and serve. I am enclosing a
+P86
preliminary list of Bahá'í centers throughout the world, exclusive of
Persia, which, though inadequate, may still, I trust, be of some help
to you. I would welcome any additions or corrections you might be
able to make and hope it will evolve into a valuable section of the
contemplated Bahá'í Year Book.
I wish to assure you, in conclusion, of my heartfelt appreciation
of your devoted labors in the Divine Vineyard.
Your brother and fellow-worker,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
May 12, 1925.
To the beloved of God and the handmaids of the Merciful, the delegates and visitors to the Bahá'í Convention, Green Acre, Maine, U.S.A.
Fellow-laborers in the Vineyard of God:
Once again the hand of divine power has gathered together the
chosen representatives of the American believers, assembled this
time amid the pleasant surroundings of a blest and beloved spot,
to deliberate upon the most effective measures that will insure the
advancement of the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh. I feel it a pleasure and
privilege to offer you these few thoughts as my humble contribution
to the proceedings of your annual Convention.
May I at the outset reaffirm my feelings of gratitude and keen
appreciation for the eminent share which the friends in America,
individually as well as by their collective efforts, have contributed to
ease the burden of responsibility and care that has so often oppressed
my heart. Your steadfastness, your unsparing devotion; your self-sacrifice
in upholding and fostering the institutions of the Cause;
the notable advance you have achieved in the coordination of your
activities; the remarkable solicitude you have shown, and the magnificent
response you have made on behalf of the oppressed and
needy among your brethren; the measures you have initiated, the
hindrances you have removed and the means and methods you have
perfected--these and others beside have established you in the confidence,
the esteem and the admiration of all the Bahá'í world. I
personally appreciate and am thankful for your unfailing supplications
+P87
and special prayers on my behalf. I am deeply touched by
your expressions of unwavering faith, of loyalty and affection, and
fully reciprocate your brotherly sentiments and your keen desire and
readiness to collaborate with me more closely and effectively than
ever before.
Purpose of Convention
And now regarding this forthcoming Convention, I feel that the
dominating purpose inspiring the assembled friends, delegates and
visitors alike, should be a two-fold one. The first is a challenge to
the individual, the second a collective responsibility. The one seeks
to reinforce the motive power of our spiritual activities, the second
aims at raising the standard of administrative efficiency so vitally
needed at this advanced stage of our work. We should first and
foremost endeavor by every conceivable means to revitalize our
precious Cause, rudely shaken by the constant vicissitudes attending
the outward departure of a vigilant and gracious Master. Our next
object should be to seek to approach, through more intimate association,
fuller and more frequent consultations, and a closer familiarity
with the character, the mission and the teachings of the Cause,
that standard of excellence which should characterize the cooperative
efforts of Bahá'í Communities in every land.
High aims and pure motives, however laudable in themselves,
will surely not suffice if unsupported by measures that are practicable
and methods that are sound. Wealth of sentiment, abundance of
good-will and effort, will prove of little avail if we should fail to
exercise discrimination and restraint and neglect to direct their flow
along the most profitable channels. The unfettered freedom of the
individual should be tempered with mutual consultation and sacrifice,
and the spirit of initiative and enterprise should be reinforced
by a deeper realization of the supreme necessity for concerted action
and a fuller devotion to the common weal.
National Spiritual Assembly
It would be impossible at this stage to ignore the indispensability
or to overestimate the unique significance of the institution of the
National Spiritual Assembly--the pivot round which revolve the
activities of the believers throughout the American continent. Supreme
+P88
is their position, grave their responsibilities, manifold and
arduous their duties. How great the privilege, how delicate the task
of the assembled delegates whose function it is to elect such national
representatives as would by their record of service ennoble
and enrich the annals of the Cause! If we but turn our gaze to the
high qualifications of the members of Bahá'í Assemblies, as enumerated
in `Abdu'l-Bahá's Tablets, we are filled with feelings of unworthiness
and dismay, and would feel truly disheartened but for
the comforting thought that if we rise to play nobly our part every
deficiency in our lives will be more than compensated by the all-conquering
spirit of His grace and power. Hence it is incumbent
upon the chosen delegates to consider without the least trace of
passion and prejudice, and irrespective of any material consideration,
the names of only those who can best combine the necessary
qualities of unquestioned loyalty, of selfless devotion, of a well-trained
mind, of recognized ability and mature experience. May the
incoming National Spiritual Assembly--the privileged and chosen
servants of the Cause--immortalize their term of stewardship by
deeds of loving service, deeds that will redound to the honor, the
glory and the power of the Most Great Name.
The Cornerstone of Service
I would also earnestly entreat all the delegates at this coming
Convention, and through them I appeal to the larger body of
believers whom they represent, to ever bear in mind the supreme
injunction of `Abdu'l-Bahá, to teach unceasingly until the "head
cornerstone of the foundation" of the Cause of God is firmly established
in every heart. Let those whose time, resources and means
allow, travel throughout the length and breadth of that vast continent,
let them scatter to the most distant regions of the earth and,
fired with enthusiasm and detachment, hand on the torch of God's
undying flame to the waiting multitudes of a sadly-stricken world.
One word more in conclusion. Let the West, and particularly
the Great Republic of the New World, where a quarter of a century
ago Bahá'u'lláh's Banner was firmly implanted, realize that upon it
now rests the responsibility of achieving the universal recognition
of the Bahá'í Faith, of fulfilling `Abdu'l-Bahá's fondest hopes.
Persia, the cradle of an unfolding world civilization, is still bereft
+P89
of her freedom, sunk in ignorance, a prey to contending policies
and factions, beset on one hand by the powers of orthodoxy and
sectarian fanaticism and assailed on the other by the forces of
materialism and unbelief. In her evil plight she is radiantly confident
that the Flame she had kindled in the world will, in the fullness
of time, blaze forth in the heart of the mighty West and shed redeeming
illumination upon the silent sufferers of a distracted country.
Will it be America, will it be one of the nations of Europe,
that will seize the torch of Divine Guidance from Persia's fettered
hands and with it set the western world aflame? May your Convention,
by its spirit, its resolutions and its accomplishments, give
to that country's urgent call a noble and decisive answer.
Your brother and fellow-worker,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
June 3rd, 1925.
To the members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada.
My well-beloved friends:
The numerous communications which your distinguished Secretary
has lately addressed on your behalf to the Greatest Holy Leaf
and myself, have been eagerly perused and their contents carefully
noted. The news they imparted and the spirit they revealed have
caused us both genuine satisfaction, and have served to intensify
the feelings of joyous confidence, of pride and gratitude with which
we have greeted the inauguration of your term of service.
The notable advance achieved by this year's memorable Convention
is, I am certain, attributable in no small measure to the
energy, the thoroughness, the insight and the loving-kindness that
have characterized in an unprecedented degree the activities of the
outgoing National Spiritual Assembly. I am confident that the
work of America's newly elected representatives, so splendidly and
auspiciously begun, will further consolidate the labors of the past,
will resolve to a great extent the problems and perplexities of the
present, and open up fresh fields of future achievements and service.
I rejoice to learn that ways and means have been found to enable
+P90
the National Secretary, who discharges in such an exemplary manner
the manifold and exacting duties of a highly responsible position,
to devote all his time to the pursuit of so meritorious a task.
I am fully conscious of the privations and sacrifice which the choice
of this arduous work must involve for him, as well as for his
devoted and selfless companion; I cannot but admire and extol their
heroic efforts; and wish to assure them both of my continued prayers
for the speedy fruition of their earnest endeavors.
Qualifications of a Believer
Regarding the very delicate and complex question of ascertaining
the qualifications of a true believer, I cannot in this connection
emphasize too strongly the supreme necessity for the exercise of the
utmost discretion, caution and tact, whether it be in deciding for
ourselves as to who may be regarded a true believer or in disclosing
to the outside world such considerations as may serve as a basis for
such a decision. I would only venture to state very briefly and as
adequately as present circumstances permit the principal factors that
must be taken into consideration before deciding whether a person
may be regarded a true believer or not. Full recognition of the station
of the Forerunner, the Author, and the True Exemplar of the
Bahá'í Cause, as set forth in `Abdu'l-Bahá's Testament; unreserved
acceptance of, and submission to, whatsoever has been revealed by
their Pen; loyal and steadfast adherence to every clause of our
Beloved's sacred Will; and close association with the spirit as well
as the form of the present day Bahá'í administration throughout
the world--these I conceive to be the fundamental and primary
considerations that must be fairly, discreetly and thoughtfully ascertained
before reaching such a vital decision. Any attempt at further
analysis and elucidation will, I fear, land us in barren discussions
and even grave controversies that would prove not only futile but
even detrimental to the best interests of a growing Cause. I would
therefore strongly urge those who are called upon to make such a
decision to approach this highly involved and ever-recurring problem
with the spirit of humble prayer, and earnest consultation, and
to refrain from drawing rigidly the line of demarcation except on
such occasions when the interests of the Cause absolutely demand it.
+P91
National Convention
In connection with the annual holding of the Bahá'í Convention
and Congress, I feel that although such a representative body need
not be convened necessarily every year, yet it is highly desirable, in
view of the unique functions it fulfills in promoting harmony and
good-will, in removing misunderstandings and in enhancing the
prestige of the Cause, that the National Spiritual Assembly should
exert itself to gather together annually the elected representatives
of the American believers. It would in some ways be obviously convenient
and eminently desirable though not absolutely essential, if
the National Spiritual Assembly could arrange that the holding of
such a Congress should synchronize with the time at which the
national elections are renewed, and that both events should take
place, if not on the first of Ridván, at least during the twelve joyous
days of what may be justly regarded as the foremost Bahá'í Festival.
Apart from the local elections, which universally are to be renewed
on the 21st day of April, it is entirely left to the discretion of the
National Spiritual Assembly to decide, after having given due consideration
to the above mentioned observations, on whatever time
and place the Bahá'í Convention as well as the annual elections are
to be held. Were the National Spiritual Assembly to decide, after
mature deliberations, to omit the holding of the Bahá'í Convention
and Congress in a given year, then they could, only in such a case,
devise ways and means to insure that the annual election of the
National Spiritual Assembly should be held by mail, provided it
can be conducted with sufficient thoroughness, efficiency and dispatch.
It would also appear to me unobjectionable to enable and
even to require in the last resort such delegates as cannot possibly
undertake the journey to the seat of the Bahá'í Convention to send
their votes, for the election of the National Spiritual Assembly only,
by mail to the National Secretary, as in my view the advantages of
such a procedure outweigh the considerations referred to in your
letter. It should, however, be made clear to every elected delegate--
who should be continually reminded--that it is a sacred responsibility
and admittedly preferable to attend if possible in person the
sessions of the Convention, to take an active part in all its proceedings,
and to acquaint his fellow-workers on his return with the
+P92
accomplishments, the decisions and the aspirations of the assembled
representatives of the American believers.
Bahá'í Year Book
I am eagerly looking forward to your sending me in manuscript
form the projected Bahá'í Year Book, that I may be enabled to
contribute my share in rendering it as comprehensive, as attractive,
and as authoritative as possible. I strongly advise you to combine
in a judicious manner the two methods outlined in this connection
in your letter of September 2, 1925. A short, concise and forceful
account of the primary objects, as well as of the principles underlying
the worldwide administration of the Cause, together with a
brief description of various features of the present day administration
of its activities, supplemented with a not-too-detailed survey
of the actual accomplishments and plans evolved in the current year,
would serve to acquaint the outsider with the purpose and the
achievements of the Cause, and provide sufficient material that
would be edifying and helpful to the active believers whether in the
East or in the West....
The Greatest Holy Leaf desires me to convey in her name to the
esteemed members of the Green Acre Fellowship the expression of
her cordial thanks and sincere appreciation in having been made a
life member of the said Fellowship. She assures them of her prayers
for the success of this noble institution as well as for the spiritual
advancement of its individual members.
Recent developments in the Holy Land have led various organizations
in the Jewish world to contemplate seriously the early
possibility of transferring to Palestine's sacred soil the mortal remains
of certain prominent founders and leaders of Jewish thought,
and Mount Carmel, which next to `Akká's Most Holy Shrine is the
most cherished object of Bahá'í veneration, has been cited on various
occasions as a permanent and most befitting burial ground for their
illustrious dead. Surely the Bahá'ís of the world, ever on the alert
and with an eye to the future, will, no matter how pressed by financial
obligations, arise while there is yet time to contribute each his
share in securing for posterity such land as lies in close proximity
to the Holy Shrine--an area the acquisition of which in time will
prove indispensable if the sublime vision of `Abdu'l-Bahá is to be
+P93
realized. I appeal to you, and through you to every earnest and
conscientious believer, to safeguard in particular the land extending
southward from these Shrines which now, alas! is gravely exposed
to the assaults of covetous and speculating interests. I am loth to
press further claims on friends who have displayed so magnificent a
spirit of self-sacrifice on several occasions in the past, but I feel the
urge of a sacred and impelling responsibility to call your attention
to what I conceive to be one of the worldwide issues of the greatest
moment requiring a prompt, generous and collective response. I
may add that whatever land is purchased will be registered in the
name of the contributor, and I would therefore request every contributing
believer to forward together with his donation such power
of attorney as will legally empower me to transact in his name and
on his behalf the purchase of the plot he desires to acquire. It would
be desirable to forward small contributions to the National Spiritual
Assembly, who will then decide upon the manner in which the
transaction should be conducted.
Persecution of Persian Bahá'ís
The compilation of newspaper clippings with regard to recent
persecutions in Persia which has been sent by our dear brother, Mr.
H. Holley, to the Greatest Holy Leaf has been forwarded to the
National Spiritual Assembly of Persia, that they may witness for
themselves and share with the rank and file of the Persian believers
the results of the extensive and vigorous campaign so promptly
undertaken on their behalf by their sympathetic brethren in the
West. It grieves me to inform you that this sad tale of barbarism
and unrestrained aggression on the property, the lives and the honor
of the heroic sufferers in that land is still continuing to reach our
ears, and the campaign of obstruction, of intimidation and plunder
is, but for short periods of comparative lull, being systematically
pursued with unabated vigor. I am certain that the members of the
National Spiritual Assembly, fully alive to the uncertainty, the
confusion and the seriousness of the present situation, will seize the
first opportunity to redress as much as it lies in their power the
interminable grievances that are being inflicted upon harassed yet
law-abiding citizens.
Wishing you success from all my heart, and assuring you of my
+P94
continued prayers for the steady expansion and consolidation of
your work,
I am, your brother and fellow-worker,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
October 24th, 1925.
To the members of the American National Spiritual Assembly.
My dear fellow-workers:
Two recent communications of your able secretary, dated Oct.
14th and 15th, have been received and read with deep gratitude and
pleasure.
The Mashriqu'l-Adhkár
I rejoice to learn of the prompt and well-considered measures
you have undertaken to evolve, in conjunction with all local Assemblies
and groups, a wise and effective plan for the contribution of
America's befitting share in response to the appeal lately addressed
to the American believers regarding the work of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár.
Surely the great company of eager and sympathizing believers
throughout the East will, as they increasingly witness the
evidences of a revival of activity along this line, arise to lend a
helping hand to this vast endeavor. They will not fail to extend
their support in alleviating the burden that is now borne so joyously
and gratefully by their younger brethren in North America. I shall
myself do all in my power to hasten the fruition of your self-sacrificing
labors.
International Bahá'í Shrine
The sad and sudden crisis that has arisen in connection with the
ownership of Bahá'u'lláh's sacred house in Baghdád has sent a thrill
of indignation and dismay throughout the whole of the Bahá'í
world. Houses that have been occupied by Bahá'u'lláh for well nigh
the whole period of His exile in `Iráq; ordained by Him as the
chosen and sanctified object of Bahá'í pilgrimage in future; magnified
and extolled in countless Tablets and Epistles as the sacred
center "round which shall circle all peoples and kindreds of the
+P95
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 Bahá'í center in both
East and West, and urgently requested the faithful followers of the
Faith in every land to protest vehemently against this glaring perversion
of justice, to assert firmly and courteously the spiritual
rights of the Bahá'í Community to the ownership of this venerated
house, to plead for British fairness and justice, and to pledge their
unswerving determination to insure the security of this hallowed
spot.
Conscious of the fact that this property has been occupied by
Bahá'í authorized representatives for an uninterrupted period of not
less than thirty years, and having successfully won their case at the
Justice of Peace and the Court of First Instance, the Bahá'ís the
world over cannot believe that the high sense of honor and fairness
which inspires the British Administration of `Iráq will ever tolerate
such grave miscarriage of justice. They confidently appeal to the
public opinion of the world for the defense 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.
I shall acquaint you with every development of the case, and will
advise you as to the measures that should be taken whether we
decide to institute fresh proceedings or to appeal to higher legal
authorities in London.
Green Acre
In connection with the important step that has been taken for the
eventual inclusion of Green Acre Fellowship within the orbit of the
activities of the American National Spiritual Assembly, I hope and
pray that this new privilege and added responsibility will prove
+P96
highly beneficial in its results, both to Green Acre itself and the
general interests of the Cause in America. In a separate communication
addressed to the Chairman of the said Fellowship, our dearly-beloved
and self-sacrificing brother, Mr. W. Randall, I will express
my warm approval of this constructive step, and my ardent hopes
for the quicker unfolding and fuller expansion under the fostering
care of the National Spiritual Assembly, of Green Acre's unique
and sublime mission in life. I shall follow in this connection with
the keenest interest the course of your activities in accordance with
the policy outlined in your letter of October 14th, and feel that the
greatest stress must be laid upon the necessity of exemplifying in a
most liberal and practical manner the driving power hidden in this
Divine Revelation, rather than upon the idle reiteration of a set of
principles, however exalted and unique in their character. May the
National Fund so flourish as to enable its Trustees to undertake
such measures as will eloquently testify to a sorely stricken humanity
the healing power of God's Faith.
Jurisdiction of a Local Assembly
May I remind you regarding the situation in San Francisco that
no two independent Bahá'í centers can possibly be recognized in the
same city, and that the center which bears my name should act in all
matters only with the full consent and approval of the San Francisco
Spiritual Assembly.
Voting Rights of National Assembly Members
Concerning the election of alternate members to the National
Spiritual Assembly, I feel that only the nine original members of
the National Spiritual Assembly are entitled to vote, whereas such
alternate members as may be elected should be asked to fill vacancies
only in a consultative capacity and not be entitled to vote. They
should not be regarded as part of the quorum (i.e., five out of the
nine original members) which is necessary for the transaction of
the business of the National Assembly. All secondary matters that
do not affect the principle outlined are left to the discretion of the
National Spiritual Assemblies who will decide according to the
exigencies of their respective circumstances.
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Assuring you of my deep appreciation of your continued efforts,
and of my unceasing prayers on your behalf,
I am your grateful brother,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
November 6, 1925.
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 Bahá'ís of the Orient celebrated the twin Festivals of
the Declaration of the Báb and the birthday of `Abdu'l-Bahá, Dr.
John E. Esslemont passed on to the Abhá Kingdom. His end was
as swift as it was unexpected. Suffering from the effects of a
chronic and insidious disease, he fell at last a victim to the inevitable
complications that ensued, the fatal course of which neither the
efforts of vigilant physicians nor the devoted cares of his many
friends could possibly deflect.
He bore his sufferings with admirable fortitude, with calm resignation
and courage. Though convinced that his ailment would
never henceforth forsake him, yet many a time he revealed a burning
desire that the friends residing in the Holy Land should, while
visiting the Shrines, implore the All-merciful to prolong his days
that he may bring to a fuller completion his humble share of service
to the Threshold of Bahá'u'lláh. To this noble request all hearts
warmly responded. But this was not to be. His close association
with my work in Haifa, in which I had placed the fondest hopes, was
suddenly cut short. His book,+F1 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
+F1 Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era, by J. E. Esslemont, London, 1922; Bahá'í Publishing Committee, New York, 1927.
+P98
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 labors 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 Bahá'u'lláh--
and request you all to join--in my ardent prayers, for the fuller
unfolding in the realms beyond of a soul that has already achieved
so high a spiritual standing in this world. For by the beauty of
his character, by his knowledge of the Cause, by the conspicuous
achievements of his book, he has immortalized 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
Bahá'í burial ground at the foot of Carmel, close to the mortal
remains of that venerable soul, Hájí Mírzá Vakilu'd-Dawlih, the
illustrious cousin of the Báb and chief builder of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár
of Ishqábád. Pilgrims visiting his grave from far and
near will, with pride and gratitude, do honor to a name that adorned
the annals of an Immortal Cause.
May he eternally rest in peace.
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
November 30, 1925.
To the members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada.
Dearly-beloved fellow-workers in the Vineyard of God!
Your letter dated Nov. 9, 1925, has been received and read with
feelings of deep satisfaction and gratitude. It is most unfortunate
that, owing to unavoidable circumstances, I have been prevented
from communicating more fully and frequently with the distinguished
representatives of those dear fellow-workers of mine, the
progress of whose accomplishments I am continually following with
the liveliest expectations, loving sympathy and cheerful hope.
The multiplicity of vital and pressing issues, arising out of the
+P99
steady expansion of the Movement in various parts of the world;
the pain and sorrow so keenly felt at the sudden passing of distinguished
and dearly-beloved servants of the Cause; grave and unexpected
developments in the Holy Land and elsewhere--have all
in rapid succession greatly added to the already oppressive burden
of responsibility and care which it is my lot and privilege to shoulder
in the interests of the Cause. And yet in the midst of my unceasing
toil, my afflictions and perplexities, I have found fresh sustenance
and comfort in the striking manner in which the pioneers of the
Cause in that promising continent are proving themselves worthy
of the spiritual heritage bequeathed to them by their departed Master.
Refreshed and fortified by their inspiring example, I feel I can
pursue the thorny path of my arduous duties with serene confidence,
cheerful contentment and undiminished gratitude.
I rejoice to learn of the marvelous effect which your resourcefulness,
efficiency and unrelenting efforts are producing upon your
admiring brethren of the East. I am fully alive to the eminent
share you are contributing to the emancipation of those heroic
sufferers in distracted Persia. I am deeply conscious of the part
you play in consolidating the position of the Cause in the eyes of
both the exalted and lowly, and in hastening the advent of that
promised day of universal recognition and triumph for our beloved
Cause.
Shrine of Baghdád
We can but dimly discern the signs of that day of priceless victory--
the day when the mission of this sublime and holy Faith will
have been unfolded in all its power and glory to the eyes of an
unbelieving world. We have only to refer to the utterances of
Bahá'u'lláh in order to realize for ourselves God's invincible power
to turn every fleeting abasement, every transient sorrow, into abiding
joy and glory. For amid the gloom of humiliation that has
now beset Bahá'u'lláh's holy habitation in Baghdád, these prophetic
words of His regarding His house shine forth resplendent in their
assurance of a future victory: "In truth, I declare, it shall be so
abased in the days to come as to cause tears to flow from every
discerning eye.... And in the fulness of time, shall the Lord by
the power of truth exalt it in the eyes of all the world, cause it to
+P100
become the mighty standard of His domination, the shrine round
which shall circle the concourse of the faithful." How startling in
His prediction, how reassuring His promise!
The thoroughness of your methods in handling this grave and
highly delicate situation, the promptness of your response, the spirit
of unabated confidence, of unrelaxing determination and admirable
courage which you have abundantly displayed have, I am certain,
endeared you to us all, justified our hopes in you, and ennobled
the already lofty position you deservedly occupy among the staunch
supporters of God's immortal Cause. Whatever the outcome of
your memorable endeavors, the immediate consequences of your
strenuous efforts cannot but be a growing realization on the part
of those placed in authority that the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh, despite
the calumny and slander showered upon it in the past, has linked
the East with the West as no other human agency can possibly
link and is capable of demonstrating the reality of that celestial
potency which no man can today safely belittle or ignore.
Furthermore, the spontaneous and generous response of the
American believers in connection with the land situation on Mount
Carmel has, in conjunction with the donations of the friends in
other parts of the world, safeguarded such lands as lie in close
proximity to the holy Shrines. This highly meritorious effort, blest
and sanctified by the bountiful grace of Bahá'u'lláh, has in like manner
served to reveal to every discerning eye the friends' unquenchable
enthusiasm and unrivalled devotion--the dominant characteristic
of a Faith that is still in its stage of tender growth, and now
standing on the threshold of undreamt-of achievements.
Judgment of Egyptian Religious Court
Among the disturbing factors that have intensified the difficulties
of the present situation is the extraordinary judgment recently
passed by the Supreme Religious Court of Egypt, declaring the
Bahá'ís of that land adherents of a Faith heretical in character, and
at variance with the accepted doctrines of Islám, and hence utterly
outside the sphere of its jurisdiction. What exactly the implication
of this verdict will be, the effect its practical application will
have on the relations of the Bahá'ís with the followers of the Muslim
+P101
Faith, what measure of publicity it will receive, what impression
it will create in Muslim lands and particularly in hostile Persia,
the future only can disclose. So far it has failed to perturb public
sentiment or give rise to any official or public demonstration of
a nature that would justify or necessitate any action on the part
of the American Bahá'ís, who are powerfully demonstrating today
their readiness to champion the cause of truth and justice. I will
not delay in informing you of the exact measures that I feel will
be necessary to take should the occasion arise in future. It is clear
and evident that Western influence, the loosening of the bonds of
religion, and the consequent waning vitality of the once powerful
Muhammadan stronghold of Egypt are in a great measure to account
for the indifference and apathy that now seem to characterize the
attitude of the masses towards this important and vital issue. This
decision, however locally embarrassing, in the present stage of our
development, may be regarded as an initial step taken by our very
opponents in the path of the eventual universal acceptance of the
Bahá'í Faith, as one of the independent recognized religious systems
of the world.
National Fund
In connection with the institution of the National Fund and the
budgetary system set forth in the minutes of the National Spiritual
Assembly, I feel urged to remind you of the necessity of ever bearing
in mind the cardinal principle that all contributions to the Fund
are to be purely and strictly voluntary in character. It should be
made clear and evident to every one that any form of compulsion,
however slight and indirect, strikes at the very root of the principle
underlying the formation of the Fund ever since its inception.
While appeals of a general character, carefully worded and moving
and dignified in tone are welcome under all circumstances, it should
be left entirely to the discretion of every conscientious believer
to decide upon the nature, the amount, and purpose of his or her
contribution for the propagation of the Cause.
Association with Orientals
Regarding association with Oriental travelers and residents in
the United States and Canada, I desire to emphasize afresh the vital
+P102
necessity for the exercise in these days of the greatest vigilance
and reserve, prudence and caution, on the part of the American
believers in their dealings with them, either in an official or private
capacity, whether in business transactions or for purely religious
purposes. As the Movement grows in prestige, fame and influence,
as the ambitions, malice and ill-will of strangers and enemies correspondingly
wax greater, it becomes increasingly important for
every individual and Spiritual Assembly to be on their guard lest
they fall innocent victims of the evil designs of the malevolent, the
self-seeking and greedy.
Touching the publication of articles and pamphlets bearing on
the controversial and political issues of the day, I desire to remind
my dearly-beloved fellow-workers that at the present stage when
the Cause is still in its infancy, any minute and detailed analysis by
the friends of subjects that are in the forefront of general discussion
would often be misconstrued in certain quarters and give rise to
suspicions and misunderstandings that would react unfavorably on
the Cause. They would tend to create a misconception of the real
object, the true mission, and the fundamental character of the Bahá'í
Faith. We should, while endeavoring to uphold loyally and expound
conscientiously our social and moral principles in all their
essence and purity, in all their bearings upon the divers phases of
human society, insure that no direct reference or particular criticism
in our exposition of the fundamentals of the Faith would tend to
antagonize any existing institution, or help to identify a purely
spiritual movement with the base clamorings and contentions of
warring sects, factions and nations. We should strive in all our
utterances to combine the discretion and noble reticence of the
wise with the frankness and passionate loyalty of the ardent advocate
of an inspiring Faith. While refusing to utter the word that
would needlessly alienate or estrange any individual, government
or people, we should fearlessly and unhesitatingly uphold and assert
in their entirety such truths the knowledge of which we believe is
vitally and urgently needed for the good and betterment of mankind.
The copy of the minutes of the 1925 Bahá'í Convention has been
received and, despite the pressure of work, read with deep pleasure
and keen interest.
+P103
Purpose of Bahá'í Administration
As the administrative work of the Cause steadily expands, as
its various branches grow in importance and number, it is absolutely
necessary that we bear in mind this fundamental fact that
all these administrative activities, however harmoniously and efficiently
conducted, are but means to an end, and should be regarded
as direct instruments for the propagation of the Bahá'í Faith. Let
us take heed lest in our great concern for the perfection of the
administrative machinery of the Cause, we lose sight of the Divine
Purpose for which it has been created. Let us be on our guard lest
the growing demand for specialization in the administrative functions
of the Cause detain us from joining the ranks of those who
in the forefront of battle are gloriously engaged in summoning
the multitude to this New Day of God. This indeed should be
our primary concern; this is our sacred obligation, our vital and
urgent need. Let this cardinal principle be ever borne in mind,
for it is the mainspring of all future activities, the remover of
every embarrassing obstacle, the fulfillment of our Master's dearest
wish.
May the year that has just dawned upon us witness in such a
glorious field many a signal victory.
Your true brother,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
January 10, 1926.
To the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful through the West.
Fellow-laborers 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,
+P104
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 Ridván have failed to dispel.
Bahá'í Martyrdoms in Persia
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 realizing the
urgency of my sacred duty, I have, upon the receipt of the news,
transmitted telegraphically through the National Spiritual Assembly
of the Bahá'ís of Persia a special message addressed in the name
of the Bahá'ís of every land to the supreme authority in the State,
expressing our profound horror at this outrageous act as well as
our earnest entreaty to inflict immediate punishment on the perpetrators
of so abominable a crime. And as this sad event involved
chiefly the welfare and security of the Bahá'í residents in Persia, I
have specially requested all local Assemblies in that land to address
a similar message to the highest authorities concerned appealing
for full protection and justice. Should future developments necessitate
direct and foreign intervention, I shall acquaint the national
Bahá'í representatives in every land to take in cooperation with all
local Assemblies such measures as will effectually conduce to a fuller
recognition of the dynamic force latent in the Bahá'í Faith and
insure the betterment of the lot of the heroic supporters of our
Cause.
Pending the opening of official communication with recognized
authorities whether in Persia or elsewhere, I strongly feel that the
+P105
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
civilized 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 for our
grievances. I would remind them that whatever is published should
be couched in terms that are at once correct, forceful and inoffensive.
I 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 centers immediately upon
their receipt. I would, however, ask the believers throughout the
West to arise without any further delay and supplement the publication
of the news conveyed in this message with an account of previous
happenings of a similar character, combined with an adequate
survey of the aim, the principles and history of the Bahá'í Cause.
It is to you, dearly beloved friends of the West, who are the
standard-bearers of the emancipation and triumph of the Bahá'í
Faith, that our afflicted brethren of the East have turned their
expectant eyes, confident that the day cannot be far-distant when,
in accordance with `Abdu'l-Bahá'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, galvanize our
efforts, dissolve our differences, and provide one of the chief instruments
which the unhampered promoters of the Faith can utilize
+P106
to attract the attention, enlist the sympathy, and eventually win the
allegiance of all mankind?
Ours is this supreme opportunity; may we fulfill our trust.
Your true brother,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
April 22nd, 1926.
To the members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada.
Fellow-laborers in the Vineyard of God:
Various happenings of recent months, highly disquieting in
their suddenness, their complexity and consequences, have time and
again, to my regret, compelled me to defer correspondence with
you, my highly valued co-workers, who are destined to share no
small a part of the burden that now weighs so heavily upon me.
The prolonged and delicate negotiations arising out of the critical
situation of Bahá'u'lláh's house in Baghdád; the shameful recrudescence
of unrestrained barbarism in stricken Persia; the unexpected
reverse recently sustained in our legal transactions for the deliverance
of Bahá'u'lláh's mansion at Bahjí from the hands of the enemy;
the unprecedented increase in the volume of work resulting from the
rise and expansion of the Movement in various parts of the world
--these and other issues, no less pressing in their demand upon my
time and energy, have gradually affected my health and impaired
the efficiency required in the discharge of my arduous duties. But,
though body and mind be sorely strained by cares and perplexities
which a Movement such as ours just emerging from obscurity must
needs encounter, yet the spirit continues to draw fresh inspiration
from the manner in which the chosen deliverers of the Faith in the
Western world, and particularly in the American continent, are
proving themselves increasingly worthy of such a stupendous yet
so noble a task.
Persecutions in Jahrum
Grave and manifold as are the problems confronting the struggling
Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, none appear more significant, nor seem
+P107
more 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 emphasized the barbarous severity practiced 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 neighboring 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 Ádhirbayján in the
town of Marághih, 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 Islám. 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 Muslim 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 Bahá'ís on behalf of their brethren, whether living or dead,
has been met with cold indifference, with vague promises,
and, not infrequently, with severe rebuke and undeserved chastisement.
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 civilized 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
+P108
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 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 Bahá'u'lláh.
Plan of Unified Action
In connection with the Plan of Unified Action, enclosed in your
letter of January 19th, I feel that the friends must be constantly
reminded of the vital necessity for a continuous and whole-hearted
support of the scheme, the success or failure of which will to a
marked extent affect the course of the progress of the Cause not only
in Northern America but throughout the Bahá'í world. Let the
friends recall and ever bear in mind the repeated exhortations and
glowing promises of our beloved Master with reference to the
Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, the crowning institution in every Bahá'í community.
Let them arise with determination and confidence to lend
a helping hand to the Plan which you have so admirably devised
for its speedy and practical realization. Theirs is a splendid opportunity;
let their response to your call be prompt, whole-hearted and
decisive.
I have specially requested that indefatigable pioneer of the Cause
of God, our well-beloved Bahá'í sister, Mrs. Victoria Bedekian, to
concentrate for the present all the resources of her mind and heart
upon this vast and vital undertaking. I have urged her to direct her
energies to this lofty purpose, and by the aid of her most valuable
letters arouse both the East and the West to a fresh consciousness
of the significance and urgency of the object you have set yourselves
to achieve.
Regarding the series of World Unity meetings which some of
the thoughtful, capable and devoted servants of the Cause have
carefully organized and successfully conducted, and to which you
have referred in your letter of March 8th, I wish to express my
keen appreciation of such a splendid conception, my deep gratitude
for the efforts they have exerted, and my gratification in view of the
success they have achieved.
+P109
Guiding Principles of Bahá'í Administration
The administrative machinery of the Cause having now sufficiently
evolved, its aim and object fairly well grasped and understood,
and its method and working made more familiar to every
believer, I feel the time is ripe when it should be fully and consciously
utilized to further the purpose for which it has been created. It
should, I strongly feel, be made to serve a twofold purpose. On
one hand, it should aim at a steady and gradual expansion of the
Movement along lines that are at once broad, sound and universal;
and on the other it should insure the internal consolidation of the
work already achieved. It should both provide the impulse whereby
the dynamic forces latent in the Faith can unfold, crystallize, and
shape the lives and conduct of men, and serve as a medium for the
interchange of thought and the coordination of activities among
the divers elements that constitute the Bahá'í community.
Whether it be by an open and bold assertion of the fundamental
verities of the Cause, or the adoption of a less direct and more
cautious method of teaching; whether by the dissemination of our
literature or the example of our conduct, our one aim and sole object
should be to help in the eventual recognition by all mankind of the
indispensability, the uniqueness and the supreme station of the
Bahá'í Revelation. Whatever method he adopts, and however indirect
the course he chooses to pursue, every true believer should
regard such a recognition as the supreme goal of his endeavor.
Whilst consciously laboring towards the attainment of this end, he
should, by supporting every branch of the administrative activities
of his national and local assembly, seek and obtain the fullest information
on the character and extent of the worldwide progress
of the Cause, and strive to contribute his share towards the strengthening
of the spirit of solidarity among the component parts of the
Bahá'í world.
Such in their broad outline are the guiding principles which those
who have been placed in charge of the administration of the affairs
of the Cause should at present endeavor to promote, explain and
securely establish. Nothing short of the spirit of unwavering faith,
of continuous vigilance and patient endeavor can hope to secure
eventually the realization of this our cherished desire.
+P110
May America's national representatives arise with clear vision,
with unswerving determination and renewed vigor to carry out in
its entirety the sacred task they have purposed to perform.
Assuring you of my continued and earnest prayers for the success
of your efforts,
I am your true brother,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
May 11th, 1926.
To the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful throughout the West.
Dearly-beloved brothers and sisters in `Abdu'l-Bahá:
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.
Response of Queen Marie
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 Roumania and of
the cordial and ready response which her gentle yet persuasive presentation
of the principles of the Bahá'í Faith has evoked in the
heart of that honored queen. One of the visible and potent effects
which this historic interview proved capable of achieving was the
remarkable appeal in the form of an open letter which Her Majesty
freely and spontaneously caused to be published to the world at large
testifying in a language of exquisite beauty to the power and sublimity
of the Message of Bahá'u'lláh.
It was indeed a never-to-be-forgotten occasion when, on the eve
of the day commemorating the passing of Bahá'u'lláh, a handful
+P111
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-tidings 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 recognize in this glowing
tribute which royalty has thus paid to the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh
an epoch-making pronouncement destined to herald those stirring
events which, as `Abdu'l-Bahá has prophesied, shall in the fulness
of time signalize the triumph of God's holy Faith. For who can
doubt but that the deeds of those valiant pioneers of the Faith, unexampled
though 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 immortalized
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 realized, 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.
The Regenerating Power
But let us all remember, in this connection, 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 organized Assemblies can hope
to raise, is the realization 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 vitalize the manifold activities
+P112
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 Bahá'ís of both the East and the West a
written expression of our joyous admiration and gratitude for the
queenly tribute which Her Majesty has paid to the beauty and
nobility of the Bahá'í Teachings. I have, moreover, assured Her
Majesty of the far-reaching effect which her superb testimony will
inevitably produce, and of the welcome consolation it has already
brought to the silent sufferers in that distracted country. To my
message of appreciation and gratitude there has come lately a written
response, penned by Her Majesty, profoundly touching, singularly
outspoken, and highly significant in the testimony it bears.
From this queenly tribute to a divine ideal I quote these penetrating
words:
"Indeed a great light came to me with the Message of Bahá'u'lláh
and `Abdu'l-Bahá. It came as all great messages come at an
hour of dire grief and inner conflict and distress, so the seed sank
deeply.... We pass on the Message from mouth to mouth and
all those we give it to see a light suddenly lighting before them and
much that was obscure and perplexing becomes simple, luminous
and full of hope as never before. That my open letter was balm
to those suffering for the Cause is indeed a great happiness to me,
and I take it as a sign that God accepted my humble tribute....
With bowed head I recognize 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
realization 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 Bahá'u'lláh, our dearly-beloved Martha
Root, who under trying circumstances and almost single-handed in
+P113
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.
Haifa, Palestine,
October 7th, 1926.
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
various quarters there has of late reached the Holy Land tidings of
fresh developments that are a clear indication of those hidden and
transforming influences which, from the source of Bahá'u'lláh's
mystic strength, continue to flow with ever-increasing vitality into
the heart of this troubled world.
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
laboring to raise and fortify, the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, we can increasingly
discern, bids fair to become that force which, though not
as yet universally recognized, none can afford to belittle or ignore.
In the bold and repeated testimonies which Her Majesty, Queen
Marie of Roumania, has chosen to give to the world,--a copy of
whose latest pronouncement I enclose,+F1--we truly recognize evidences
+F1 This enclosure consisted of a copy of an article by Queen Marie in her newspaper syndicated series entitled "Queen's Counsel." Since the queen's first public reference to the Cause in this series, two additional references have appeared, one on September 26 and one on September 27, 1926.
+P114
of the irresistible power, the increasing vitality, the strange
working of a Faith destined to regenerate the world. Her Majesty's
striking tribute paid to the illuminative power of the Teachings of
Bahá'u'lláh and `Abdu'l-Bahá is bound to effect an entire transformation
in the attitude of many to a Faith the tenets of which have
often been misunderstood and sorely neglected. It will serve as a
fresh stimulus to the enlightened and cultured to investigate with an
open mind the verities of its message, the source of its life-giving
principles.
Shrine at Baghdád
From Baghdád, moreover, where the sacred habitation of Bahá'u'lláh
has been violated by a relentless enemy and converted into a
rallying center 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
as we witness in so many directions the welcome signs of the
gradual emancipation of the struggling Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, of the
increasing recognition on the part of both the high and lowly of its
universal principles--all so rich in their promise of ultimate victory.
Your true brother,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
October 29, 1926.
+P115
To the members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada.
Dearly-beloved fellow-workers:
I have on two recent occasions given expression to the profound
sense of inspiring confidence and joyous gratitude which recent
happenings in the Cause--evident manifestations of the steady evolution
of a living Faith--must needs evoke in the heart of every
thoughtful and observing believer. And as I contemplate the far-reaching
possibilities involved in a careful handling of those forces
which Bahá'u'lláh's almighty arm has now released, I cannot help
reflecting upon the dominant share which the American friends, at
home as well as in distant lands, have contributed to this rejuvenation
of the Cause of God, and the decisive part it is theirs to play
in its eventual victory.
Your letters, dated June 17, July 11, July 20, August 3 and 16,
and October 2, 1926, all of which have been forwarded during my
days of retirement and rest, have proved an added source of thankfulness,
of joy and strength to me. They have clearly revealed by
their spirit, as well as by the nature and variety of their contents,
the sustained devotion, the unabated confidence, and the increasing
vigor and efficiency with which you are initiating, coordinating, and
consolidating the manifold activities of the Cause in North America.
International Secretariat
The range and character of the problems confronting you, as
revealed by the careful perusal of the minutes of your meetings,
the steady increase in the number and effectiveness of vigorously
functioning Centers in Central and Northern Europe, and the growing
significance and complexity of the work that has to be necessarily
conducted from the Holy Land, have all served to strengthen the
feeling of absolute necessity for the formation in Haifa of some sort
of an International Bahá'í Secretariat, which both in an advisory
and executive capacity will have to aid and assist me in my vast and
exacting labors. I have anxiously considered this important matter
in all its bearings during the past few months, and have accordingly
requested three well-informed, capable representatives from America,
Europe and the East to visit the Holy Land this fall, that we
+P116
may lay down the foundation of this vitally needed institution. We
shall take counsel together and decide, not only upon the measures
that have to be promptly undertaken to meet the pressing demands
of the present hour, but upon the wider issues that on one hand will
strengthen the ties that should bind the International Center of the
Cause with the world at large, and on the other provide for the
preliminary steps that will eventually lead to the proper establishment
of the First International House of Justice.
It is my earnest hope and prayer that this exchange of thought
and close cooperation in the work that has henceforth to be internationally
and vigorously conducted, will enable me to participate
more minutely and effectively in the labors of the various administrative
departments of your Assembly, and thus reinforce the splendid
efforts you are exerting for the extension of its influence and
the widening of its scope.
Plan of Unified Action
From the report of the National Treasurer, setting forth the
account of the progress of the contributions of the American believers
for the support of the Plan of Unified Action, up to June 30,
1926, I gather that the result has by no means exceeded our expectations,
nay has considerably fallen below what I confidently expected
it to achieve. I earnestly renew my plea and appeal to you, and
through you to every true and faithful lover of `Abdu'l-Bahá, to
realize, while there is yet time, the far-reaching possibilities with
which the present situation is fraught. I am firmly convinced that
this Plan combines, embodies, and serves the twofold purpose of
the present-day Bahá'í administration in the United States and
Canada, namely the promotion of the vitally needed teaching work,
and the provision for the gradual completion of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár,
both wishes so near and dear to our beloved Master's heart.
It is the only effective, feasible, and practical instrument placed in
our hands for the speedy accomplishment of our ends. So much that
is vital to the future welfare, the effectiveness, and the fair name of
our beloved Cause depends, I assure you, upon the success or failure
of this nobly-conceived, this sound and befitting enterprise. The
eyes of all Bahá'ís and of many sympathizers throughout the world
are turned towards you, eager to reinforce your accomplishments in
+P117
this field, expectant to witness what measure of success you are
capable of achieving.
World Unity Conferences
In connection with the series of World Unity Conferences which
you have initiated and so laboriously organized, I feel that in order
to reap the fullest advantage and benefit from this laudable effort,
it is absolutely essential to follow up with the aid of enlightened,
experienced and capable teachers the interest which has been aroused.
Such a group of teachers should judiciously select those few among
the many interested, and endeavor with patience and sympathy and
by constant intimate personal intercourse, to prepare them gradually
for the entire and unreserved acceptance of the fundamentals of
the Bahá'í Revelation. If the results be meagre, if the attendance
be small, let us not despair, nor relax in our efforts. Let us remember
that this sound method will eventually triumph, if we only consistently
support it, and persevere in undertaking those subsequent
steps that can alone produce full and permanent benefit.
Appeal to the Sháh of Persia
I have already expressed my grateful appreciation of the prompt
and wise measures you have taken in behalf of our oppressed and
down-trodden brethren in Persia. The noble appeal which you were
moved to address to His Majesty the Sháh, so illuminating, so
courteous, so powerful, and the wide range of publicity you have
undertaken, were truly providential in character, and will undoubtedly
prove an inspiration and solace to those who still continue to be
trampled under the heel of an odious and inveterate enemy. I have
had your appeal translated into Persian and sent to all Centers
throughout the Orient that the suffering in Persia may learn of your
bold and courageous intervention, and witness the signs of their
promised redemption which, as foretold by `Abdu'l-Bahá, must first
be made manifest through the efforts of their brethren in that great
freedom-loving Republic of the West.
It is sad and distressing to reflect that, notwithstanding the repeated
appeals addressed to the authorities concerned, and so powerfully
reinforced by the spontaneous action of some of the leading
Governments of the West, Persia, still heedless and unaware of the
+P118
spiritual forces that are at work, continues to treat with indifference
and contempt the most loyal, innocent and law-abiding subjects of
its realm. The chronic instability of its affairs, the changing fortunes
of factions and shadowy personalities that sap its vitality and
tarnish its name, the acute and widespread economic depression that
is now prevailing, and the grave discontent of the masses of the
people, all tend to aggravate a situation already highly threatening
to the security of its sorely tried children. What else can we do
but pray most fervently that the almighty power of Bahá'u'lláh
may soon triumph over this petty strife, this age-long tyranny, and
make, as He prophesied, of the land of His birth, "the most honored
of all governments, the pride, the admiration and the envy of the
peoples of the world."
Your true brother,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
October 31, 1926.
The beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful throughout the United States and Canada.
Dearly-beloved friends:
The progress of various events, both within and outside the
Bahá'í world, as well as the perusal of the able and illuminating
report recently submitted by the Committee of the Persian National
Spiritual Assembly in charge of the Tarbíyat School in Tihrán,
have served to reinforce a gradually growing idea as to the desirability
of arranging for the settlement in the capital of that country
of one or two American believers who, having the means, the freedom
and the capacity, can adequately meet the pressing requirements
of a responsible position. Judging from their report, the situation
in Tihrán though much confused and perplexing, is fraught with
rich possibilities for the future of the Cause, both as affecting the
national fortunes of Persia, as well as its influence upon the international
development of the Cause.
+P119
American Teachers in Tihrán
The situation as I see it calls for the devoted efforts of one
or two capable workers who, untrammelled and with independent
means, can quietly, tenaciously and tactfully, pursue over a considerable
length of time the meritorious work of fostering the cause of
Bahá'í education, for both boys and girls, in the swiftly changing
capital of a promising country. It should be their primary duty to
extend the scope and enhance the prestige of these twin Bahá'í educational
institutions, and to initiate by sound and well-considered
methods such measures as will consolidate the work already achieved.
It would be highly gratifying if they could also endeavor, by keeping
in close and constant touch with the Persian and American National
Spiritual Assemblies, to fortify those vital bonds that spiritually
unite the cradle of the Bahá'í Faith with the great American Republic--
the foremost standard-bearer of the Cause in the Western field.
Such efforts will extremely facilitate cooperation between these two
countries, whose common destiny is to provide, each in its own
typical manner, the essential elements in the foundation of the world
order ushered in by Bahá'u'lláh.
The gradual expansion of foreign as well as officially subsidized
educational schools in Tihrán, the prolonged absence of competent
teachers and organizers that can revive the declining influence of a
hitherto renowned Bahá'í educational institution, and the critical
and vigilant attitude which the growing influence of the Cause has
induced in its malignant and envious enemies, are today subjects
of gravest concern to the elected representatives of our suffering
brethren and sisters in Persia. I would therefore request those who
feel the urge and have the means to undertake this task to communicate
with the National Spiritual Assembly who, after mature
deliberation, will select one or two who, in their judgment, can best
render this service, and decide upon the exact time and manner which
would be most suitable for its execution. I would strongly urge
the friends to consult most earnestly with that devoted, experienced
and indefatigable handmaid of Bahá'u'lláh, Dr. Moody, whose past
services have ennobled the record of collaboration of East and
West for the furtherance of the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh. It would be
highly satisfactory and immensely helpful if our beloved sister could
+P120
find it possible and convenient to accompany such a carefully-chosen
person on the way to Tihrán, and, by her unrivaled experience and
loving-kindness, assist personally in the fulfillment of this pressing
need.
Whoever steps into this field will find, as he settles down to his
work, that the environment is extremely disheartening, that restrictions
are oppressive, that the amenities of social life are lacking, that
the forces of opposition are determined and organized. But let him
realize also that, however tedious and exacting his labors, however
precarious and thankless his task, the pioneer services it is his unique
privilege to render in this time of stress will forever live in the
annals of God's living Faith, and will prove a source of inspiration
to the countless workers who, in happier times and with better
means at their disposal, will consummate the spiritual regeneration
and material rehabilitation of Bahá'u'lláh's native land.
Your true brother,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
November 14, 1926.
To the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful throughout the West.
Dearly-beloved brothers and sisters in `Abdu'l-Bahá:
The trend of various events, affecting directly and indirectly
the interests of the Bahá'í Cause, have of late served to bring into
further prominence the character as well as the significance of a
Faith destined to regenerate the world.
Decision of Egyptian Tribunal
Of all the diverse issues which today are gradually tending to
consolidate and extend the bounds of the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh,
the decision of Egypt's religious Tribunal regarding the Bahá'ís
under its jurisdiction appears at the present moment to be the most
powerful in its challenge, the most startling in its character, and
the most perplexing in the consequences it may entail. I have already
alluded in my letter of January 10, 1926, addressed to the
National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and
+P121
Canada, to a particular feature of this momentous verdict, which
after mature deliberation has obtained the sanction of Egypt's highest
ecclesiastical authorities, has been communicated and printed,
and is regarded as final and binding. I have stressed in my last
reference to this far-reaching pronouncement the negative aspect of
this document which condemns in most unequivocal and emphatic
language the followers of Bahá'u'lláh as the believers in heresy,
offensive and injurious to Islám, and wholly incompatible with the
accepted doctrines and practice of its orthodox adherents.
Bahá'í Cause Recognized as Independent Religion
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 recognized opponents of the Bahá'í
Faith in other Muhammadan countries have up to the present time
either sedulously ignored or maliciously endeavored to disprove.
Not content with this harsh and unjustifiable repudiation of the
so-called menacing and heretical doctrines of the adherents of the
Bahá'í Faith, they proceed in a formal manner to declare in the text
of that very decision their belief, that the Bahá'í Faith is a "new
religion," "entirely independent" and, by reason of the magnitude
of its claim and the character of its "laws, principles and beliefs,"
worthy to be reckoned as one of the established religious systems of
the world. Quoting various passages judiciously gleaned from a
number of Bahá'í sacred Books as an evidence to their splendid
testimony, they proceed in a notable statement to deduce the fact that
henceforth it shall be regarded as impossible for the followers of
such a Faith to be designated as Muslim, just as it would be incorrect
and erroneous to call a Muhammadan either Christian or Jew.
It cannot be denied that in the course of the inevitable developments
of this present situation the resident Bahá'ís of Egypt, originally
belonging to the Muslim Faith, will be placed in a most humiliating
and embarrassing position. They, however, cannot but
rejoice in the knowledge that whereas in various Muhammadan
countries and particularly in Persia the overwhelming majority of
the leaders of Islám are utterly opposed to any form of declaration
that would facilitate the universal recognition of the Cause, the authorized
heads of their co-religionists in one of the most advanced
+P122
communities in the Muhammadan world have, of their own initiative,
published to the world a document that may justly be termed
as the first chapter of liberty emancipating the Bahá'í Faith from the
fetters of orthodox Islám. And in order to insure the complete
rupture of Bahá'í official relations with Muslim Courts they lay
down in unmistakable terms the condition that under no circumstances
can the marriage of those Bahá'ís who have been required
to divorce their Muslim wives be renewed by the Muslim Court unless
and until the husbands formally recant their faith by solemnly
declaring that the Qur'án 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'án and profoundly convinced of the necessity and
worldwide influence of His Divine mission, Bahá'ís in every land
stand undeterred and unabashed in the face of the strong condemnation
pronounced against their brethren in Egypt. Indeed, they
together with their fellow-workers in all Muslim countries welcome
with gladness and pride every opportunity for further emancipation
that they may set forth in a truer light the sublime mission of Bahá'u'lláh.
In the face of such an outspoken and challenging declaration,
the Bahá'í 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 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 Bahá. 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
+P123
vicissitudes as this New Day of God, now in its birth-throes, must
needs suffer and surmount.
Worldwide Attacks Foretold
We cannot believe that as the Movement grows in strength, in
authority and in 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,
realizing the penetrating influence of this growing Faith,
will arise and strain every nerve to extinguish its light and discredit
its name. For has not our beloved `Abdu'l-Bahá sent forth His
glowing prophecy from behind the prison walls of the citadel of
`Akká--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 clamor 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.
Haifa, Palestine,
February 12, 1927.
To the members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada.
Dear and precious fellow-workers in the Vineyard of God:--
The communications addressed to me by your indefatigable and
distinguished secretary, dated October 28, November 8, 11, 18,
+P124
December 4, 16 and January 27th, have been received, and together
with their enclosures read and carefully noted. I cannot but admire
the spirit of unrelaxing resolve and harmonious cooperation
with which you are conducting the ever-expanding activities of the
Cause in a land upon which our Beloved has lavished His richest
blessings, and for the spiritual potentialities of which He cherished
the brightest hopes. The vigorous efforts you are exerting to
consolidate the forces which the Almighty has placed in your hands;
the resourcefulness you display by the measures you have initiated
for the furtherance of the Cause; the magnificent response with
which you have met the piteous call of your suffering brethren of
the East--all proclaim your worthiness of the unexampled efforts
which, in your country more than in any other land, `Abdu'l-Bahá
has exerted for the spread of the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh.
Twofold Teaching Method
In connection with the World Unity Conferences, which you
have organized, I desire to assure you of my heartfelt appreciation
of such a splendid conception. I am profoundly impressed by the
generous assistance spontaneously offered by those who, faithful
to their other obligations, have risen to insure the financial success
of such a noble Plan. I am grateful to those local Assemblies and
individuals who have given it their whole-hearted support in their
respective fields.
As to the policy that should be adopted with regard to these
Conferences and other Bahá'í activities in general, it appears increasingly
evident that as the Movement grows in strength and
power the National Spiritual Assemblies should be encouraged, if
circumstances permit and the means at their disposal justify, to
resort to the twofold method of directly and indirectly winning
the enlightened public to the unqualified acceptance of the Bahá'í
Faith. The one method would assume an open, decisive and challenging
tone. The other, without implying in any manner the
slightest departure from strict loyalty to the Cause of God, would
be progressive and cautious. Experience will reveal the fact that
each of the methods in its own special way might suit a particular
temperament and class of people, and that each in the present state
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of a constantly fluctuating society, should be judiciously attempted
and utilized.
It is, I feel, for the National representatives of the believers
in every land to utilize and combine both methods, the outspoken
as well as the gradual, in such a manner as to secure the greatest
benefits and the fullest advantage for this steadily-growing Cause.
Every staunch and high-minded believer is thoroughly convinced
of the unfailing efficacy of every humanitarian undertaking which
boldly and unreservedly proclaims the source of its motive power
to be the consciousness of the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh. Yet,
if we but call to mind the practice generally adopted by `Abdu'l-Bahá,
we cannot fail to perceive the wisdom, nay the necessity,
of gradually and cautiously disclosing to the eyes of an unbelieving
world the implications of a Truth which, by its own challenging
nature, it is so difficult for it to comprehend and embrace.
It was He, our beloved `Abdu'l-Bahá, our true and shining
Exemplar, who with infinite tact and patience, whether in His
public utterances or in private converse, adapted the presentation of
the fundamentals of the Cause to the varying capacities and the
spiritual receptiveness of His hearers. He never hesitated, however,
to tear the veil asunder and reveal to the spiritually ripened those
challenging verities that set forth in its true light the relationship
of this Supreme Revelation with the Dispensations of the past.
Unashamed and unafraid when challenged to assert in its entirety
the stupendous claim of Bahá'u'lláh, Bahá'ís, whether laboring as
individuals or functioning as an organized community, feel certain
that in the face of the apathy, the gross materialism, and the superficiality
of society today, a progressive disclosure of the magnitude
of the claim of Bahá'u'lláh would constitute the most effective
means for the attainment of the end so greatly desired by even
the staunchest and most zealous advocate of the Faith.
Fully aware of the repeated statements of `Abdu'l-Bahá that universality
is of God, Bahá'ís in every land are ready, nay anxious,
to associate themselves by word and deed with any association of
men which, after careful scrutiny, they feel satisfied is free from
every tinge of partisanship and politics and is wholly devoted to the
interests of all mankind. In their collaboration with such associations
they would extend any moral and material assistance they can
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afford, after having fulfilled their share of support to those institutions
that affect directly the interests of the Cause. They should
always bear in mind, however, the dominating purpose of such a
collaboration which is to secure in time the recognition by those with
whom they are associated of the paramount necessity and the true
significance of the Bahá'í Revelation in this day.
As the Movement extends the bounds of its influence and its
opportunities for fuller recognition multiply, the twofold character
of the obligations imposed on its National elected representatives
should, I feel, be increasingly emphasized. Whilst chiefly engaged
in the pursuit of their major task, consisting chiefly in the formation
and the consolidation of Bahá'í administrative institutions, they
should endeavor to participate, within recognized limits, in the work
of institutions which though unaware of the claim of the Bahá'í
Cause are prompted by a sincere desire to promote the spirit that
animates the Faith. In the pursuit of their major task their function
is to preserve the identity of the Cause and the purity of the
mission of Bahá'u'lláh. In their minor undertaking their purpose
should be to imbue with the spirit of power and strength such movements
as in their restricted scope are endeavoring to achieve what
is near and dear to the heart of every true Bahá'í. It would
even appear at times to be advisable and helpful as a supplement
to their work for the Bahá'ís to initiate any undertaking, not specifically
designated as Bahá'í, provided they have ascertained that such
an undertaking would constitute the best way of approach to those
whose minds and hearts are as yet unprepared for a full acceptance
of the claim of Bahá'u'lláh. These twofold obligations devolving
upon organized Bahá'í communities, far from neutralizing the
effects of one another or of appearing antagonistic in their aims,
should be regarded as complementary and fulfilling, each in its
way, a vital and necessary function.
It is for the National representatives of the Bahá'í Cause to
observe the conditions under which they labor, to estimate the forces
that are at work in their own surroundings, to weigh carefully and
prayerfully the merits of either procedure, and to form a correct
judgment as to the degree of emphasis that should be placed upon
these twofold methods. Then and only then will they be enabled
to protect and stimulate on one hand the independent growth of the
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Bahá'í Faith, and on the other vindicate the claim of its universal
principles to the doubtful and unbelieving.
I have already considered these delicate and complex issues
with the Bahá'í representatives whom I have requested to gather in
the Holy Land in the hope of arriving at the best possible solution
of the pressing and intricate problems that confront the development
of the Bahá'í Cause. I have asked our dearly-beloved brother,
Mr. Mountfort Mills, whose services to the Cause only future generations
can estimate, to acquaint you with these and other considerations,
the delicacy and scope of which only a verbal explanation
can adequately reveal. He will fully and authoritatively inform
you regarding the policy that should govern the conduct of the Star
of the West, the character and the range of the Bahá'í Bibliography
to be inserted in the next edition of the Bahá'í Year Book, the
present position of Bahá'u'lláh's House in Baghdád, the hopes and
desires I cherish for the successful conclusion of the Plan of Unified
Action, and the consequences and possibilities involved in the decision
of Egypt's religious Tribunal regarding the Muslim Bahá'ís in
that land.
The splendid record of the action taken by the national and
local representatives of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada,
embodied in the compilation of newspaper cuttings which you
have recently sent me, will be forwarded to the National Spiritual
Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Persia. I will request them to pass
it on from hand to hand, that the rank and file of the sufferers
in that distracted country may obtain the strength and solace which
the perusal of such a noble record of service is bound to produce.
Regarding the publicity campaign, recently launched, with your
consent and under your general supervision, by a group of devoted
friends, I desire to express my earnest hope that it may be richly
blessed by our Beloved and yield abundant fruit. I am gratified
to learn that those who have conceived such a comprehensive plan
and have generously supported it by every means in their power
have refrained from any action that would involve the imposing of
a fresh burden upon those who have incurred the financial obligations
connected with the Budget Plan. I earnestly hope that those
who have undertaken to finance this project with such spontaneous
generosity have already fulfilled their sacred obligations in connection
+P128
with the Plan, and will not allow any pledges they have made
for publicity to interfere with their regular contributions to the
National Fund, the paramount importance of which has already
been emphasized.
The Spirit of Enterprise
It is the duty and privilege of the National and Local Assemblies
if they find that the pressing requirements of their local and national
budgets have been adequately met, to encourage individuals
and groups to initiate and conduct, with their knowledge and consent,
any undertaking that would serve to enhance the work which
they have set themselves to achieve. Not content with appeals
addressed to each and every believer to offer any constructive suggestions
or plan that would remedy an existing grievance, they
should, by every means in their power, stimulate the spirit of enterprise
among the believers in order to further the teaching as well
as the administrative work of the Cause. They should endeavor
by personal contact and written appeals, to imbue the body of the
faithful with a deep sense of personal responsibility, and urge every
believer, whether high or low, poor or wealthy, to conceive, formulate
and execute such measures and projects as would redound, in
the eyes of their representatives, to the power and the fair name
of this sacred Cause.
In my hours of prayer at the holy Shrines, I will supplicate that
the light of Divine Guidance may illumine your path, and enable
you to utilize in the most effective manner that spirit of individual
enterprise which, once kindled in the breasts of each and every
believer and directed by the discipline of the majestic Law of
Bahá'u'lláh, imposed upon us, will carry our beloved Cause forward
to achieve its glorious destiny.
Your true brother,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
February 20, 1927.
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To the members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada:
Dearly-beloved friends:
Your recent communications, dated February 17 and March 2,
17 and 21, have been received, and their perusal has served to
heighten my admiration for the unflinching determination which
characterizes the concerted efforts which you are exerting for the
spread and consolidation of the Bahá'í Faith.
Inter-racial Amity
I have also received and read with the keenest interest and appreciation
a copy of that splendid document formulated by the National
Committee on inter-racial amity and addressed to all the Spiritual
Assemblies throughout the United States and Canada. This moving
appeal, so admirable in its conception, so sound and sober in its
language, has struck a responsive chord in my heart. Sent forth
at a highly opportune moment in the evolution of our sacred Faith,
it has served as a potent reminder of these challenging issues which
still confront in a peculiar manner the American believers.
As this problem, in the inevitable course of events, grows in
acuteness and complexity, and as the number of the faithful from
both races multiplies, it will become increasingly evident that the
future growth and prestige of the Cause are bound to be influenced
to a very considerable degree by the manner in which the adherents
of the Bahá'í Faith carry out, first among themselves and in their
relations with their fellow-men, those high standards of inter-racial
amity so widely proclaimed and so fearlessly exemplified to the
American people by our Master `Abdu'l-Bahá.
I direct my appeal with all the earnestness and urgency that this
pressing problem calls for to every conscientious upholder of the
universal principles of Bahá'u'lláh to face this extremely delicate
situation with the boldness, the decisiveness and wisdom it demands.
I cannot believe that those whose hearts have been touched by the
regenerating influence of God's creative Faith in His day will find it
difficult to cleanse their souls from every lingering trace of racial
animosity so subversive of the Faith they profess. How can hearts
that throb with the love of God fail to respond to all the implications
+P130
of this supreme injunction of Bahá'u'lláh, the unreserved
acceptance of which, under the circumstances now prevailing in
America, constitutes the hall-mark of a true Bahá'í character?
Let every believer, desirous to witness the swift and healthy
progress of the Cause of God, realize the twofold nature of his
task. Let him first turn his eyes inwardly and search his own
heart and satisfy himself that in his relations with his fellow-believers,
irrespective of color and class, he is proving himself
increasingly loyal to the spirit of his beloved Faith. Assured and
content that he is exerting his utmost in a conscious effort to
approach nearer every day the lofty station to which his gracious
Master summons him, let him turn to his second task, and, with
befitting confidence and vigor, assail the devastating power of those
forces which in his own heart he has already succeeded in subduing.
Fully alive to the unfailing efficacy of the power of Bahá'u'lláh, and
armed with the essential weapons of wise restraint and inflexible
resolve, let him wage a constant fight against the inherited tendencies,
the corruptive instincts, the fluctuating fashions, the false
pretences of the society in which he lives and moves.
In their relations amongst themselves as fellow-believers, let
them not be content with the mere exchange of cold and empty
formalities often connected with the organizing of banquets, receptions,
consultative assemblies, and lecture-halls. Let them rather,
as equal co-sharers in the spiritual benefits conferred upon them
by Bahá'u'lláh, arise and, with the aid and counsel of their local
and national representatives, supplement these official functions with
those opportunities which only a close and intimate social intercourse
can adequately provide. In their homes, in their hours of
relaxation and leisure, in the daily contact of business transactions,
in the association of their children, whether in their study-classes,
their playgrounds, and club-rooms, in short under all possible
circumstances, however insignificant they appear, the community
of the followers of Bahá'u'lláh should satisfy themselves that in the
eyes of the world at large and in the sight of their vigilant Master
they are the living witnesses of those truths which He fondly cherished
and tirelessly championed to the very end of His days. If we
relax in our purpose, if we falter in our faith, if we neglect the
varied opportunities given us from time to time by an all-wise and
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gracious Master, we are not merely failing in what is our most vital
and conspicuous obligation, but are thereby insensibly retarding the
flow of those quickening energies which can alone insure the
vigorous and speedy development of God's struggling Faith.
I would particularly address my appeal to you, as the Trustees
of God's sacred Faith, to reaffirm by word and deed the spirit and
character of the insistent admonitions of `Abdu'l-Bahá, so solemnly
and so explicitly uttered in the course of His journeys through
your land--a trust which it is your privilege and function to preserve
and fortify.
May the varied opportunities presented by the forthcoming
assembly of the friends at Green Acre this summer--a place so
admirably suited to the realization of such a noble ideal--be fully
utilized to further this noble end. May it, on one hand, serve to
banish once and for all every misgiving and mistrust as to the
attitude that should characterize the conduct of the members of
the Bahá'í family, and, on the other, serve to familiarize the invited
public with that aspect of our Faith which, owing to the pressure
of circumstances, a few have inclined to belittle or ignore.
Green Acre--a Testing Ground
It is my earnest hope and prayer that the forthcoming gathering
at Green Acre, the program for which has been so carefully and
judiciously prepared, may serve as a testing ground for the application
of those ideals and standards that are the distinguishing
features of the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh. May the assembled believers--
now but a tiny nucleus of the Bahá'í Commonwealth of the
future--so exemplify that spirit of universal love and fellowship as
to evoke in the minds of their associates the vision of that future
City of God which the almighty arm of Bahá'u'lláh can alone
establish.
Not by merely imitating the excesses and laxity of the extravagant
age they live in; not by the idle neglect of the sacred responsibilities
it is their privilege to shoulder; not by the silent compromise
of the principles dearly cherished by `Abdu'l-Bahá; not by their fear
or unpopularity or their dread of censure can they hope to rouse
society from its spiritual lethargy, and serve as a model to a civilization
the foundations of which the corrosion of prejudice has
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well-nigh undermined. By the sublimity of their principles, the
warmth of their love, the spotless purity of their character, and
the depth of their devoutness and piety, let them demonstrate to
their fellow-countrymen the ennobling reality of a power that shall
weld a disrupted world.
We can prove ourselves worthy of our Cause only if in our
individual conduct and corporate life we sedulously imitate the
example of our beloved Master, Whom the terrors of tyranny, the
storms of incessant abuse, the oppressiveness of humiliation, never
caused to deviate a hair's breadth from the revealed Law of
Bahá'u'lláh.
Such is the path of servitude, such is the way of holiness He
chose to tread to the very end of His life. Nothing short of the
strictest adherence to His glorious example can safely steer our
course amid the pitfalls of this perilous age, and lead us on to fulfill
our high destiny.
Your true brother,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
April 12, 1927.
To the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful throughout the United States and Canada.
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 Ádhirbayján,
not far distant from those hallowed spots where the Báb
suffered His last confinement and martyrdom. Addressed to the
National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Persia, this report
recounts in simple but moving language the circumstances that have
led to the cowardly crime committed in the darkness of the night
at the instigation of the fanatical clergy--the deadliest opponents
of the Faith in that town.
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Assassination of Persian Believer
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 Ramadán--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 Faith of Islám, who, by boldly rejecting
the repeated entreaties showered upon him to execrate the Bahá'í
name, had lawfully incurred the penalty of immediate death at the
hands of every pious upholder of the Muslim tradition.
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 Ramadán,
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 agonizing 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
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with no hope of relief from their non-Bahá'í 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 Bahá'í Spiritual Assemblies of the West, on whom almighty
Providence has conferred the inestimable benefits of religious toleration
and freedom, can accord to this latest manifestation of unbridled
barbarism in Persia will be most opportune and valuable. It
will, I am certain, confer abiding solace to those disconsolate sufferers
who with sublime heroism continue to uphold the traditions
of their beloved Faith. Our one weapon lies in our prayerful efforts,
intelligently and persistently pursued, to arouse by every means at
our disposal the 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 civilization.
Your true brother,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
April 27, 1927.
To the members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada:
Dearly-beloved co-workers:
Your communications dated April 15th and May 6th and 9th
have been received, with their enclosures, and carefully perused.
Declaration of Trust and By-Laws
The Declaration of Trust, the provisions of which you have so
splendidly conceived, and formulated with such assiduous care,
marks yet another milestone on the road of progress along which
+P135
you are patiently and determinedly advancing. Clear and concise
in its wording, sound in principle, and complete in its affirmations
of the fundamentals of Bahá'í administration, it stands in its final
form as a worthy and faithful exposition of the constitutional basis
of Bahá'í communities in every land, foreshadowing the final
emergence of the world Bahá'í Commonwealth of the future. This
document, when correlated and combined with the set of by-laws
which I trust are soon forthcoming, will serve as a pattern to every
National Bahá'í Assembly, be it in the East or in the West, which
aspires to conform, pending the formation of the First Universal
House of Justice, with the spirit and letter of the world-order
ushered in by Bahá'u'lláh.
I eagerly await the receipt of the complete set of the contemplated
by-laws, the purpose of which should be to supplement the
provisions, clarify the purpose, and explain more fully the working
of the principle underlying the above-mentioned Declaration. I
shall, after having given it my close and personal consideration,
transmit it to you, in order that you may submit it to the local
Spiritual Assemblies, who in turn will endeavor to secure its final
ratification by the body of the recognized believers throughout the
United States and Canada. I would urge you to insert the Text
of the Declaration, the complete set of the by-laws, and the accompanying
Indenture of Trust, all combined, in the next issue of
the Bahá'í Year Book, that sympathizers and believers alike in every
land may obtain a clear and correct vision of the preliminary framework
of that complete system of world administration implicit in
the Teachings of Bahá'u'lláh.
Spirit and Method of Bahá'í Elections
In connection with the best and most practical methods of procedure
to be adopted for the election of Bahá'í Spiritual Assemblies,
I feel that in view of the fact that definite and detailed regulations
defining the manner and character of Bahá'í elections have neither
been expressly revealed by Bahá'u'lláh nor laid down in the Will
and Testament of `Abdu'l-Bahá, it devolves upon the members of
the Universal House of Justice to formulate and apply such system
of laws as would be in conformity with the essentials and
requisites expressly provided by the Author and Interpreter of the
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Faith for the conduct of Bahá'í administration. I have consequently
refrained from establishing a settled and uniform procedure for
the election of the Assemblies of the East and the West, leaving
them free to pursue their own methods of procedure which in most
cases had been instituted and practiced during the last two decades
of the life of `Abdu'l-Bahá.
The general practice prevailing throughout the East is the one
based upon the principle of plurality rather than absolute majority,
whereby those candidates that have obtained the highest number of
votes, irrespective of the fact whether they command an absolute
majority of the votes cast or not, are automatically and definitely
elected. It has been felt, with no little justification, that this method,
admittedly disadvantageous in its disregard of the principle that
requires that each elected member must secure a majority of the
votes cast, does away on the other hand with the more serious
disadvantage of restricting the freedom of the elector who, unhampered
and unconstrained by electoral necessities, is called upon to
vote for none but those whom prayer and reflection have inspired
him to uphold. Moreover, the practice of nomination, so detrimental
to the atmosphere of a silent and prayerful election, is viewed
with mistrust inasmuch as it gives the right to the majority of a
body that, in itself under the present circumstances, often constitutes
a minority of all the elected delegates, to deny that God-given right
of every elector to vote only in favor of those who he is conscientiously
convinced are the most worthy candidates. Should this
simple system be provisionally adopted, it would safeguard the
spiritual principle of the unfettered freedom of the voter, who will
thus preserve intact the sanctity of the choice he first made. It
would avoid the inconvenience of securing advance nominations
from absent delegates, and the impracticality of associating them
with the assembled electors in the subsequent ballots that are often
required to meet the exigencies of majority vote.
I would recommend these observations to your earnest consideration,
and whatever decision you arrive at, all local Assemblies and
individual believers, I am certain, will uphold, for their spiritual
obligation and privilege is not only to consult freely and frequently
with the National Spiritual Assembly, but to uphold as well with
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confidence and cheerfulness whatever is the considered verdict of
their national representatives.
Wishing you success from all my heart,
I am, your true brother,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
May 27, 1927.
To the Honored Members of the Bahá'í National Spiritual Assemblies throughout the West.
My dear fellow-workers:
With feelings of burning indignation I find myself impelled to
acquaint you with various events that have recently transpired in
Persia. Though in their immediate effect these happenings may
prove gravely disquieting to the followers of the Faith in Persia and
elsewhere, yet they cannot but eventually contribute to the strengthening
and purification of the Cause we steadfastly love and serve.
I refer to the treacherous conduct of a professed adherent of the
teaching of Bahá'u'lláh, by the name of `Abdu'l-Husayn Avarih,
hitherto regarded as a respected teacher of the Cause, and not unknown
by a few of its followers in Europe. Of a nature and character
whom those who have learned to know him well have never
ceased to despise, even in the brightest days of his public career
in the Cause, he has of late been driven by the force of circumstances
which his shortsightedness has gravely miscalculated to
throw off the mask which for so many years hid his hideous self.
The sudden removal of the commanding personality of our
beloved `Abdu'l-Bahá; the confused consternation that seized His
followers in the years immediately succeeding His passing; the
reputation which to superficial eyes he had acquired by his travels
in Europe; the success attending his voluminous compilation of the
history of the Cause--these and other circumstances emboldened
him to launch a campaign of insinuation and fraud aiming at the
eventual overthrow of the institutions expressly provided by
Bahá'u'lláh. He saw clearly his chance in the complete disruption
of the Cause to capture the allegiance if not of the whole world-wide
+P138
Bahá'í community of at least a considerable section of its
followers in the East.
No sooner had his evil whisperings reached the ears of the
loyal and vigilant followers of Bahá'u'lláh, than they arose with
overwhelming force and unhesitating determination to denounce
him as a dangerous enemy seeking to undermine the faith and
sap the loyalty of the adherents of the Cause of God. Shunned by
the entire body of the believers, abandoned by his life-long and
most intimate friends, deserted by his wife, separated from his
only child, refused admittance into even his own home, denied of
the profit he hoped to derive from the sale and circulation of his
book, he found to his utter amazement and remorse his best hopes
irretrievably shattered.
Forsaken and bankrupt, and in desperate rage, he now with
startling audacity sought to expose to friend and foe, the futility
and hollowness which he attributed to the Cause, thereby revealing
the depths of his own degradation and folly. He has with bitter
hatred conspired with the fanatical clergy and the orthodox members
of foreign Missions in Tihrán, allied himself with every hostile
element in the Capital, directed with fiendish subtlety his appeal to
the highest dignitaries of the State and sought by every method to
secure financial assistance for the furtherance of his aim.
Not content with an infamous denunciation of the originality
and efficacy of the teachings and principles of the Cause, not satisfied
with a rejection of the authenticity of the Will and Testament
of `Abdu'l-Bahá, he has dared to attack the exalted person of the
Author and Founder of the Faith, and to impute to its Forerunner
and true Exemplar the vilest motives and most incredible intentions.
He has most malignantly striven to revive the not unfamiliar
accusation of representing the true lovers of Persia as the sworn
enemies of every form of established authority in that land, the
unrelenting disturbers of its peace, the chief obstacles to its unity
and the determined wreckers of the venerated faith of Islám. By
every artifice which a sordid and treacherous mind can devise he
has sought in the pages of his book to strike terror in the heart of
the confident believer, to sow the seeds of doubt in the mind of the
well-disposed and friendly, to poison the thoughts of the indifferent
+P139
and to reinforce the power of the assaulting weapon of the adversary.
But, alas! he has labored in vain, oblivious of the fact that all
the pomp and powers of royalty, all the concerted efforts of the
mightiest potentates of Islám, all the ingenious devices to which
the cruelest torture-mongers of a cruel race have for well-nigh a
century resorted, have proved one and all impotent to stem the
tide of the beloved Faith or to extinguish its flame. Surely, if
we read the history of this Cause aright, we cannot fail to observe
that the East has already witnessed not a few of its sons, of wider
experience, of a higher standing, of a greater influence, apostatize
their faith, find themselves to their utter consternation lose whatsoever
talent they possessed, recede swiftly into the shadows of
oblivion and be heard of no more.
Should ever his book secure widespread circulation in the West,
should it ever confuse the mind of the misinformed and stranger,
I have no doubt that the various Bahá'í National Spiritual Assemblies,
throughout the Western world, will with the wholehearted
and sustained support of local Assemblies and individual
believers arise with heart and soul for the defence of the impregnable
stronghold of the Cause of God, for the vindication of the
sacredness and sublimity of the Bahá'í Teachings, and for the
condemnation, in the eyes of those who are in authority, of one
who has so basely dared to assail, not only the tenets, but the holy
person of the recognized Founder of an established and world-wide
Faith.
Your true brother,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine;
October 17, 1927.
To the Members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada.
Dearly-beloved co-workers:
I have already expressed indirectly my views with regard to
various secondary issues raised in your latest communications to
me dated May 23, June 10, 21, July 11, 14, 15 and 25, August 7
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and September 28; and I wish in this letter to deal more particularly
with such matters of primary importance as affect the conduct and
the growth of Bahá'í administration. The perusal of these communications
replete with the news of steadily multiplying activities
and newly conceived plans, all of which I as heretofore appreciate
and welcome, has made me feel however that the time seems now
opportune to utter a word of caution and warning to those who
with unceasing zest labor to give befitting embodiment to those latent
energies released by the Message of Bahá'u'lláh.
Concentration of Resources
Much as I rejoice in witnessing the abundant signs of unfaltering
energy that characterize in various fields and distant lands the
mission of the valiant warriors of the Cause, I cannot help observing
that, driven by their impetuous eagerness to establish the undisputed
reign of Bahá'u'lláh on this earth, they may by an undue multiplication
of their activities, and the consequent dissipation of their
forces, defeat the very purpose which animates them in the pursuit
of their glorious task. Particularly do I feel that this necessity for
a careful estimation of the present resources at our disposal and of
cautious restraint in handling them applies in a peculiar manner to
the swiftly expanding activities of the American believers, whose
mission increasingly appears to be to give the lead and set the
example to their brethren across the seas in laying a secure foundation
for the permanent institutions of the Bahá'í Faith. That I
feel is chiefly the reason why such stress has been laid in the past
upon the necessity for consultation on the part of individual believers
with their elected national representatives in the matter of
initiating plans of action above and beyond the plans which the
deliberations of the National Spiritual Assembly have already
evolved. In the matter of affiliation with bodies and organizations
that advocate ideals and principles that are in sympathy with the
Bahá'í Revelation; in establishing magazines beyond those that
already are designed to advance openly and indirectly the interests of
the Bahá'í Teachings; in the financial support we may sooner or later
be called upon to extend to philanthropic institutions and the like;
in advancing the cause of any particular activity to which we may
feel sentimentally inclined;--these, as well as all similar undertakings,
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we should only approach after having definitely ascertained,
through careful deliberation with those who are in a responsible position,
that the institutions representing the paramount interests of
the Cause are already assured of adequate and continuous assistance.
Nothing short of the spirit of earnest and sustained consultation
with those whom we have prayerfully and of our own accord placed
in the forefront of those who are the custodians of the priceless
heritage bequeathed by Bahá'u'lláh; nothing less than persistent
and strenuous warfare against our own instincts and natural inclinations,
and heroic self-sacrifice in subordinating our own likings to
the imperative requirements of the Cause of God, can insure our
undivided loyalty to so sacred a principle--a principle that will for
all time safeguard our beloved Cause from the allurements and the
trivialities of the world without, and of the pitfalls of the self within.
I entreat you, well-beloved brethren, to resolve as you never have
resolved before to pledge undying loyalty and sleepless vigilance
in upholding so essential a principle in the course of your manifold
activities, that yours may be the abiding satisfaction of having done
nothing that may tend in the least to impede the flow or obscure
the radiance of the rejuvenating spirit of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh.
Relations of Committees to Assembly
Touching the recent decision of the National Spiritual Assembly
to place as much as possible of the current details of the work in
the hands of its national committees, I feel I should point out that
this raises a fundamental issue of paramount importance, as it involves
a unique principle in the administration of the Cause, governing
the relations that should be maintained between the central
administrative body and its assisting organs of executive and legislative
action. As it has been observed already, the role of these
committees set up by the National Spiritual Assembly, the renewal,
the membership and functions of which should be reconsidered separately
each year by the incoming National Assembly, is chiefly to
make thorough and expert study of the issue entrusted to their
charge, advise by their reports, and assist in the execution of the
decisions which in vital matters are to be exclusively and directly
rendered by the National Assembly. The utmost vigilance, the
most strenuous exertion is required by them if they wish to fulfill
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as befits their high and responsible calling, the functions which it
is theirs to discharge. They should, within the limits imposed upon
them by present-day circumstances, endeavor to maintain the balance
in such a manner that the evils of over-centralization which clog,
confuse and in the long run depreciate the value of the Bahá'í
services rendered shall on one hand be entirely avoided, and on the
other the perils of utter decentralization with the consequent lapse
of governing authority from the hands of the national representatives
of the believers definitely averted. The absorption of the petty
details of Bahá'í administration by the personnel of the National
Spiritual Assembly is manifestly injurious to efficiency and an
expert discharge of Bahá'í duties, whilst the granting of undue
discretion to bodies that should be regarded in no other light than
that of expert advisers and executive assistants would jeopardize the
very vital and pervading powers that are the sacred prerogatives
of bodies that in time will evolve into Bahá'í National Houses of
Justice. I am fully aware of the strain and sacrifice which a loyal
adherence to such an essential principle of Bahá'í administration--
a principle that will at once ennoble and distinguish the Bahá'í
method of administration from the prevailing systems of the world
--demands from the national representatives of the believers at this
early stage of our evolution. Yet I feel I cannot refrain from
stressing the broad lines along which the affairs of the Cause should
be increasingly conducted, the knowledge of which is so essential
at this formative period of Bahá'í administrative institutions.
By-Laws of National Assembly
As already intimated, I have read and re-read most carefully
the final draft of the By-Laws drawn up by that highly-talented,
much-loved servant of Bahá'u'lláh, Mountfort Mills, and feel I
have nothing substantial to add to this first and very creditable
attempt at codifying the principles of general Bahá'í administration.
I heartily and unhesitatingly commend it to the earnest perusal of,
and its loyal adoption by, every National Bahá'í Spiritual Assembly,
whether constituted in the East or in the West. I would ask you
particularly to send copies of the text of this document of fundamental
importance accompanied by copies of the Declaration of
Trust and the text of the Indenture of Trust, to every existing
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National Spiritual Assembly, with my insistent request to study
the provisions, comprehend its implications, and endeavor to incorporate
it, to the extent that their own circumstances permit, within
the framework of their own national activities. You can but faintly
imagine how comforting a stimulant and how helpful a guide its
publication and circulation will be to those patient and toiling workers
in Eastern lands, and particularly Persia, who in the midst of
uncertainties and almost insuperable obstacles are straining every
nerve in order to establish the world order ushered in by Bahá'u'lláh.
You can hardly realize how substantially it will contribute to pave
the way for the elaboration of the beginnings of the constitution
of the worldwide Bahá'í Community that will form the permanent
basis upon which the blest and sanctified edifice of the first International
House of Justice will securely rest and flourish.
I would specifically remind you that in the text of the said By-Laws
which to the outside world represents the expression of the
aspirations, the motives and objects that animate the collective
responsibilities of Bahá'í Fellowship, due emphasis should not be
placed only on the concentrated authority, the rights, the privileges
and prerogatives enjoyed by the elected national representatives of
the believers, but that special stress be laid also on their responsibilities
as willing ministers, faithful stewards and loyal trustees to
those who have chosen them. Let it be made clear to every inquiring
reader that among the most outstanding and sacred duties incumbent
upon those who have been called upon to initiate, direct and coordinate
the affairs of the Cause, are those that require them to
win by every means in their power the confidence and affection of
those whom it is their privilege to serve. Theirs is the duty to
investigate and acquaint themselves with the considered views, the
prevailing sentiments, the personal convictions of those whose welfare
it is their solemn obligation to promote. Theirs is the duty
to purge once for all their deliberations and the general conduct
of their affairs from that air of self-contained aloofness, from
the suspicion of secrecy, the stifling atmosphere of dictatorial assertiveness,
in short, from every word and deed that might savor
of partiality, self-centeredness and prejudice. Theirs is the duty,
while retaining the sacred and exclusive right of final decision in
their hands, to invite discussion, provide information, ventilate
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grievances, welcome advice from even the most humble and insignificant
members of the Bahá'í family, expose their motives,
set forth their plans, justify their actions, revise if necessary their
verdict, foster the sense of interdependence and co-partnership, of
understanding and mutual confidence between them on one hand
and all local Assemblies and individual believers on the other.
First National Convention of Persian Bahá'ís
As to the state of affairs in Persia, where the circumstances
related in a previous circular letter have had their share in intensifying
the chronic state of instability and insecurity that prevail,
grave concern has been felt lest the support, both moral and financial,
anticipated from the bigoted elements of foreign Missions in
the Capital should lead to an extension of its circulation in the
West, and thus inflict, however slight, a damage on the prestige
and fair name of our beloved Cause. These internal agitations,
however, coinciding as they have done with outbursts of sectarian
fanaticism from without, accompanied by isolated cases of fresh
persecution in Kirmán and elsewhere, have failed to exasperate and
exhaust the heroic patience of the steadfast lovers of the Cause.
They have even failed to becloud the serenity of their faith in the
inevitable approach of the breaking of a brighter dawn for their
afflicted country. Undeterred and undismayed, they have replied
to the defiance of the traitor within, and the assaults of the enemy
without by a striking re-affirmation of their unbroken solidarity and
inflexible resolve to build with infinite patience and toil on the sure
foundations laid for them by Bahá'u'lláh. With their traditional
fidelity and characteristic vigor, notwithstanding the unimaginable
hindrances they have to face, they have convened their first historic
representative conference of various delegates from the nine leading
provinces of Persia, have evolved plans for holding every year as
fully representative a convention of Bahá'í delegates in Persia as
circumstances permit, and modelled after the method pursued by
their brethren in the United States and Canada. They have reconstituted
and defined the limits of the hitherto confused Bahá'í administrative
divisions throughout the length and breadth of their
land. They have adopted various resolutions of vital importance,
the chief ones among them aiming at the reorganization of the
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institution of the National Fund, the consolidation and extension
of their national campaign of Teaching, the strengthening of the
bonds that unite them with the local and national Assemblies at
home and abroad, the establishment of Bahá'í primary educational
institutions in towns and villages, the raising of the social and educational
standards of women, irrespective of sect and caste, and the
reinforcement of those forces that tend to raise the moral, cultural
and material standard of their fellow-countrymen. Surely, to an
unbiased observer of the present state of affairs in Persia, these
resolutions, backed by the creative energy inherent in the power
of the Word of God, mark not only a milestone on the road of the
progress of the Persian believers, but constitute as well a notable
landmark in the checkered history of their own country.
The warm hospitality accorded by the National Spiritual Assembly
and the American believers to my dear cousin and collaborator,
Ruhi Effendi, has deeply touched me, particularly as I realize from
the appreciative reports I have recently received that by his radiant
and earnest spirit of service he has deserved well of his dear fellow-workers
in that continent, and contributed substantially to their better
appreciation of the Teachings of the Cause. Much as I desire
him to work by my side here in the Holy Land, I very gladly concur
with your wish to further extend his sojourn with you, trusting
that he will prove of great assistance to you all in the discharge of
your noble task.
The Trend of World Events
And now in conclusion, may I be permitted to direct your attention
to the lesson which the trend of world events brings home to
us, the little band of His chosen workers who, according to the
intelligent efforts we exert, can prove ourselves the determining
factor in the immediate fortunes of the society we live in? As we
witness on all sides the growing restlessness of a restless age, we
are filled with mixed feelings of fear and hope--fear, at the prospect
of yet another deadly encounter, the inevitability of which is
alas! becoming increasingly manifest; hope, in the serene assurance
that whatever cataclysm may yet visit humanity, it cannot but hasten
the approaching era of universal and lasting peace so emphatically
proclaimed by the Pen of Bahá'u'lláh. In the political domain,
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where we have lately witnessed, in the council of the leading nations
of the world, the surrender of humanity's noblest conception to what
may be regarded only as a transient phase in the life of peoples and
nations; in the industrial world, where the representatives of the
wage-earning classes, either through violence or persuasion, are
capturing the seats of authority and wielding the scepter of power:
in the field of religion, where we have lately witnessed widespread
and organized attempts to broaden and simplify the basis of man's
faith, to achieve unity in Christendom and restore the regenerating
vigor of Islám; in the heart of society itself, where the ominous signs
of increasing extravagance and profligacy are but lending fresh
impetus to the forces of revolt and reaction that are growing more
distinct every day--in these as in many others we have much cause
for alarm, but much to be hopeful and thankful for also. To take
but one instance more fully: Observe the fierce and as yet unsilenced
dispute which the proposal for the introduction of a binding
and universal pact of non-aggression among the nations of Europe
has aroused among the avowed supporters of the League of Nations
--a League so auspiciously welcomed for the ideal that prompted
its birth, yet now so utterly inadequate in the actual principles that
underlie its present-day structure and working. And yet, in the
great outcry raised by post-war nationalism in blindly defending
and upholding the unfettered supremacy of its own sovereignty, and
in repudiating unreservedly the conception of a world super-state,
can we not discern the re-enactment only on a larger scale of the
dramatic struggles that heralded the birth of the reconstructed and
unified nations of the West? Has not authentic history clearly
revealed in the case of these nations the painful yet inevitable merging
of rival, particularistic and independent cities and principalities
into one unified national entity, the evolving of a crude and narrow
creed into a nobler and wider conception? Is not a parallel struggle
being now manifested on the world stage of ever-advancing humanity?
Can it lead to any other result than that which shall reaffirm
the truth of humanity's onward march towards an ever-widening
conception, and the ever-brightening glory of its destiny?
Reverses and setbacks, such as we have already witnessed, no doubt
will retard the ripening of the choicest fruit on the tree of human
development. Yet the fierceness of controversy, the weight of argument
+P147
advanced in its disfavor, cannot but contribute to the broadening
of the basis and the consolidation of the foundations upon
which the stately edifice of unified mankind must ultimately rest.
Let us take heart therefore, and labor with renewed vigor and
deepened understanding to contribute our share to those forces
which, whether or not cognizant of the regenerating Faith of
Bahá'u'lláh in this age, are operating, each in its respective sphere
and under His all-encompassing guidance, for the uplift and the
salvation of humanity.
Your true brother,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
October 18, 1927.
To the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful throughout the West.
Dearly-beloved brothers and sisters in `Abdu'l-Bahá:
Events, of a startling character and of the utmost significance to
the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, have recently transpired throughout the
Near and Middle East in such rapid succession, that I feel moved
to write about them to those who, in distant lands and with eager
hearts, are waiting to witness the fulfillment of the prophecies of
Bahá'u'lláh. You will, I am certain, rejoice with me to learn that
the quickening forces of internal reform are swiftly awakening
from their age-long slumber of negligence those lands which, trodden
by the feet of Bahá'u'lláh and wherein are enshrined the memorable
scenes of His birth, His ministry, His exiles, His banishments, His
suffering and His ascension, are destined in the fulness of time to
play a pre-eminent role in the regeneration of the East--nay of all
mankind.
The Promises of Our Departed Master
From Persia, the cradle of our Faith and the object of our
tenderest affections, there breaks upon us the news of the first
stirrings of that social and political Reformation which, as we firmly
believe, is but the direct and unavoidable consequence of that great
spiritual Revival ushered in by the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh. These
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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.
From a communication addressed to me recently by the National
Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Persia, as well as from reliable
reports submitted by the local representatives of the Persian believers,
and confirmed by the vivid narrative of visiting pilgrims, it
is becoming increasingly manifest that the glowing promises so
many times uttered by our departed Master are, with extraordinary
exactitude and remarkable swiftness, being successively fulfilled.
Reforms of a revolutionary character are, without bloodshed and
with negligible resistance, gradually transforming the very basis
and structure of Persia's primitive society. The essentials of public
security and order are being energetically provided throughout the
length and breadth of the Sháh'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
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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 civilized society; in the general laxity in religious
observances and ceremonies; in the slow and hidden process
of secularization 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.
Regeneration of Persia
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 Sháh 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
clamor of a revolting order in Russia against the evil domination
and dark plottings of all forms of religious sectarianism; the relentless
vigor with which Afghanistan's ambitious Ruler, reinforced by
the example of his gracious Consort, is pursuing his campaign of
repression against a similar order of a corrupted clergy at home--
all tend to lend their force in fostering and fashioning that public
opinion which can alone provide an enduring basis for the reform
Movement destined to usher in that golden Era craved for by the
followers of the Faith in Bahá'u'lláh's native land.
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 organization,
have been publicly held in Tihrán, under the auspices of the National
Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Persia. Particularly significant
and impressive were those that were held in the Hazíratu'l-Quds,
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the administrative and spiritual center of the Faith in the
Capital, on the occasion of the twin Festivals commemorating the
declaration of the Báb and the birth of `Abdu'l-Bahá, at the chief
of which no less than two thousand representative Bahá'ís and
non-Bahá'ís, leaders of public opinion, State officials and foreign
representatives were officially invited. The addresses stressing the
universality of the Teachings of the Cause, the formal and ordered
character of the proceedings so unusual a feature to a gathering of
such proportions, the mingling of the Bahá'ís with the recognized
representatives of progressive thought in the Capital who, by virtue
of their high office and stately appearance, lent color 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
continually received from local Assemblies and individual believers,
giving the names and stating the number of influential Persians who,
hitherto reluctant to declare openly their faith in Bahá'u'lláh, are as
a result of this reassuring and promising state of affairs emerging
from the obscurity of their concealment and enlisting under the
erected banner of Bahá'u'lláh. This has served to embolden the
followers of the Faith to take the necessary steps, under the direction
of their local Assemblies, for the institution of Bahá'í schools, for
the holding of public gatherings, for the establishment of Bahá'í
hostels, libraries and public baths, for the construction of official
headquarters for their administrative work, and for the gradual
execution among themselves, within the limits imposed upon them
by the State, of the laws and ordinances revealed in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas.
Words fail me to describe the feelings of those patiently
suffering brethren of ours in that land who, with eyes dim with
tears and hearts overflowing with thanksgiving and praise, are
witnessing on every side and with increasing force the unfoldment
of a Faith which they have served so well and love so dearly.
Accounts pathetic and inspiring in their tone are being received
from that steadfast and cheerful band of exultant believers, and are
being shared with the resident friends in the Holy Land who, having
had the privilege of close and continued association with the person
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of `Abdu'l-Bahá, cannot but marvel at the range, the potency and
accuracy of the prophecies of their departed Master.
Bahá'í Faith Vindicated in Turkey
From Turkey, on whose soil, for well nigh three score years and
ten, were enacted some of the sublimest and most tragic scenes in
the annals of the Cause; Turkey, under whose rule Bahá'u'lláh twice
proclaimed Himself, was thrice exiled and banished, and finally
ascended to the Abhá Kingdom, and where `Abdu'l-Bahá spent more
than fifty years of His Life, in incarceration and suffering; has of
late been rudely awakened to a Call which it has so long obstinately
despised and ignored. Following on the overthrow of that effete
theocracy, resting on the twin institutions of the Caliphate and
Sultanate--those two sinister forces that have combined to inflict the
deadliest blows to our beloved Faith in the earliest stages of its
infancy and growth--an uncompromising policy aiming at the
secularization of the State and the disestablishment of Islám was
initiated and carried out with exemplary vigor. Religious institutions
and monastic orders which under the guise of religious propaganda
were converted into hot-beds of political intrigue and sedition
were peremptorily closed, their adherents scattered and banished,
their funds confiscated, their privileges and prerogatives abolished.
None, save the little band of Bahá'u'lláh's devoted followers, escaped
the trenchant ax of the pitiless reformer; all, without fear or favor,
had to submit to his searching investigations, his dictatorial edicts,
his severe and irrevocable judgment. Lately, however, the Turkish
Government, faithful to its policy of ceaseless vigilance, and fearful
of the growing activities of the Bahá'ís under its rule, decided to
order the Police in the town of Smyrna to conduct a close investigation
into the purpose, the character and the effects of Bahá'í activity
in that town. No sooner were the representative Bahá'ís in that
locality arrested and conducted to the Law Courts for purposes of
investigation, than the President of the Bahá'í Spiritual Assembly
of Constantinople who, having read in the morning papers the report
of the Smyrna incident, had resolved unsummoned to offer the
necessary explanations to the authorities concerned, was in his turn
arrested and taken to the Police Headquarters where he soon afterwards
was joined by the other members of the Assembly. The
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official searching of their homes, the seizure of whatever Bahá'í
literature they had in their possession, their twenty-four hours detention
at the Police station, the searching severity of the cross-examination
to which they were subjected--all proved powerless to
alarm and shake the faith of those intrepid champions of the Cause,
or to evince anything detrimental to the best interests of the State.
On the contrary, they served to deeply impress upon the minds and
hearts of the officials concerned the sublimity, the innocence, and
the dynamic force of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh. So much so that
their books were returned, a genuine desire to deepen their knowledge
of the Cause was expressed by their examiners, and widespread
publicity, as reflected in the articles of about a dozen leading newspapers
of Turkey, was accorded by the Government, proclaiming the
innocence of the Cause and lifting up the ban that now so oppressively
weighs upon religious institutions in Turkey.
From Constantinople in European Turkey to the eastern confines
of Anatolia, on the banks of the river Euphrates, where a small
and flourishing Bahá'í Community has been recently established, a
wave of public interest, criticism and inquiry has been sweeping
over the surface of the land, as witnessed by the character and
number of the leading articles, the illustrations and caricatures that
have appeared in the most prominent newspapers of the capital and
the provincial towns of Asiatic Turkey. Not only Turkey, but its
neighboring countries of the East and the West, have lifted up their
voice in the vindication of the Bahá'í truth. From information
thus far gathered we learn that in Hungary, in `Iráq, 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 organized by the believers
themselves, could ever hope to achieve at the present time.
Surely the invincible arm of Bahá'u'lláh, working through strange
and mysterious ways, will continue to guard and uphold, to steer
the course, to consolidate, and eventually to achieve the world-wide
recognition and triumph of His holy Faith.
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Our Most Vital Opportunity
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 visualize
the possibilities of the future spread of the Cause, and to estimate
afresh those golden yet swiftly passing opportunities which Bahá'u'lláh
in those far-away lands has accorded to His chosen people.
I feel thoroughly convinced, and am moved to share this firm conviction
within me with that great company of western believers, that
in the speedy resumption of the sorely-neglected construction of the
Mashriqu'l-Adhkár at Wilmette lies our undoubted privilege, our
primary obligation, our most vital opportunity to lend an unprecedented
impetus to the advancement of the Cause, not only throughout
the West but in every country of the world. I would not stress
at this moment the prestige and good name of the Cause, much as
they are involved in this most pressing issue, I would not dwell
upon the eager expectancy with which the unnumbered followers of
the Faith as well as the vast number of the non-believers in almost
every section of society throughout the East are awaiting to behold
that noble structure rear its head in the heart of that far-western
continent; nor would I expatiate on the ineffable beauty of this holy
Edifice, its towering glory, its artistic design, its unique character,
or its functions in the organic life of the Bahá'í community of the
future. But I would with all the strength of my conviction emphasize
the immeasurable spiritual significance of an Edifice, so
beauteous, so holy, erected solely by the concerted efforts, strained
to the utmost degree of self-sacrifice, of the entire body of the
believers who are fully conscious of the significance of the Revelation
of Bahá'u'lláh. In this vast endeavor, unparalleled in modern
times, its world-wide range, its spontaneity, its heroic and holy
character, the American believers, on the soil of whose country
Bahá'u'lláh's first universal House of Worship is to be built, must,
if they be faithful to their trust, claim and fulfill a pre-eminent share
in the collective contributions offered by the Bahá'ís of the world.
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`Abdu'l-Bahá's Cherished Desire
For this reason do I feel impelled to direct by 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-Adhkár 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 endeavor. The higher the degree of our renunciation
and self-sacrifice, the wider the range of the contributing
believers, the more apparent will become the vitalizing 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 realization of `Abdu'l-Bahá's
cherished desire. How great our responsibility, how immense our
task, how priceless the advantages that we can reap!
Plan of Unified Action
I cannot refrain, however, from giving expression to my gratification
and appreciation of the substantial and continued support
already accorded, and in particular during the past year by the believers
in the United States and Canada, under the wise and judicious
direction of their elected national representatives, to the Plan
of Unified Action, whose declared purpose is to insure, ere the
present Bahá'í year comes to a close, the raising of the funds required
for the building of the first Unit of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár.
The vigilance and fidelity with which the National Assembly of
+P155
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 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 honorable name, the inexhaustible and miraculous vitality of the
Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh.
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 Bahá'u'lláh: "O My friends! I bear
witness that the Divine Bounty has been vouchsafed unto you, His
Argument has been made manifest, His Proof has been revealed,
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and His Guidance has shone forth upon you. Let it now be seen
what your endeavors in the path of renunciation can reveal."
Your true brother,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
December 6, 1928.
To the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful throughout the East and West.
Dear fellow-workers:
I desire to convey to you in a few words my impressions of the
recently published "Bahá'í World," copies of which, I understand,
have already, thanks to the assiduous care and indefatigable efforts
displayed by the Publishing Committee of the American National
Spiritual Assembly, been widely distributed among the Bahá'í countries
of East and West.
The Bahá'í World
This unique record of world-wide Bahá'í activity attempts to
present to the general public, as well as to the student and scholar,
those historical facts and fundamental principles that constitute the
distinguishing features of the Message of Bahá'u'lláh to this age.
I have ever since its inception taken a keen and sustained interest
in its development, have personally participated in the collection
of its material, the arrangement of its contents, and the close
scrutiny of whatever data it contains.
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 color, a work that can truly
witness to the high purpose, the moving history, the enduring
achievements, the resistless march and infinite prospects of the
Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh. Eminently readable and attractive in its
features, reliable and authoritative in the material it contains, up-to-date,
comprehensive and accurate in the mass of information it gives,
concise and persuasive in its treatment of the fundamental aspects
of the Cause, thoroughly representative in the illustrations and
+P157
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
civilized 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 Bahá'u'lláh. Whatever assistance, financial or
moral, extended by Bahá'í Spiritual Assemblies and individual believers,
to those who have been responsible for such a highly valuable
and representative production will, it should be remembered, be
directly utilized to advance the interests and reinforce the funds that
are being raised in behalf of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, and will indirectly
serve to exert a most powerful stimulus in removing the
malicious misrepresentations and unfortunate misunderstandings
that have so long and so grievously clouded the luminous Faith of
Bahá'u'lláh.
Your true brother,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
December 6, 1928.
To the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful throughout the West.
Dearly-beloved brothers and sisters in `Abdu'l-Bahá!
With feelings of profound sorrow I am moved to address you
these few lines mourning the loss which the Cause has undoubtedly
sustained by the passing of one who, for many years and in circumstances
of exceptional significance, rendered the sacred Threshold
distinctive and inestimable services. The hand of Divine Decree has
removed, by the death of our talented and dearly-beloved friend, Mr.
Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney, yet another outstanding figure in the
Cause of Bahá'u'lláh, who, by his brilliant gifts of mind and heart
as well as by the divers achievements of his life, has truly enriched
the annals of God's immortal Faith.
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Mr. Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney
A pioneer of the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh ever since its celestial
light first warmed and illuminated the West, he has, by his close
association with the person of `Abdu'l-Bahá, by his contact with all
sections of society, by his scholarly presentation of the history and
fundamentals of the Faith, and lastly by his unforgettable share in
the settlement of the complex and pressing issues that called for
expert assistance in the days following `Abdu'l-Bahá's passing,
achieved a standing which few have as yet attained.
The days of his spiritual communion with `Abdu'l-Bahá and
His household within the walls of the prison-city of `Akká, 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 to his charge by our Beloved; the seeds
which he scattered far and wide during his subsequent travels to the
heart of Asia, throughout India, beyond the remotest villages of
Burma and as far as the eastern confines of Indo-China; the able
support he lent in its initial and intermediary stages to the case of
Bahá'u'lláh's house in Baghdád; his unhesitating intervention with
State officials in paving the way for the ultimate emancipation of our
Egyptian brethren from the yoke of orthodox Islám; the stimulating
encouragement his visit caused to the Bahá'í community of
Tunis on the northern shores of Africa; and last but not least the
ability and diligence with which he applied himself to the solution
of the delicate and vexing problems of the Holy Land in the
critical years following `Abdu'l-Bahá'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 utilized for the
glory and propagation of the Message of Bahá'u'lláh, will be gratefully
remembered by future generations who, as the days go by, will
better estimate the abiding value of the responsibilities he shouldered
+P159
for the introduction and consolidation of the Bahá'í 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-Bahá'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.
Haifa, Palestine,
December 21, 1928.
The beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful throughout the West.
Dearly-beloved co-workers:
Whilst the Bahá'ís of Persia, constituting the overwhelming
majority of the adherents of the Bahá'í Faith in eastern lands, are
tasting the first-fruits of their long-dreamed emancipation, a not
inconsiderable section of Bahá'u'lláh's following in the East, inhabiting
the provinces of Caucasus and Turkistan, are being subjected
to trials and tribulations not very dissimilar, though inferior
in intensity, to the afflictions borne so long and so heroically by their
Persian brethren.
In my last communication to you I have attempted to depict the
nature and swiftness of those liberating forces which today are being
released in Persia by an enlightened regime determined to shake off
with unconcealed contempt the odious fetters of a long standing
tyranny. And I feel that a description of the very perplexing
situation with which our brethren in Russia find themselves confronted
+P160
at present will serve to complete the picture which responsible
believers in the West must bear in mind of the critical and swiftly
moving changes that are transforming the face of the East.
Persecutions in Russia
Ever since the counter-revolution that proclaimed throughout
the length and breadth of Czarist Russia the dictatorship of the
Proletariat, and the subsequent incorporation of the semi-independent
territories of Caucasus and Turkistan within the orbit of Soviet
rule, the varied and numerous Bahá'í institutions established in the
past by heroic pioneers of the Faith have been brought into direct
and sudden contact with the internal convulsions necessitated by the
establishment and maintenance of an order so fundamentally at variance
with Russia's previous regime. The avowed purpose and action
of the responsible heads of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
who, within their recognized and legitimate rights, have emphatically
proclaimed and vigorously pursued their policy of uncompromising
opposition to all forms of organized religious propaganda, have by
their very nature created for those whose primary obligation is to
labor unremittingly for the spread of the Bahá'í Faith a state of
affairs that is highly unfortunate and perplexing. For ten years,
however, ever since the promulgation of that policy, by some miraculous
interposition of Providence, the Bahá'ís of Soviet Russia have
been spared the strict application to their institutions of the central
principle that directs and animates the policy of the Soviet state.
Although subjected, as all Russian citizens have been, even since the
outbreak of the Revolution, to the unfortunate consequences of civil
strife and external war, and particularly to the internal commotions
that must necessarily accompany far-reaching changes in the structure
of society, such as partial expropriation of private property,
excessive taxation and the curtailment of the right of personal
initiative and enterprise; yet in matters of worship and in the conduct
of their administrative and purely non-political activities they
have, thanks to the benevolent attitude of their rulers, enjoyed an
almost unrestricted freedom in the exercise of their public duties.
Lately, however, due to circumstances wholly beyond their control
and without being in the least implicated in political or subversive
activity, our Bahá'í brethren in those provinces have had
+P161
to endure the rigid application of the principles already enunciated
by the state authorities and universally enforced with regard to all
other religious communities under their sway. Faithful to their
policy of expropriating in the interests of the State all edifices and
monuments of a religious character, they have a few months ago
approached the Bahá'í representatives in Turkistan, and after protracted
negotiations with them, decided to claim and enforce their
right of ownership and control of that most cherished and universally
prized Bahá'í possession, the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár of Ishqábád.
The insistent and repeated representations made by the Bahá'ís,
dutifully submitted and stressed by their local and national representatives,
and duly reinforced by the action of the National
Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Persia, emphasizing the international
character and spiritual significance of the Edifice and its
close material as well as spiritual connection with the divers Bahá'í
communities throughout the East and West, have alas! proved of
no avail. The beloved Temple which had been seized and expropriated
and for three months closed under the seal of the Municipal
authorities was reopened and meetings were allowed to be conducted
within its walls only after the acceptance and signature by the
Bahá'í Spiritual Assembly of Ishqábád of an elaborate contract
drawn by the Soviet authorities and recognizing the right of undisputed
ownership by the State of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár and its
dependencies. According to this contract, the Temple is rented by
the State for a period of five years to the local Bahá'í community
of that town, and in it are stipulated a number of obligations, financial
and otherwise, expressly providing for fines and penalties in the
event of the evasion or infringement of its provisions.
To these measures which the State, in the free exercise of its
legitimate rights, has chosen to enforce, and with which the Bahá'ís,
as befits their position as loyal and law-abiding citizens, have complied,
others have followed which though of a different character
are none the less grievously affecting our beloved Cause. In Baku,
the seat of the Soviet Republic of Caucasus, as well as in Ganjih and
other neighboring towns, state orders, orally and in writing, have
been officially communicated to the Bahá'í Assemblies and individual
believers, suspending all meetings, commemoration gatherings and
festivals, suppressing the committees of all Bahá'í local and national
+P162
Spiritual Assemblies, prohibiting the raising of funds and the transmission
of financial contributions to any center within or without
Soviet jurisdiction, requiring the right of full and frequent inspection
of the deliberations, decisions, plans and action of the Bahá'í
Assemblies, dissolving young men's clubs and children's organizations,
imposing a strict censorship on all correspondence to and from
Bahá'í Assemblies, directing a minute investigation of Assemblies'
papers and documents, suspending all Bahá'í periodicals, bulletins
and magazines, and requiring the deportation of leading personalities
in the Cause whether as public teachers and speakers or officers
of Bahá'í Assemblies.
Guiding Principle of Conduct
To all these the followers of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh have with
feelings of burning agony and heroic fortitude unanimously and unreservedly
submitted, ever mindful of the guiding principles of
Bahá'í conduct that in connection with their administrative activities,
no matter how grievously interference with them might affect the
course of the extension of the Movement, and the suspension of
which does not constitute in itself a departure from the principle
of loyalty to their Faith, the considered judgment and authoritative
decrees issued by their responsible rulers must, if they be faithful to
Bahá'u'lláh's and `Abdu'l-Bahá's express injunctions, be thoroughly
respected and loyally obeyed. In matters, however, that vitally affect
the integrity and honor of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, and are tantamount
to a recantation of their faith and repudiation of their innermost
belief, they are convinced, and are unhesitatingly prepared
to vindicate by their life-blood the sincerity of their conviction, that
no power on earth, neither the arts of the most insidious adversary
nor the bloody weapons of the most tyrannical oppressor, can ever
succeed in extorting from them a word or deed that might tend to
stifle the voice of their conscience or tarnish the purity of their
faith. Clinging with immovable resolution to the inviolable verities
of their cherished Faith, our sorely-tried brethren in Caucasus and
Turkistan have none the less, as befits law-abiding Bahá'í citizens
resolved, after having exhausted every legitimate means for the
alleviation of the restrictions imposed upon them, to definitely uphold
and conscientiously carry out the considered judgment of their
+P163
recognized government. They have with a hope that no earthly
power can dim, and a resignation that is truly sublime, committed
the interests of their Cause to the keeping of that vigilant, that all-powerful
Divine Deliverer, who, they feel confident, will in time lift
the veil that now obscures the vision of their rulers, and reveal the
nobility of aim, the innocence of purpose, the rectitude of conduct,
and the humanitarian ideals that characterize the as yet small yet
potentially powerful Bahá'í communities in every land and under any
government.
Should the present restrictions increase in number and stringency,
should a situation arise that would so endanger the position
of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár in Ishqábád as to necessitate the intervention
of the Bahá'í world, I will call upon the National and Local
Bahá'í Spiritual Assemblies in the East and the West to arise with
one accord and lend their moral support to those of their brethren
whose particular mission and privilege is to keep watch over that
consecrated ground on which already has been erected the central
Structure of Bahá'u'lláh's First Universal House of Worship. I
will urge them to take whatever action is deemed advisable in order
to demonstrate the solidarity of the followers of Bahá'u'lláh, to
dispel whatever doubts and apprehensions may yet linger in the
minds of the State officials in that land, and to restore their suspected
brethren to the esteem and confidence of their governors. I will
specially request them to proclaim in their written representations to
the authorities concerned their absolute repudiation of whatever
ulterior motive or political design may be imputed to them by their
malignant adversaries, and to reaffirm in unmistakable terms the
purely humanitarian and spiritual nature of the work in which
Bahá'ís in every land and of every race are unitedly engaged. I will
moreover ask them to assert the international character of the
Bahá'í Edifice in Ishqábád and to stress the close bonds of material
interest and spiritual fellowship that bind Bahá'í communities the
world over to an Edifice that can rightly claim the distinction of
being Bahá'u'lláh's First Universal House of Worship, of being
conceived in its design by `Abdu'l-Bahá Himself, constructed and
completed in His days and under His direction, and supported by
the collective contributions of the believers throughout the world.
The hour for such a world-wide and concentrated appeal is not yet
+P164
come, but it behooves us, while expectantly watching from a distance
the moving spectacle of the struggling Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, to seek
abiding solace and strength from the reflection that whatever befalls
this Cause, however grievous and humiliating the visitations that
from time to time may seem to afflict the organic life or interfere
with the functions of the administrative machinery of the Bahá'í
Faith, such calamities cannot but each eventually prove to be a blessing
in disguise designed, by a Wisdom inscrutable to us all, to
establish and consolidate the sovereignty of Bahá'u'lláh on this earth.
Bahá'u'lláh's House at Baghdád
What we have already witnessed in connection with the latest
developments regarding the case of Bahá'u'lláh's House in Baghdád
affords abundant evidence of the truth of the observation that has
just been made. In its initial stages appearing to the superficial
observer as a petty dispute submitted to an obscure and antiquated
Shiite court, the case has gradually evolved into a paramount issue
engaging the attention of the highest tribunal of `Iráq. In its latest
stages, it has gathered such strength, secured such publicity, and
received such support from the chancelleries of Europe, as to become
a subject fit for the consideration not only of the specific international
Commission ultimately responsible for the administration
of Mandated Territories but of the leading Signatories of the Covenant
of the League of Nations that are represented in the Council
of the League itself.
Few if any among those closely associated with the case did at
first imagine or expect that dwellings which to outward seeming
appeared only as a cluster of humble and decrepit buildings lost amid
the obscure and tortuous lanes of old Baghdád could ever obtain
such prominence as to become the object of the deliberations of the
highest international Tribunal that the hand of man has thus far
reared for the amicable settlement of his affairs. Whatever the
decision of the world's highest Tribunal regarding the petition submitted
to it by the Bahá'ís of `Iráq--and none can deny that should
its verdict be in our favor, a triumph unparalleled in its magnitude
will have been achieved for our beloved Faith--the work already
accomplished is in itself an abundant proof of the sustaining confirmations
+P165
that are being showered upon the upholders of the case
from the realm on high.
I cannot refrain from giving expression in this connection to
my feelings of profound appreciation of the ceaseless vigilance and
marked distinction with which our precious brother and fellow-worker,
Mr. Mountfort Mills, has undertaken and is still shouldering
this sacred and historic mission committed to his charge. His
unremitting labors, despite ill-health and domestic anxieties and
cares, are worthy of the highest praise and will be gratefully
recorded in the annals of an immortal Cause.
Surely, if we read the history of this case aright, we cannot but
discern the direction which the forces, released by these prophetic
utterances of Bahá'u'lláh sixty years ago, are destined to take in the
eventual solution of this mighty issue:--
"In truth I declare, it shall be so abased in the days to come as to
cause tears to flow from every discerning eye.... And in the
fullness of time shall the Lord, by the power of truth, exalt it in the
eyes of all the world, cause it to become the mighty standard of His
Dominion, the Shrine round which shall circle the concourse of the
faithful."
Your true brother,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
January 1, 1929.
To the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful throughout the West.
Fellow-laborers in the Divine Vineyard:
I feel impelled by the force of various circumstances to share
with you the news of recent happenings in those countries of the
Near and Middle East which, by the ruling of Providence, are in
these days undergoing a transformation which is as startling in its
features as it is significant in its bearings upon the interests of our
beloved Faith.
I have already in my previous communication briefly referred to
the nature and effects of that momentous Revolution which has, with
surprising swiftness, substituted a westernized and rejuvenated
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Turkey for the primitive and decrepit Ottoman Empire. I have also
attempted to describe the first stages of that recent and moving
episode which has served in a manner that is truly providential to
thrust the Bahá'í community in Turkey out of the obscurity of
oppressive neglect into the broad daylight of official and public
attention.
Recently, however, from the reports that have been received
from the elected representatives of the believers in different parts of
Turkey, it appears that the investigations conducted by the Police
authorities in the capital and provinces of that land have proved
but a preliminary to a more official and detailed inquiry into the
Bahá'í position with respect to the laws recently promulgated by
the Republican government. For no sooner were the followers of
Bahá'u'lláh released from detention at the Police headquarters and
given the assurance that their Faith was in no way associated with
any political design or motive, than an official communication was
delivered to their representatives summoning them to appear before
the State's criminal Tribunal on the charge of infraction of the law
of the Republic requiring the registration and authorization of all
public gatherings and associations within the jurisdiction of the
State. To this summons our brethren yielded immediate and implicit
obedience. They indeed welcomed this further opportunity to
assert not only the innocence of their Faith but to vindicate as well
the sublimity of the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh. Realizing that with
this fresh development their case has assumed a solemn and juridical
character, the undaunted champions of the Cause resolved to seek
the assistance of an expert and sympathetic advocate, who would
reinforce from a purely legal standpoint the spiritual argument
which they reserved for themselves to propound. For a period
ranging from a week to eighteen days the attention of the officers
of the Court, of the elected representatives of the believers, of their
officially appointed advocates, and of the visiting public was focused
upon the deliberations of a Court that closely scrutinized not only
the conduct and motives of the Bahá'í followers but the laws and
principles, the past history and the present position of the Faith
itself.
+P167
Trial of Turkish Believers
Fortified by the reflection that never before in Bahá'í history
have the followers of Bahá'u'lláh been called upon by the officials
of a State, responsible for the administration of Justice, to unfold
the history and principles of their Faith, our brethren in Turkey
decided to assert in their entirety those distinguishing laws and
ordinances of the Bahá'í Revelation which the terrors of a suspicious
autocracy had so long compelled them to dissimulate and
ignore.
I cannot do better than quote in this connection a few passages
from the text of the official defense which in a moving language was
pronounced by the President of the Constantinople Bahá'í Spiritual
Assembly at a plenary session of the Court on that historic occasion:
"La Behá'isme est une religion universelle, moderne et absolument
independante. Si l'on désiré une désignation plus moderne encore:
c'est une institution de Clémence, de bonne entente et d'amour, en
d'autres termes, de progrès moral et spirituel. Il n'est ni une secte,
ni une branche des autres religions et doctrines diverses. Il est
cependant leur aboutissement naturel, logique et pour ainsi dire
scientifique. C'est la raison pour laquelle l'on trouve parmi ses
adhèrents des personnes, venant de toutes les religions et doctrines
existantes dans le monde, et qui se comptent aujourd'hui par millions.
...Ces explications ne sauraient toutefois à dévoiler le suffire (?)
mystère qui est au fond des sacrifices, consentis dans ce siècle en
Orient, par plus de vingt mille martyrs du Behá'isme, parmi lesquels
se trouve Qurratu'l-`Ayn Táhirih (la joie des yeux, la pure), cette
jeune femme turque, dépeinté ainsi par notre illustre écrivain Suleyman
Nasif, et dont le martyre sans precèdent est cité aujourd'hui
par le monde entier comme l'epopée sans pareille de la cause humaine.
Je ne sais si ces explications peuvent elucider les raisons pour lesquelles
il se trouve à cette doctrine petrié également par le sang turc
des amis parmi des hommes de race turque, cette race qui dans tout
procès du genre humain et de ses nobles aspirations, n'a pas hesité
jusqu'ici à verser son sang.... Toutefois, les Behá'ís n'ont point
dissimulé leur présence en Turquie, surtout depuis le régime de la
République. C'est ainsi qu'ils se sont fait inscrire comme Behá'ís
sur les feuilles du dernier recensement à Constantinople. D'autre
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part est-il admissible que le Gouvernement ignore leur présence dans
cette ville? Cela étant, il ne saurait etre imaginé que les Behá'ís
soient sous le régime de la République, poursuivis comme tels, surtout
après avoir acquis leur liberté sous le régime de la Constitution qui a
suivi celui de la tyrannie durant lequel ils étaient persecutés....
Mais avant de terminer, je ne puis m'empecher de dire avec une
entière assurance, que les adeptes en Turquie de cette doctrine, sont
surs de la Justice d'un pays régi par la première véritable République
pleine de lumière dont s'honore adjourd'hui tout l'Orient....
Ces déclarations d'une part, et la conduite suivie par les Behá'ís, a
l'occasion de cet incident qui a commencé par l'interrogatoire auquel
ils ont été soumis par la Police, de l'autre, sont la preuve convainquante
de la sincerité et de la bonne foie avec lesquelles nous
nous comportons tant vis à vis de la Justice que de celui du
Gouvernement. Ainsi, nous aurions pu soustraire certaines pièces
qui constituent les seuls documents pouvant servi à nous assimiler
à des societés. Ne nous voyant pas en contravention avec la loi,
nous n'avons rien voulu dissimuler, comme personellement je ne
cherche qu'a tout dire ici. Ce n'est lá d'ailleurs qu'une necessité
dicté par le Behá'isme et la conformation à une recommendation de
Bahá'u'lláh. Lui nous dit: "Devant la Justice, dites la Verité et ne
craignez rien."
To these hotly contested debates two circumstances of unexpected
character lent color and force, and must have contributed in
no small measure to the successful conclusion of the issue. The
participation of a noted Turkish publicist and author whose expressed
sympathy for the Cause had identified him with the group
of the suspected believers, and the association of the name of the
Dowager Queen of Rumania with the Bahá'í Faith as a result of
the discovery among the seized documents of the Constantinople
Bahá'í Assembly of her public pronouncements on the Cause and
her personal message to the friends in that city, both served to
reinforce the position of the Bahá'ís and greatly encouraged them
in their task. I am assured by a letter addressed to me by the
President of the Constantinople Assembly that the sessions of the
Court were dignified in their proceedings, sublime in the presentation
of the ideals of the Cause, and representative in the character
of their attendants. He writes: "Ce fut une déclaration de la Cause
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dans toute sa grandeur, et jamais l'Orient n'a vu retentir le nom
de Bahá dans une pareille formule.... J'ai prefère laisser l'avocat
qui n'est pas Behá'í en parler. En effet cela a eu plus d'effet
d'entendre l'avocat, emporté par je ne sais quelle mystèrieuse poussée,
crier, après avoir cité les principes ainsi: `Monsieur le Juge! n'est-ce
pas lá en somme l'idéal vers lequel marche actuellement notre pays
avec en tète notre Grand Gazi?'"
The extravagant language of the newspapers in reporting the
details of this official inquiry served in turn to accentuate the publicity
already achieved, and induced the officials of the Court to
exercise scrupulous impartiality in the consideration and judgment
of the case. As to the verdict that has been pronounced on December
13, it is stated clearly that although the followers of Bahá'u'lláh,
in their innocent conception of the spiritual character of their Faith,
found it unnecessary to apply for leave for the conduct of their
administrative activities and have thus been made liable to the payment
of a fine, yet they have, to the satisfaction of the legal representatives
of the State, not only established the inculpability of the
Cause of Bahá'u'lláh, but have also worthily acquitted themselves in
the task of vindicating its independence, its Divine origin, and its
suitability to the circumstances and requirements of the present age.
It will be admitted that this recognition on the part of the authorities
would have never been so speedily secured had the representatives
of the believers proceeded through the ordinary and official channels
to obtain such a recognition from their government.
Decline of Islám
Surely every unprejudiced observer, reviewing on one hand the
turbulent history of the Cause in Turkey and recalling on the other
the series of internal convulsions that have seized that country,
cannot but marvel at the contrast between the swift decline of an
all-powerful theocracy and the gradual consolidation of a persecuted
Faith. He will appreciate the significance of the circumstances that
have caused on one hand the dismemberment of what was the most
powerful institution of Islám, and contributed on the other to the
emergence upon its ruins of the very Faith it has vainly labored to
suppress. Should he look further into the past and consult the
annals of Christendom during the first century of the Christian era,
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he cannot fail to observe the striking parallel between the cataclysmic
visitation of Providence that has afflicted the most sacred
institutions of the Jews in the Holy Land and the utter collapse in
this, the first century of the Bahá'í era, of the Sultanate and the
Caliphate, the highest institutions of orthodox Islám. He will recall
the severities which the hand of Titus inflicted upon the Jews, the
harassing siege of Jerusalem, the destruction of the Holy City, the
profanation of the Temple, the desecration of the Holy of Holies,
the transfer of its priceless treasures to the imperial city of Rome,
the erection on the site of Zion of the pagan colony of Oelia
Capitolina, the massacre of the Jews, and the exile and dispersion
of most of the survivors. In like manner, he will observe that almost
in the corresponding decade of the first century of the era of
Bahá'u'lláh, not at the hand of the infidel, but by a recognized ruler
professing the faith of Islám, a blow, unprecedented in its magnitude,
has been dealt to the highest seats of authority in the Islámic
world. He will call to mind the recent disestablishment of the state
religion of Turkey, the overthrow of the dynasty of the House of
Uthmán, the loss of the unity of the vast majority of the adherents
of the Muhammadan Faith, the humiliation inflicted upon the whole
hierarchy of its ecclesiastical exponents in that land, the abolition
of religious courts, the annulment of the provisions of the Qur'án,
the promulgation of a universal western code of civil law, the
suppression of its Orders and the closing of most of its seminaries
and establishments.
Such a close correspondence between these historic retributions
which the Almighty's avenging arm has chosen to inflict upon the
persecutors of Christ and Bahá'u'lláh cannot but fortify the confidence
of every Bahá'í believer in the future glories of this Divine
Dispensation. Particularly will he feel strengthened when he recalls
the triumphs that have signalized the advance of Christianity after
the humiliation of its enemies. And as he ponders upon the circumstances
that have given such startling publicity to the Cause, not
only throughout Turkey but in the adjoining countries as well, he
cannot fail to recognize, in this strange episode, following so closely
upon the fall of the mighty stronghold of Bahá'í opposition, a
prelude to a higher recognition and fuller unfoldment of the Faith
of Bahá'u'lláh.
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Progress in Persia
In Persia, where, unlike its ill-fated sister nation Afghánistán,
the pace of reform has been wisely regulated, the salutary effects of
the progressive regime established by its enlightened ruler are not
only reacting upon the social and economic structure of its society,
but are being increasingly felt by the mass of the followers of
Bahá'u'lláh in that land. The welter of controversy into which the
drastic reforms of a determined government, aiming at the gradual
secularization of the State, has plunged a revolting clergy, has
afforded our Persian brethren their long-desired opportunity to pursue
untrammelled the course of their spiritual and humanitarian
activities. The deportation of a considerable number of Muslim
ecclesiastical officials, amongst them the heir of that notorious and
bloodthirsty Mujtahid of Isfahán, "the Son of the Wolf," has served
to clear the ground for the extension and consolidation of Bahá'í
institutions. Already, as reported from an outlying center in the
province of Yazd, a leading but fair-minded Mulláh has, upon the
discovery of the specific prophecy of `Abdu'l-Bahá regarding the
forced abandonment of the traditional headdress of Muslim clericals,
acknowledged the Divine origin of the Bahá'í Faith, embraced
its truth, and openly enlisted as an active supporter of its
institutions.
Moreover, it is stated that in various quarters, and among responsible
sections of the community the matter of the codification
and introduction of a western civil code, and its universal application
to all the different communities is being freely discussed, and
its desirability increasingly emphasized. As a preliminary measure,
however, to the introduction of such a far-reaching reform, certain
changes of policy have been lately initiated, not in the form of hastily
conceived dictatorial edicts, but as a result of the mature deliberations
and with the sanction of the national representatives of the
people. The systematization of the laws of marriage and contract;
the establishment of a Land Registry wholly independent of ecclesiastical
control; the distribution of birth certificates of a purely
undenominational character; the increasing prominence accorded to
the social rights of womanhood; the close attention paid by State
authorities to the education of Persian youth in the Universities of
+P172
Europe; the banning of all Muslim Passion Plays throughout the
territory of the Sháh: the bold and various schemes that have been
launched for the embellishment of the Persian Capital--all are welcome
signs of the approaching era which is to witness the spiritual
and material ascendency of Persia among the people and nations
of the world.
In this ever-improving environment and witnessing on every side
the downfall of those institutions that have crippled their struggling
Faith, the believers in Persia are joyously seizing every opportunity
to demonstrate the redeeming power of the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh.
An illuminating report, submitted by one of the most capable and
trusted itinerant teachers of the Cause in Persia, has lately reached
the Holy Land. In it the writer sets forth in graphic and accurate
language the many evidences of the increasing vitality displayed
by the Faith in different parts of Persia. Summoned by the
Persian National Spiritual Assembly to interrupt his travels in the
vicinity of the town of Mashhad in order to devote immediate
attention to a situation that had unexpectedly arisen in Isfahán, our
indefatigable teacher and brother was surprised upon his arrival in
that province to note in the various towns and villages he visited a
ten-fold increase in the number of the adherents of the Faith since
his last visit to those regions. He was moreover startled at the
hospitality which he received at the hands of those persons who
six years ago had been instrumental in expelling him from their
localities, and who now had freely enlisted under the banner of
Bahá'u'lláh. He was furthermore highly elated to learn that the
prestige, the integrity and ability of the local Bahá'í Assemblies in
that province had of late stood so high that non-Bahá'ís, exasperated
by the corruption and incompetence of their own judges, had more
than once freely submitted cases of dispute to the judgment of the
elected representatives of the Bahá'í community in their locality.
Only a close and unbiased observer of the manner and habits of
the Persian people, already familiar with the prevailing tendencies
of different sections of the population, such as their apathy and
indolence, the absence of a sense of public duty and of loyalty to
principle, the lack of concerted effort and constancy in action, the
habit of secrecy and blind surrender to the capricious will of an
ignorant and fanatical clergy, can truly estimate the immensity of
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the task that faces every conscientious believer in that land. He
will moreover readily testify to the high standard already attained
by the Bahá'ís of Persia in their efforts to inculcate in the minds
of their fellow-countrymen the principles of the Divine Civilization
ushered in by Bahá'u'lláh.
We have only to glance at the soul-stirring written assurances
of `Abdu'l-Bahá in order to realize the magnitude and exalted character
of the mission entrusted by Him to the adherents of the Faith
in Bahá'u'lláh's native land. By the faithful application of the
spiritual principles which their present administration is endeavoring
to propagate; by the character of those indissoluble bonds of
Bahá'í fellowship that cement the union of the mass of the believers
with their elected councillors; by the distinctiveness of their future
contributions in the domain of art, of science and of trade, of education
and of industry--by these and by still other convincing manifestations
of the quickening vitality of their Faith, our Persian
brethren are destined to demonstrate to the ruling powers on earth
the majesty, the enduring stability and the unfailing efficacy of the
Government of Bahá'u'lláh.
The following passage from the Tablet of `Abdu'l-Bahá, revealed
more than thirty years ago, while incarcerated within the walls of
the prison-city of `Akká, and addressed to the Bahá'ís of Khurásán,
will undoubtedly stimulate those energetic friends of the West who
long to contribute by every means in their power to the rehabilitation
of their Master's native land:--
"Erelong will your brethren from Europe and America journey
to Persia. There they will promote to an unprecedented degree the
interests of art and industry. There they will rear the institutions
of true civilization, promote the development of husbandry and
trade, and assist in the spread of education.... Assuredly they will
come; assuredly they will contribute in making of the land of Írán
the envy and the admiration of the peoples and nations of the world."
And as we ponder these words of `Abdu'l-Bahá in our hearts,
let us also remember the prophetic utterances of Bahá'u'lláh, which
reveal not only the merciless cruelty of the ecclesiastical leaders of
Islám but also the measure of Divine retribution which now afflicts
the oppressors of God's holy Faith:--
"O people of the Qur'án! Verily the prophet of God, Muhammad,
+P174
sheddeth tears at the sight of your cruelty. Ye have assuredly
followed your evil and corrupt desires and turned away your face
from the light of guidance. Erelong will ye witness the result of
your deeds; for the Lord My God lieth in wait and is watchful of
your behavior.... Erelong He will raise in every city the standard
of His sovereignty, and will wipe away the traces of them that have
denied Him on the day of His return.... O concourse of Muslim
divines! By your deeds the exalted station of the nation hath been
abased, the standard of Islám hath been reversed and its mighty
throne hath fallen. Whenever the Divine Reformer has sought to
ennoble the rank of the people, ye have tumultuously risen against
Him and prevented Him from executing His purpose, wherefore the
realm hath remained in grievous loss."
And in conclusion, I wish, in a few words, to pay a tribute, however
inadequate, to the magnificent services rendered by that exemplary
and indefatigable teacher of the Cause, our dearly-beloved
sister, Miss Martha Root. Her international travels on behalf of
the Bahá'í Faith, so wide in their range, so extensive in their duration,
so inspiring in their results, will adorn and enrich the annals
of God's immortal Faith. Her earliest journeys to the southernmost
limits of the American continent, to India and to South Africa,
to the eastern confines of Asia, to the islands of the Southern Seas
and the Scandinavian countries of the North; her more recent contact
with the rulers and crowned heads of Europe and the impression
which her undaunted spirit created in royal circles in the
Balkan countries; her close affiliation with international organizations,
peace societies, humanitarian movements and Esperantist
circles; and her latest victories in the university circles of Germany
--all constitute a compelling evidence of what the power of Bahá'u'lláh
can achieve. These historic labors, pursued single-handed and
in circumstances of financial stringency and ill-health, have been
characterized throughout by a spirit of fidelity, of self-effacement,
of thoroughness and vigor that none has excelled.
I appeal to individual believers and Bahá'í Assemblies alike to
reinforce by every possible means the earnest strivings of such a
precious soul, to respond speedily and entirely to every request that
from time to time she feels moved to address to her fellow-workers
in every land, to strive to attain the high standard of stewardship
+P175
that she has set, and to pray from the very depths of their hearts for
the uninterrupted continuance of her noble endeavors.
Your true brother,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
February 12, 1929.
To the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful throughout the West.
Dearly-beloved brothers and sisters in `Abdu'l-Bahá:
With a heart overflowing with thankfulness and joy I take my
pen to share with you tidings that eloquently testify to the triumphant
majesty and unconquerable spirit of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh.
From Geneva, the seat of the League of Nations, there comes the
news that the fervent plea addressed by the Bahá'ís of `Iráq to the
world's supreme Tribunal regarding an issue that for a time has
stirred the Bahá'í world to its foundation has at last met with a noble
and most gratifying response.
You will recall the references made in my previous communications,
dated November 6, 1925, October 29, 1926, and January 1,
1929, to the forcible seizure of Bahá'u'lláh's sacred house by the
Shí'ah of Baghdád, to the appeals which from almost every quarter
of the globe have showered upon the authorities of `Iráq for its
restitution, to the long and unsuccessful legal proceedings to which
the representatives of the Faith in that land have resorted, and lastly
to the petition which they have addressed to the League's Permanent
Mandates Commission setting forth the history of the case and
appealing for the intervention of the Council in their behalf. I am
now informed that after mature deliberation the conclusion arrived
at by the Mandates Commission, urging that prompt action be
taken to redress the wrong suffered by the Bahá'ís, has been duly
communicated to, and adopted by, the Council of the League, which
in turn will formally communicate the recommendations of its Commission
to the Mandatory Power.
Decision of League of Nations
From the official text of the minutes of the meeting of the
Mandates Commission, as well as from its authorized report to the
+P176
Council, both of which have been made public, it is clear and evident
that the terms of the conclusion arrived at are neither vague nor
evasive, but set forth in unmistakable language the legitimate aspirations
of an oppressed and struggling Faith. The decision neither
implies compensation to the Bahá'í Community for the loss of the
sacred buildings, nor does it expressly provide for the expropriation
of the property by the State. To quote from the text of the official
document, the Commission has resolved "to recommend the Council
to ask the British Government to call upon the Government of `Iráq
to redress without delay the denial of justice from which the petitioners
have suffered."
A glance at the minutes of the Commission's meeting will suffice
to reveal that in the course of the lengthy discussions conducted by
the members of the Commission the following important facts have
been stressed and recognized. The British accredited representative,
present at the sessions of the Commission, has declared that "it was
a fact that the Mandatory Power had recognized that the Bahá'ís
had suffered an injustice and, ever since the award made by the
High Court, the High Commissioner had been considering what
means could be found to remove, either by an executive act or otherwise,
the unjust effects of that decision." Moreover, it has been
acknowledged by the accredited representative that the Bahá'ís had
been in bonafide occupancy of the property, that they had expended
on it sums that exceeded the value of the site itself, and were thus,
in accordance with the provision in the still operative Turkish Law,
entitled to purchase the site. Allusion has also been made in the
course of the deliberations of the members of the Commission to
the fact that the action of the Shí'ah community with respect to
Bahá'u'lláh's sacred house constituted a breach of the Constitution
and the Organic Law of `Iráq which, according to the testimony of
the British accredited representative, expressly provided for the unfettered
freedom of conscience. A question from one of the members
had even elicited from the representative of the British Government
the reply assuring the Commission that the Mandatory Power
actually possessed means of exercising pressure on the authorities
in order, if necessary, to insure that so fundamental an article in
the Constitution would be respected. Furthermore, the opinion has
been strongly expressed that the matter had assumed an "importance
+P177
which exceeded that of the individual case of the Bahá'ís," inasmuch
as "the judgment of the High Court was suspected of having been
inspired by political prejudice," with the consequent impression on
the Commission that "from a moral point of view, conditions in
`Iráq were not improving; that religious passions still ran high and
that peace had not yet been brought about between the various religious
communities." It has even been proposed to supplement the
report submitted to the Council with the observation that, in the
opinion of the Commission, "a country in which the Sovereign and
the highest law courts are capable of so flagrant a denial of justice
would probably not be considered to be eligible to become a Member
of the League of Nations." The minutes of the Commission's
meeting further indicate that the contents of the letter addressed by
the Prime Minister of `Iráq to the British representative in Baghdád
and which accompanied the text of the petition of the Bahá'ís do
not in the opinion of the Commission "meet any of the allegations of
the petitioners" and are confined to a mere assertion that the judgment
of the Court of Appeal was pronounced in accordance with the
laws of the land. As to the memorandum submitted by the Mandatory
Power in connection with the Bahá'í petition, and to which
the minutes briefly refer, it is expressly stated that His Britannic
Majesty's Government considers the ejectment of the Bahá'ís while
the case was still undecided to have been an illegal action, that the
reasons adduced to justify such action were hardly admissible, and
that the final verdict of the Court of Appeal is unsustainable, contrary
to the law, and tainted by political considerations. The minutes
further declare that although any petition presented to the
Commission appealing from a decision given by a Court of Law is
to be considered as not being in order, yet as the petition submitted
by the Bahá'ís reveals such a state of partiality, servility and sectarianism
it has been found desirable to depart from the general
rule and to regard the petition in question as receivable by the Commission.
And among the concluding observations in the minutes
of the Commission's meeting regarding the Bahá'í petition is this
significant passage: "The revelations made in connection with this
petition show the present position in `Iráq in an unfavorable light.
In a country where the conduct of the highest authorities has led
the Mandatory Power to pass such severe criticisms, where the
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Supreme Court of Justice is under legitimate suspicion, and where
religious fanaticism pursues minorities and controls power, a state
of affairs prevails which is not calculated to insure the development
and well-being of the inhabitants. The petitioners have suffered a
serious denial of justice the direct responsibility for which rests on
the authorities of `Iráq. The fact that this denial of justice could
not be prevented or immediately made good was due to the weakening
of the Mandatory Power's control in `Iráq. The Mandatory
attempted, but in vain, to redress the injury done to the petitioners
by using the means of influence at its disposal under the régime set
up by the 1922 Treaty vis-á-vis King Feisal and the `Iráq Government.
These efforts would not appear to correspond fully to the
engagements resulting from the British Government's declaration,
which was approved by the Council on September 27, 1924, and
renewed by the British Government in 1926, whereby the Treaty of
Alliance between the British Government and `Iráq `was to insure
the complete observance and execution in `Iráq of the principles
which the acceptance of the mandate was intended to secure.'"
This grave censure pronounced by the Mandates Commission of
the League of Nations on the administration of justice and the
general conduct of affairs in `Iráq, as well as the association of the
humiliation afflicting Bahá'u'lláh's sacred dwelling-place with the
obligations implied in the Treaty of Alliance binding the Governments
of Great Britain and `Iráq, not only proclaim to the world
the enhanced prestige of that hallowed and consecrated spot, but
testify as well to the high sense of integrity that animates the
members of the League's honored Commission in the discharge of
their public duties. In their formal reply to the Bahá'í petitioners,
the members of the Permanent Mandates Commission have, with
the sanction of the Council of the League of Nations, issued this
most satisfactory declamation: "The Permanent Mandates Commission,
recognizing the justice of the complaint made by the Bahá'í
Spiritual Assembly of Baghdád, has recommended to the Council
of the League such action as it thinks proper to redress the wrong
suffered by the petitioners." A similar passage inserted in the report
of the Finnish Representative to the Council of the League runs as
follows: "The Commission has also considered a petition from the
National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of `Iráq, a community
+P179
which has been dispossessed of its property by another community
and has been unable to recover it by legal means. The Commission
is convinced that this situation, which is described as an injustice,
must be attributed solely to religious passion, and it asks that the
petitioner's wrongs should be redressed. I venture to suggest that
the Council should accept the Mandate Commission's conclusions
on this case, which is an example of the difficulties to be met with
in the development of a young country." This report, together
with the joint observations and conclusions of the Commission, have
been duly considered and approved by the Council of the League,
which has in turn instructed the Secretary-General to bring to the
notice of the Mandatory Power, as well as the petitioners concerned,
the conclusions arrived at by the Mandates Commission.
Dearly-beloved co-workers! Much has been achieved thus far in
the course of the progress of this complicated, delicate and highly
significant issue. The Bahá'í world is eagerly expectant, and fervently
prays, that the Almighty may graciously assist the Government
chiefly responsible for the well-being of `Iráq to take "without
delay" such steps as will insure the execution of the considered judgment
of the representatives of the Sovereign States, members of
the Council, and signatories of the Covenant, of the League of
Nations.
I will, if deemed proper and advisable, inform you of the manner
in which the admiration and the gratitude of the National Spiritual
Assemblies, representative of the divers communities in the Bahá'í
world, should be expressed and tendered to the authorities of the
League of Nations who have been chiefly responsible for this noble,
this epoch-making decision. For none can doubt that the published
verdict pronounced by the Mandate Commission sets the seal of
international sanction on the triumph of God's persecuted Faith over
the ecclesiastical and civil powers of hostile Islám. Within the
ranks of the orthodox Sunnís and of the bitter and fanatical Shí'ah,
the chief sects of the Muslim Faith and constituting respectively the
bulk of the ruling class and the population of `Iráq, a feeling of
consternation must necessarily prevail. For however obscured their
vision they still can recognize in this historic judgment the herald
of that complete victory which is destined to establish the ascendancy
of what, in the words of the members of the Commission, is but "a
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small minority, drawn from a lower social grade, and possessing
neither political nor social influence," over the combined forces of
the Islámic population of `Iráq.
I must not fail in conclusion to refer once again to the decisive
role played by that distinguished and international champion of the
Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, our dearly-beloved Mountfort Mills, in the
negotiations that have paved the way for the signal success already
achieved. The text of the Bahá'í petition, which he conceived and
drafted, has been recognized by the members of the Mandates Commission
as "a document well-drafted, clear in its argument and
moderate in tone." He has truly acquitted himself in this most
sacred task with exemplary distinction and proved himself worthy
of so noble a mission. I request you to join with me in my prayers
for him, that the Spirit of Bahá'u'lláh may continue to guide and
sustain him in the final settlement of this most mighty issue.
Your true brother,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
March 20, 1929.
The beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful throughout the United States and Canada.
My well-beloved friends:
Ever since that remarkable manifestation of Bahá'í solidarity
and self-sacrifice which has signalized the proceedings of last year's
memorable Convention, I have been expectantly awaiting the news
of a steady and continuous support of the Plan which can alone
insure, ere the present year draws to its close, the resumption of
building operations on our beloved Temple.
Gift from Tomb of Bahá'u'lláh
Moved by an impulse that I could not resist, I have felt impelled
to forego what may be regarded as the most valuable and sacred
possession in the Holy Land for the furthering of that noble enterprise
which you have set your hearts to achieve. With the hearty
concurrence of our dear Bahá'í brother, Zíáoulláh Asgarzadeh, who
years ago donated it to the Most Holy Shrine, this precious ornament
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of the Tomb of Bahá'u'lláh has been already shipped to your
shores, with our fondest hope that the proceeds from its sale may
at once ennoble and reinforce the unnumbered offerings of the
American believers already accumulated on the altar of Bahá'í
sacrifice. I have longed ever since to witness such evidences of
spontaneous and generous response on your part as would tend
to fortify within me a confidence that has never wavered in the
inexhaustible vitality of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh in that land.
I need not stress at this moment the high hopes which so startling
a display of unsparing devotion to our sacred Temple has already
aroused in the breasts of the multitude of our brethren throughout
the East. Nor is it I feel necessary to impress upon those who are
primarily concerned with its erection the gradual change of outlook
which the early prospect of the construction of the far-famed
Mashriqu'l-Adhkár in America has unmistakably occasioned in high
places among the hitherto sceptical and indifferent towards the
merits and the practicability of the Faith proclaimed by Bahá'u'lláh.
Neither do I need to expatiate upon the hopes and fears of the
Greatest Holy Leaf, now in the evening of her life, with deepening
shadows caused by failing eye-sight and declining strength swiftly
gathering about her, yearning to hear as the one remaining solace
in her swiftly ebbing life the news of the resumption of work on an
Edifice, the glories of which she has, from the lips of `Abdu'l-Bahá,
Himself, learned to admire. I cannot surely overrate at the present
juncture in the progress of our task the challenging character of
these remaining months of the year as a swiftly passing opportunity
which it is in our power to seize and utilize, ere it is too late, for
the edification of our expectant brethren throughout the East, for
the vindication in the eyes of the world at large of the realities of
our Faith, and last but not least for the realization of what is the
Greatest Holy Leaf's fondest desire.
As I have already intimated in the course of my conversations
with visiting pilgrims, so vast and significant an enterprise as the
construction of the first Mashriqu'l-Adhkár of the West should be
supported, not by the munificence of a few but by the joint contributions
of the entire mass of the convinced followers of the Faith.
It cannot be denied that the emanations of spiritual power and
inspiration destined to radiate from the central Edifice of the
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Mashriqu'l-Adhkár will to a very large extent depend upon the
range and variety of the contributing believers, as well as upon the
nature and degree of self-abnegation which their unsolicited offerings
will entail. Moreover, we should, I feel, regard it as an axiom
and guiding principle of Bahá'í administration that in the conduct
of every specific Bahá'í activity, as different from undertakings of
a humanitarian, philanthropic or charitable character, which may in
future be conducted under Bahá'í auspices, only those who have
already identified themselves with the Faith and are regarded as its
avowed and unreserved supporters should be invited to join and
collaborate. For apart from the consideration of embarrassing complications
which the association of non-believers in the financing of
institutions of a strictly Bahá'í character may conceivably engender
in the administration of the Bahá'í community of the future, it
should be remembered that these specific Bahá'í institutions, which
should be viewed in the light of Bahá'u'lláh's gifts bestowed upon
the world, can best function and most powerfully exert their influence
in the world only if reared and maintained solely by the support
of those who are fully conscious of, and are unreservedly
submissive to, the claims inherent in the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh.
In cases, however, when a friend or sympathizer of the Faith eagerly
insists on a monetary contribution for the promotion of the Faith,
such gifts should be accepted and duly acknowledged by the elected
representatives of the believers with the express understanding
that they would be utilized by them only to reinforce that section of
the Bahá'í Fund exclusively devoted to philanthropic or charitable
purposes. For, as the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh extends in scope and in
influence, and the resources of Bahá'í communities correspondingly
multiply, it will become increasingly desirable to differentiate between
such departments of the Bahá'í treasury as minister to the
needs of the world at large, and those that are specifically designed
to promote the direct interests of the Faith itself. From this apparent
divorce between Bahá'í and humanitarian activities it must
not, however, be inferred that the animating purpose of the Faith of
Bahá'u'lláh stands at variance with the aims and objects of the
humanitarian and philanthropic institutions of the day. Nay, it
should be realized by every judicious promoter of the Faith that at
such an early stage in the evolution and crystallization of the Cause
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such discriminating and precautionary measures are inevitable and
even necessary if the nascent institutions of the Faith are to emerge
triumphant and unimpaired from the present welter of confused
and often conflicting interests with which they are surrounded.
This note of warning may not be thought inappropriate at a time
when, inflamed by a consuming passion to witness the early completion
of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, we may not only be apt to
acquiesce in the desire of those who, as yet uninitiated into the
Cause, are willing to lend financial assistance to its institutions,
but may even feel inclined to solicit from them such aid as it is in
their power to render. Ours surely is the paramount duty so to
acquit ourselves in the discharge of our most sacred task that in the
days to come neither the tongue of the slanderer nor the pen of the
malevolent may dare to insinuate that so beauteous, so significant
an Edifice has been reared by anything short of the unanimous, the
exclusive, and the self-sacrificing strivings of the small yet determined
body of the convinced supporters of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh.
How delicate our task, how pressing the responsibility that
weighs upon us, who are called upon on one hand to preserve inviolate
the integrity and the identity of the regenerating Faith of
Bahá'u'lláh, and to vindicate on the other its broad, its humanitarian,
its all-embracing principles!
True, we cannot fail to realize at the present stage of our work
the extremely limited number of contributors qualified to lend
financial support to such a vast, such an elaborate and costly enterprise.
We are fully aware of the many issues and varied Bahá'í
activities that are unavoidably held in abeyance pending the successful
conclusion of the Plan of Unified Action. We are only too
conscious of the pressing need of some sort of befitting and concrete
embodiment of the spirit animating the Cause that would stand in
the heart of the American Continent both as a witness and as a
rallying center to the manifold activities of a fast growing Faith.
But spurred by those reflections may we not bestir ourselves and
resolve as we have never resolved before to hasten by every means
in our power the consummation of this all-absorbing yet so meritorious
a task? I beseech you, dear friends, not to allow considerations
of numbers, or the consciousness of the limitations of our resources,
or even the experience of inevitable setbacks which every mighty
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undertaking is bound to encounter, to blur your vision, to dim
your hopes, or to paralyze your efforts in the prosecution of your
divinely appointed task. Neither, do I entreat you, to suffer the least
deviation into the paths of expediency and compromise to obstruct
those channels of vivifying grace that can alone provide the inspiration
and strength vital not only to the successful conduct of its
material construction, but to the fulfilment of its high destiny.
And while we bend our efforts and strain our nerves in a feverish
pursuit to provide the necessary means for the speedy construction
of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, may we not pause for a moment to
examine those statements which set forth the purpose as well as the
functions of this symbolical yet so spiritually potent Edifice? It
will be readily admitted that at a time when the tenets of a Faith, not
yet fully emerged from the fires of repression, are as yet improperly
defined and imperfectly understood, the utmost caution should be
exercised in revealing the true nature of those institutions which are
indissolubly associated with its name.
Purpose of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár
Without attempting an exhaustive survey of the distinguishing
features and purpose of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, I should feel content
at the present time to draw your attention to what I regard
certain misleading statements that have found currency in various
quarters, and which may lead gradually to a grave misapprehension
of the true purpose and essential character of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár.
It should be borne in mind that the central Edifice of the
Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, round which in the fulness of time shall cluster
such institutions of social service as shall afford relief to the suffering,
sustenance to the poor, shelter to the wayfarer, solace to the
bereaved, and education to the ignorant, should be regarded apart
from these Dependencies, as a House solely designed and entirely
dedicated to the worship of God in accordance with the few yet
definitely prescribed principles established by Bahá'u'lláh in the
Kitáb-i-Aqdas. It should not be inferred, however, from this
general statement that the interior of the central Edifice itself will
be converted into a conglomeration of religious services conducted
along lines associated with the traditional procedure obtaining in
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churches, mosques, synagogues, and other temples of worship. Its
various avenues of approach, all converging towards the central
Hall beneath its dome, will not serve as admittance to those sectarian
adherents of rigid formulae and man-made creeds, each bent, according
to his way, to observe his rites, recite his prayers, perform
his ablutions, and display the particular symbols of his faith, within
separately defined sections of Bahá'u'lláh's Universal House of Worship.
Far from the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár offering such a spectacle
of incoherent and confused sectarian observances and rites, a condition
wholly incompatible with the provisions of the Aqdas and
irreconcilable with the spirit it inculcates, the central House of
Bahá'í worship, enshrined within the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, will gather
within its chastened walls, in a serenely spiritual atmosphere, only
those who, discarding forever the trappings of elaborate and ostentatious
ceremony, are willing worshipers of the one true God, as
manifested in this age in the Person of Bahá'u'lláh. To them will
the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár symbolize the fundamental verity underlying
the Bahá'í Faith, that religious truth is not absolute but relative,
that Divine Revelation is not final but progressive. Theirs will be
the conviction that an all-loving and ever-watchful Father Who, in
the past, and at various stages in the evolution of mankind, has sent
forth His Prophets as the Bearers of His Message and the Manifestations
of His Light to mankind, cannot at this critical period of
their civilization withhold from His children the Guidance which
they sorely need amid the darkness which has beset them, and
which neither the light of science nor that of human intellect and
wisdom can succeed in dissipating. And thus having recognized in
Bahá'u'lláh the source whence this celestial light proceeds, they will
irresistibly feel attracted to seek the shelter of His House, and congregate
therein, unhampered by ceremonials and unfettered by creed,
to render homage to the one true God, the Essence and Orb of
eternal Truth, and to exalt and magnify the name of His Messengers
and Prophets Who, from time immemorial even unto our day, have,
under divers circumstances and in varying measure, mirrored forth
to a dark and wayward world the light of heavenly Guidance.
But however inspiring the conception of Bahá'í worship, as witnessed
in the central Edifice of this exalted Temple, it cannot be
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regarded as the sole, nor even the essential, factor in the part which
the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, as designed by Bahá'u'lláh, is destined to
play in the organic life of the Bahá'í community. Divorced from the
social, humanitarian, educational and scientific pursuits centering
around the Dependencies of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Bahá'í worship,
however exalted in its conception, however passionate in fervor,
can never hope to achieve beyond the meagre and often transitory
results produced by the contemplations of the ascetic or the communion
of the passive worshiper. It cannot afford lasting satisfaction
and benefit to the worshiper himself, much less to humanity
in general, unless and until translated and transfused into that
dynamic and disinterested service to the cause of humanity which
it is the supreme privilege of the Dependencies of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár
to facilitate and promote. Nor will the exertions, no matter
how disinterested and strenuous, of those who within the precincts
of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár will be engaged in administering the
affairs of the future Bahá'í Commonwealth, fructify and prosper
unless they are brought into close and daily communion with those
spiritual agencies centering in and radiating from the central Shrine
of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár. Nothing short of direct and constant
interaction between the spiritual forces emanating from this House
of Worship centering in the heart of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, and
the energies consciously displayed by those who administer its
affairs in their service to humanity can possibly provide the necessary
agency capable of removing the ills that have so long and so
grievously afflicted humanity. For it is assuredly upon the consciousness
of the efficacy of the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, reinforced
on one hand by spiritual communion with His Spirit, and on the
other by the intelligent application and the faithful execution of the
principles and laws He revealed, that the salvation of a world in
travail must ultimately depend. And of all the institutions that
stand associated with His Holy Name, surely none save the institution
of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár can most adequately provide the
essentials of Bahá'í worship and service, both so vital to the regeneration
of the world. Therein lies the secret of the loftiness, of the
potency, of the unique position of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár as one of
the outstanding institutions conceived by Bahá'u'lláh.
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Dearly-beloved friends! May we not as the trustees of so
priceless a heritage, arise to fulfill our high destiny?
Your true brother,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
October 25, 1929.
The beloved of God and the handmaids of the Merciful throughout the United States and Canada.
Brethren and fellow-mourners in the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh:
A sorrow, reminiscent in its poignancy, of the devastating grief
caused by `Abdu'l-Bahá's sudden removal from our midst, has stirred
the Bahá'í world to its foundations. The Greatest Holy Leaf, the
well-beloved and treasured Remnant of Bahá'u'lláh entrusted to our
frail and unworthy hands by our departed Master, has passed to the
Great Beyond, leaving a legacy that time can never dim.
The community of the Most Great Name, in its entirety and to
its very core, feels the sting of this cruel loss. Inevitable though
this calamitous event appeared to us all, however acute our apprehensions
of its steady approach, the consciousness of its final consummation
at this terrible hour leaves us, we whose souls have been
impregnated by the energizing influence of her love, prostrated and
disconsolate.
How can my lonely pen, so utterly inadequate to glorify so
exalted a station, so impotent to portray the experiences of so sublime
a life, so disqualified to recount the blessings she showered
upon me since my earliest childhood--how can such a pen repay
the great debt of gratitude and love that I owe her whom I regarded
as my chief sustainer, my most affectionate comforter, the joy and
inspiration of my life? My grief is too immense, my remorse too
profound, to be able to give full vent at this moment to the feelings
that surge within me.
Only future generations and pens abler than mine can, and will,
pay a worthy tribute to the towering grandeur of her spiritual life,
to the unique part she played throughout the tumultuous stages of
Bahá'í history, to the expressions of unqualified praise that have
streamed from the pen of both Bahá'u'lláh and `Abdu'l-Bahá, the
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Center of His covenant, though unrecorded, and in the main unsuspected
by the mass of her passionate admirers in East and West,
the share she has had in influencing the course of some of the chief
events in the annals of the Faith, the sufferings she bore, the sacrifices
she made, the rare gifts of unfailing sympathy she so strikingly
displayed--these, and many others stand so inextricably interwoven
with the fabric of the Cause itself that no future historian of the
Faith of Bahá'u'lláh can afford to ignore or minimize.
As far back as the concluding stages of the heroic age of the
Cause, which witnessed the imprisonment of Bahá'u'lláh in the
Síyáh-Chál of Tihrán, the Greatest Holy Leaf, then still in her
infancy, was privileged to taste of the cup of woe which the first
believers of that apostolic age had quaffed.
How well I remember her recall, at a time when her faculties
were still unimpaired, the gnawing suspense that ate into the hearts
of those who watched by her side, at the threshold of her pillaged
house, expectant to hear at any moment the news of Bahá'u'lláh's
imminent execution! In those sinister hours, she often recounted,
her parents had so suddenly lost their earthly possessions that within
the space of a single day from being the privileged member of one
of the wealthiest families of Tihrán she had sunk to the state of a
sufferer from unconcealed poverty. Deprived of the means of subsistence,
her illustrious mother, the famed Navváb, was constrained
to place in the palm of her daughter's hand a handful of flour and
to induce her to accept it as a substitute for her daily bread.
And when at a later time this revered and precious member of
the Holy Family, then in her teens, came to be entrusted by the
guiding hand of her Father with missions that no girl of her age
could, or would be willing to, perform, with what spontaneous joy
she seized her opportunity and acquitted herself of the task with
which she had been entrusted! The delicacy and extreme gravity
of such functions as she, from time to time, was called upon to
fulfill, when the city of Baghdád was swept by the hurricane which
the heedlessness and perversity of Mírzá Yahyá had unchained, as
well as the tender solicitude which, at so early an age, she evinced
during the period of Bahá'u'lláh's enforced retirement to the mountains
of Sulaymáníyyih, marked her as one who was both capable of
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sharing the burden, and willing to make the sacrifice, which her high
birth demanded.
How staunch was her faith, how calm her demeanor, how
forgiving her attitude, how severe her trials, at a time when the
forces of schism had rent asunder the ties that united the little
band of exiles which had settled in Adrianople and whose fortunes
seemed then to have sunk to their lowest ebb! It was in this period
of extreme anxiety, when the rigors of a winter of exceptional
severity, coupled with the privations entailed by unhealthy housing
accommodations and dire financial distress, undermined once for all
her health and sapped the vitality which she had hitherto so thoroughly
enjoyed. The stress and storm of that period made an
abiding impression upon her mind, and she retained till the time of
her death on her beauteous and angelic face evidences of its intense
hardships.
Not until, however, she had been confined in the company of
Bahá'u'lláh within the walls of the prison-city of `Akká did she
display, in the plenitude of her power and in the full abundance of
her love for Him, more gifts that single her out, next to `Abdu'l-Bahá,
among the members of the Holy Family, as the brightest
embodiment of that love which is born of God and of that human
sympathy which few mortals are capable of evincing.
Banishing from her mind and heart every earthly attachment,
renouncing the very idea of matrimony, she, standing resolutely by
the side of a Brother whom she was to aid and serve so well, arose
to dedicate her life to the service of her Father's glorious Cause.
Whether in the management of the affairs of His Household in
which she excelled, or in the social relationships which she so
assiduously cultivated in order to shield both Bahá'u'lláh and `Abdu'l-Bahá,
whether in the unfailing attention she paid to the every day
needs of her Father, or in the traits of generosity, of affability and
kindness, which she manifested, the Greatest Holy Leaf had by that
time abundantly demonstrated her worthiness to rank as one of the
noblest figures intimately associated with the life-long work of
Bahá'u'lláh.
How grievous was the ingratitude, how blind the fanaticism,
how persistent the malignity of the officials, their wives, and their
subordinates, in return for the manifold bounties which she, in close
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association with her Brother, so profusely conferred upon them!
Her patience, her magnanimity, her indiscriminating benevolence,
far from disarming the hostility of that perverse generation, served
only to inflame their rancour, to excite their jealousy, to intensify
their fears. The gloom that had settled upon that little band of
imprisoned believers, who languished in the Fortress of `Akká, contrasted
with the spirit of confident hope, of deep-rooted optimism
that beamed upon her serene countenance. No calamity, however
intense, could obscure the brightness of her saintly face, and no
agitation, no matter how severe, could disturb the composure of her
gracious and dignified behaviour.
That her sensitive heart instantaneously reacted to the slightest
injury that befell the least significant of creatures, whether friend
or foe, no one who knew her well could doubt. And yet such was
the restraining power of her will--a will which her spirit of
self-renunciation so often prompted her to suppress--that a superficial
observer might well be led to question the intensity of her emotions
or to belittle the range of her sympathies. In the school of adversity
she, already endowed by Providence with the virtues of meekness
and fortitude, learned through the example and exhortations of the
Great Sufferer, who was her Father, the lesson she was destined
to teach the great mass of His followers for so long after Him.
Armed with the powers with which an intimate and long-standing
companionship with Bahá'u'lláh had already equipped her,
and benefiting by the magnificent example which the steadily widening
range of `Abdu'l-Bahá's activities afforded her, she was prepared
to face the storm which the treacherous conduct of the Covenant-breakers
had aroused and to withstand its most damaging onslaughts.
Great as had been her sufferings ever since her infancy, the
anguish of mind and heart which the Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh
occasioned, nerved her, as never before, to a resolve which no upheaval
could bend and which her frail constitution belied. Amidst
the dust and heat of the commotion which that faithless and rebellious
company engendered she found herself constrained to
dissolve ties of family relationship, to sever long-standing and
intimate friendships, to discard lesser loyalties for the sake of her
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supreme allegiance to a Cause she had loved so dearly and had
served so well.
The disruption that ensued found her ranged by the side of
Him Whom her departed Father had appointed as the Center of His
Covenant and the authorized Expounder of His Word. Her venerated
mother, as well as her distinguished paternal uncle, Aqáy-i-Kalím--
the twin pillars who, all throughout the various stages of
Bahá'u'lláh's exile from the Land of His Birth to the final place of
His confinement, had demonstrated, unlike most of the members of
His Family, the tenacity of their loyalty--had already passed behind
the Veil. Death, in the most tragic circumstances, had also robbed
her of the Purest Branch, her only brother besides `Abdu'l-Bahá,
while still in the prime of youth. She alone of the family of
Bahá'u'lláh remained to cheer the heart and reinforce the efforts
of the Most Great Branch, against whom were solidly arrayed the
almost entire company of His faithless relatives. In her arduous
task she was seconded by the diligent efforts of Munírih Khánum,
the Holy Mother, and those of her daughters whose age allowed
them to assist in the accomplishment of that stupendous achievement
with which the name of `Abdu'l-Bahá will forever remain
associated.
With the passing of Bahá'u'lláh and the fierce onslaught of the
forces of disruption that followed in its wake, the Greatest Holy
Leaf, now in the hey-day of her life, rose to the height of her great
opportunity and acquitted herself worthily of her task. It would
take me beyond the compass of the tribute I am moved to pay to
her memory were I to dwell upon the incessant machinations to
which Muhammad-'Ali, the arch-breaker of the Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh,
and his despicable supporters basely resorted, upon the
agitation which their cleverly-directed campaign of misrepresentation
and calumny produced in quarters directly connected with
Sultán `Abdu'l-Hamíd and his advisers, upon the trials and investigations
to which it gave rise, upon the rigidity of the incarceration
it reimposed, and upon the perils it revived. Suffice it to say that
but for her sleepless vigilance, her tact, her courtesy, her extreme
patience and heroic fortitude, grave complications might have ensued
and the load of `Abdu'l-Bahá's anxious care would have been considerably
increased.
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And when the storm-cloud that had darkened the horizon of the
Holy Land had been finally dissipated and the call raised by our
beloved `Abdu'l-Bahá had stirred to a new life certain cities of the
American and European continents, the Most Exalted Leaf became
the recipient of the unbounded affection and blessings of One Who
could best estimate her virtues and appreciate her merits.
The decline of her precious life had by that time set in, and
the burden of advancing age was beginning to becloud the radiance
of her countenance. Forgetful of her own self, disdaining rest and
comfort, and undeterred by the obstacles that still stood in her path,
she, acting as the honoured hostess to a steadily increasing number
of pilgrims who thronged `Abdu'l-Bahá's residence from both the
East and the West, continued to display those same attributes that
had won her, in the preceding phases of her career, so great a
measure of admiration and love.
And when, in pursuance of God's inscrutable Wisdom, the ban
on `Abdu'l-Bahá's confinement was lifted and the Plan which He, in
the darkest hours of His confinement, had conceived materialized,
He with unhesitating confidence, invested His trusted and honoured
sister with the responsibility of attending to the multitudinous details
arising out of His protracted absence from the Holy Land.
No sooner had `Abdu'l-Bahá stepped upon the shores of the
European and American continents than our beloved Khánum found
herself well-nigh overwhelmed with thrilling messages, each betokening
the irresistible advance of the Cause in a manner which, not
withstanding the vast range of her experience, seemed to her almost
incredible. The years in which she basked in the sunshine of
`Abdu'l-Bahá's spiritual victories were, perhaps, among the brightest
and happiest of her life. Little did she dream when, as a little girl,
she was running about, in the courtyard of her Father's house in
Tihrán, in the company of Him Whose destiny was to be one
day the chosen Center of God's indestructible Covenant, that such
a Brother would be capable of achieving, in realms so distant,
and among races so utterly remote, so great and memorable a
victory.
The enthusiasm and joy which swelled in her breast as she
greeted `Abdu'l-Bahá on His triumphant return from the West, I
will not venture to describe. She was astounded at the vitality of
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which He had, despite His unimaginable sufferings, proved Himself
capable. She was lost in admiration at the magnitude of the forces
which His utterances had released. She was filled with thankfulness
to Bahá'u'lláh for having enabled her to witness the evidences of
such brilliant victory for His Cause no less than for His Son.
The outbreak of the Great War gave her yet another opportunity
to reveal the true worth of her character and to release the latent
energies of her heart. The residence of `Abdu'l-Bahá in Haifa was
besieged, all throughout that dreary conflict, by a concourse of
famished men, women and children whom the maladministration,
the cruelty and neglect of the officials of the Ottoman Government
had driven to seek an alleviation to their woes. From the hand of
the Greatest Holy Leaf, and out of the abundance of her heart,
these hapless victims of a contemptible tyranny, received day after
day unforgettable evidences of a love they had learned to envy and
admire. Her words of cheer and comfort, the food, the money, the
clothing she freely dispensed, the remedies which, by a process of
her own, she herself prepared and diligently applied--all these had
their share in comforting the disconsolate, in restoring sight to the
blind, in sheltering the orphan, in healing the sick, and in succoring
the homeless and the wanderer.
She had reached, amidst the darkness of the war days, the high
water-mark of her spiritual attainments. Few, if any, among the
unnumbered benefactors of society whose privilege has been to allay,
in various measures, the hardships and sufferings entailed by that
Fierce Conflict, gave as freely and as disinterestedly as she did; few
exercised that undefinable influence upon the beneficiaries of their
gifts.
Age seemed to have accentuated the tenderness of her loving
heart, and to have widened still further the range of her sympathies.
The sight of appalling suffering around her steeled her energies and
revealed such potentialities that her most intimate associates had
failed to suspect.
The ascension of `Abdu'l-Bahá, so tragic in its suddenness, was
to her a terrific blow, from the effects of which she never completely
recovered. To her He, whom she called "Áqá," had been a refuge
in times of adversity. On Him she had been led to place her sole
reliance. In Him she had found ample compensation for the
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bereavements she had suffered, the desertions she had witnessed, the
ingratitude she had been shown by friends and kindreds. No one
could ever dream that a woman of her age, so frail in body, so
sensitive of heart, so loaded with the cares of almost eighty years of
incessant tribulation, could so long survive so shattering a blow.
And yet history, no less than the annals of our immortal Faith, shall
record for her a share in the advancement and consolidation of the
world-wide community which the hand of `Abdu'l-Bahá had helped
to fashion, which no one among the remnants of His Family can
rival.
Which of the blessings am I to recount, which in her unfailing
solicitude she showered upon me, in the most critical and agitated
hours of my life? To me, standing in so dire a need of the vitalizing
grace of God, she was the living symbol of many an attribute I
had learned to admire in `Abdu'l-Bahá. She was to me a continual
reminder of His inspiring personality, of His calm resignation, of
His munificence and magnanimity. To me she was an incarnation
of His winsome graciousness, of His all-encompassing tenderness
and love.
It would take me too long to make even a brief allusion to those
incidents of her life, each of which eloquently proclaims her as a
daughter, worthy to inherit that priceless heritage bequeathed to her
by Bahá'u'lláh. A purity of life that reflected itself in even the
minutest details of her daily occupations and activities; a tenderness
of heart that obliterated every distinction of creed, class and
color; a resignation and serenity that evoked to the mind the calm
and heroic fortitude of the Báb; a natural fondness of flowers and
children that was so characteristic of Bahá'u'lláh; an unaffected
simplicity of manners; an extreme sociability which made her accessible
to all; a generosity, a love, at once disinterested and indiscriminating,
that reflected so clearly the attributes of `Abdu'l-Bahá's
character; a sweetness of temper; a cheerfulness that no amount of
sorrow could becloud; a quiet and unassuming disposition that
served to enhance a thousandfold the prestige of her exalted rank;
a forgiving nature that instantly disarmed the most unyielding
enemy--these rank among the outstanding attributes of a saintly
life which history will acknowledge as having been endowed with a
celestial potency that few of the heroes of the past possessed.
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No wonder that in Tablets, which stand as eternal testimonies to
the beauty of her character, Bahá'u'lláh and `Abdu'l-Bahá have paid
touching tributes to those things that testify to her exalted position
among the members of their Family, that proclaim her as an example
to their followers, and as an object worthy of the admiration of all
mankind.
I need only, at this juncture, quote the following passage from
a Tablet addressed by `Abdu'l-Bahá to the Holy Mother, the tone
of which reveals unmistakably the character of those ties that bound
Him to so precious, so devoted a sister:
"To my honored and distinguished sister do thou convey the
expression of my heartfelt, my intense longing. Day and night she
liveth in my remembrance. I dare make no mention of the feelings
which separation from her has aroused in my heart, for whatever
I should attempt to express in writing will assuredly be effaced by
the tears which such sentiments must bring to my eyes."
Dearly-beloved Greatest Holy Leaf! Through the mist of tears
that fill my eyes I can clearly see, as I pen these lines, thy noble
figure before me, and can recognize the serenity of thy kindly face.
I can still gaze, though the shadow of the grave separate us, into
thy blue, love-deep eyes, and can feel, in its calm intensity, the
immense love thou didst bear for the Cause of thine Almighty
Father, the attachment that bound thee to the most lowly and
insignificant among its followers, the warm affection thou didst
cherish for me in thine heart. The memory of the ineffable beauty
of thy smile shall ever continue to cheer and hearten me in the
thorny path I am destined to pursue. The remembrance of the
touch of thine hand shall spur me on to follow steadfastly in thy
way. The sweet magic of thy voice shall remind me, when the
hour of adversity is at its darkest, to hold fast to the rope thou
didst seize so firmly all the days of thy life.
Bear thou this my message to `Abdu'l-Bahá, thine exalted and
divinely-appointed Brother: If the Cause for which Bahá'u'lláh
toiled and labored, for which Thou didst suffer years of agonizing
sorrow, for the sake of which streams of sacred blood have flowed,
should, in the days to come, encounter storms more severe than those
it has already weathered, do Thou continue to overshadow, with
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Thine all-encompassing care and wisdom, Thy frail, Thy unworthy
appointed child.
Intercede, O noble and well-favoured scion of a heavenly Father,
for me no less than for the toiling masses of Thy ardent lovers,
who have sworn undying allegiance to Thy memory, whose souls
have been nourished by the energies of Thy love, whose conduct has
been moulded by the inspiring example of Thy life, and whose
imaginations are fired by the imperishable evidences of Thy lively
faith, Thy unshakable constancy, Thy invincible heroism, Thy great
renunciation.
Whatever betide us, however distressing the vicissitudes which
the nascent Faith of God may yet experience, we pledge ourselves,
before the mercy-seat of thy glorious Father, to hand on, unimpaired
and undivided, to generations yet unborn, the glory
of that tradition of which thou hast been its most brilliant exemplar.
In the innermost recesses of our hearts, O thou exalted Leaf of
the Abhá Paradise, we have reared for thee a shining mansion that
the hand of time can never undermine, a shrine which shall frame
eternally the matchless beauty of thy countenance, an altar whereon
the fire of thy consuming love shall burn forever.
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine.
July 17, 1932.
[Editorial Note: Messages on the following pages, added to the
1968 edition of Bahá'í Administration, are also contained in
Messages to America, 1932-1946.]