Haifa, Palestine,
December 21, 1928.
Letter of January 1, 1929.
The beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful throughout the
West.
Dearly-beloved co-workers:
Whilst the Baha'is of Persia, constituting the overwhelming majority of
the adherents of the Baha'i Faith in eastern lands, are tasting the
first-fruits of their long-dreamed emancipation, a not inconsiderable
section of Baha'u'llah'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 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.