[From the Guardian:]
The multiplicity of the vital issues that have of late confronted me at
the World Centre of the Faith, the opening of the door of pilgrimage, and
the unexpected problems which, by their urgency, have required my
immediate and close attention have, to my extreme regret, prevented me
from acknowledging, as promptly as I would have wished the communications
which various Baha'i National Assemblies have addressed me in recent
months. I have followed, however, with admiration and keen interest the
progress of the activities initiated under the 19-Month Plan by the
valiant Baha'i Communities of India, Pakistan and Burma. The generous,
unceasing contributions made by them for the completion of the Bab's holy
Sepulchre proclaim, in unmistakable terms, their devotion to the Cause for
which He laid down so heroically His life. The expansion of the activities
initiated by the high-minded and resolute pioneers in Ceylon, Indonesia,
Siam, Malaya and Sarawak indeed merit the highest praise. The efforts
exerted for the multiplication of the institutions of the Faith and their
consolidation both in the subcontinent of India and beyond its confines
augur well for the future of the Plan, the third of its kind embarked upon
by the followers of the Faith of Baha'u'llah, who are destined to play a
predominant part in the unfoldment of His World Order throughout the
territories of South East Asia. The steady endeavours made for the
translation, publication and dissemination of the literature of the Faith
by your Assembly have greatly enriched and ennobled the record of the
services you have rendered it in recent years.
Great as have been the victories already won in its service, the work that
still remains to be accomplished under this same Plan during the fleeting
months that lie ahead is still formidable, and demands unrelaxing
vigilance, heroic self-sacrifice, and inflexible resolve on the part of
not only the elected representatives of these communities but of all their
members as well. The uninterrupted and rapid multiplication of Baha'i
administrative centres; the conversion of groups into assemblies; the
development of isolated centers into
groups; a marked increase in the number of incorporated Local Assemblies;
the early completion of the highly important task assumed in connexion
with the translation and publication of the New Era in the remaining
languages already selected for that purpose; the despatch, without further
delay, of no more than one pioneer for the present to Nepal and
Indo-China, as well as to Zanzibar and Madagascar, in pursuance of the
Plan initiated in both Africa and South East Asia; the maintenance, at any
cost, of the present status of the newly formed assemblies; the
concentration of effort for the promotion of unity and cooperation among
the divers elements that constitute the warp and woof of these
communities--these stand out as the predominating obligations facing the
entire body of the followers of the Faith in the subcontinent of India and
its neighbouring territories.
Nor must the privileged members of these communities, and particularly
their elected representatives, neglect, for a moment, the paramount duty,
of preparing, by every means at their disposal, for the historic and in
some respects, the most vital, Conference to be held in the course of the
Holy Year which the entire Baha'i world will soon befittingly celebrate.
As the Convenor of such a fate-laden Conference, whose task is to
facilitate the execution of the most far-reaching, the most challenging,
and the most dramatic of all the enterprises destined to be launched by
the followers of the Faith throughout the whole planet, your Assembly
assumes a responsibility at once immense, soul-stirring and inescapable.
In providing adequate facilities for the accommodation of the Hands of the
Cause and of the official representatives of no less than eight National
Spiritual Assemblies and of the large number of visitors who will
participate in its proceedings; in ensuring wide publicity through the
press and radio for such a unique gathering; in exerting their utmost for
the maintenance of harmony and for full consultation on the weighty issues
that will face its attendants; in fostering the spirit of heroic adventure
and noble resolve on the part of the members of the communities that are
to act as hosts to the honoured participants of such an epoch-making
assemblage, which will, God willing, enable them to play a notable role in
the Crusade destined to embrace the continents of Asia and Australasia and
of the Pacific Islands--in all these the members of your Assembly,
supported by the rank and file of the faithful, must display a
determination, a valour and consecration that will excite the admiration
of the entire Baha'i world.
The work that calls for unswerving fidelity, urgent attention and
continuous vigilance, during the swiftly passing months ahead, is immense,
truly sacred and infinitely meritorious. The consummation of the Plan
already initiated would constitute the best preparation for the assumption
of the still greater functions, and the discharge of still weightier
responsibilities, that await the patiently labouring, the steadfast, the
loyal and devoted followers of the Most Great Name in India, Pakistan and
Burma. That they may victoriously discharge their present
responsibilities, that they may befittingly embark on the glorious Mission
that lies ahead of them, that they may distinguish themselves through
their collective contribution to the success of the World Crusade soon to
be inaugurated by the followers of Baha'u'llah in both the East and the
West, is the object of my constant prayer and one of the most cherished
desires of my heart.