Unfolding Destiny
by Shoghi Effendi
Edition 1, (September 2006)
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CONTENTS
Baha'i Terms of Use
The Messages from the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith to the Baha'i Community
of the British Isles
[Frontispiece]
THE SEEDS ARE TENDED
1922-1944
Letter of 5 March 1922
Letter of 16 December 1922
Letter of 23 December 1922
Letter of 17 February 1923
Letter of 24 February 1923
Letter of 29 November 1923
Letter of 9 December 1923
Letter of 6 January 1924
Letter of 4 January 1924 (Enclosure)
Letter of 18 January 1924
Letter of 6 February 1924
Letter of 11 June 1924
Letter of 16 July 1924
Letter of 23 September 1924
Letter of 24 September 1924
Letter of 10 October 1924
Letter of 10 October 1924
Letter of 25 October 1924
Letter of 4 November 1924
Letter of 22 November 1924
Letter of 24 November 1924
Letter of 13 February 1925
Letter of 26 March 1925
Letter of 2 November 1925
Letter of 6 November 1925
Letter of 11 November 1925
Letter of 12 November 1925
Letter of 23 November 1925
Letter of 27 November 1925
Letter of 30 November 1925
Letter of 5 December 1925
Letter of 9 December 1925
Letter of 14 December 1925
Letter of 23 January 1926
Letter of 1 April 1926
Letter of 11 April 1926
Letter of 11 April 1926
Letter of 22 April 1926
Letter of 11 May 1926
Letter of 20 May 1926
Letter of 28 June 1926
Letter of 16 July 1926
Letter of 17 October 1926
Letter of 23 October 1926
Letter of 29 October 1926
Letter of 29 November 1926
Letter of 29 January 1927
Letter of 12 February 1927
Letter of 26 February 1927
Letter of 22 March 1927
Letter of 27 April 1927
Letter of 29 April 1927
Letter of 13 May 1927
Letter of 22 May 1927
Letter of 25 May 1927
Letters of 8 October 1927 and 17 October 1927
Letter of 15 November 1927
Letter of 28 November 1927
Letter of 5 January 1928
Letter of 16 January 1928
Letter of 8 February 1928
Letter of 22 March 1928
Letter of 15 April 1928
Letter of 24 April 1928
Letter of 24 May 1928
Letter of 13 November 1928
Letter of 29 November 1928
Letter of 6 December 1928
Letter of 6 December 1928
Letter of 21 December 1928
Letter of 31 December 1928
Letter of 29 August 1929
Letter of 27 September 1929
Letter of 29 November 1929
Letter of 26 December 1929
Letter of 31 January 1930
Letter of 29 April 1930
Letter of 20 September 1930
Letter of 24 January 1934
Letter of 11 February 1934
Letter of 5 May 1934
Letter of 15 May 1934
Letter of 2 July 1934
Letter of 11 July 1934
Letter of 2 September 1934
Letter of 30 September 1934
Letter of 22 November 1934
Letter of 17 December 1934
Letter of 27 December 1934
Letter of 15 February 1935
Letter of 7 April 1935
Letter of 9 December 1935
Letter of 26 December 1935
Letter of 13 March 1936
Letter of 16 March 1936
Letter of April 1936
Letter of 27 April 1936 (Convention)
Letter of 3 May 1936
Letter of 9 May 1936
Letter of 3 September 1936
Letter of 17 October 1936
Letter of 2 December 1936
Letter of 10 January 1937
Letter of 24 February 1937
Letter of 5 March 1937
Letter of 25 March 1937
Letter of 2 April 1937
Letter of 1 May 1937
Letter of 3 May 1937 (Convention)
Letter of 10 July 1937
Letter of 7 September 1937
Letter of 16 November 1937
Letter of 22 April 1938 (Convention)
Letter of 24 April 1938 (Convention)
Letter of 28 April 1938
Letter of 17 May 1938
Letter of 30 June 1938
Letter of 24 October 1938
Letter of 27 November 1938
Letter of 29 November 1938
Letter of 15 January 1939
Letter of 10 February 1939
Letter of 22 March 1939
Letter of March 1939
Letter of 30 April 1939 (Convention)
Letter of 31 May 1939
Letter of 4 June 1939
Letter of 26 June 1939
Letter of 2 July 1939
Letter of 26 July 1939 (Summer School)
Letter of 7 August 1939
Letter of 6 November 1939
Letter of 20 November 1939
Letter of 5 December 1939
Letter of 7 December 1939
Letter of 29 December 1939
Letter of 1 January 1940
Letter of 2 January 1940 (Teaching Conference)
Letter of 18 February 1940
Letter of 27 March 1940
Letter of 12 May 1940 (Convention)
Letter of 14 August 1940
Letter of 10 October 1940
Letter of 19 October 1940
Letter of 22 November 1940
Letter of 27 December 1940
Letter of 24 February 1941
Letter of 19 April 1941
Letter of 30 April 1941 (Convention)
Letter of 30 April 1941
Letter of 15 May 1941
Letter of 22 May 1941
Letter of 30 May 1941
Letter of 9 July 1941
Letter of 18 July 1941
Letter of 20 August 1941
Letter of 3 November 1941
Letter of 29 December 1941
Letter of 28 February 1942
Letter of 27 April 1942 (Convention)
Letter of 20 June 1942
Letter of 28 July 1942
Letter of 8 August 1942 (Summer School)
Letter of 8 August 1942
Letter of 12 November 1942
Letter of 13 January 1943
Letter of 20 January 1943
Letter of 9 March 1943
Letter of 21 April 1943 (Convention)
Letter of 26 April 1943
Letter of 12 May 1943
Letter of 17 June 1943
Letter of 17 June 1943
Letter of 4 August 1943
Letter of 10 August 1943 (Summer School)
Letter of 25 October 1943
Letter of 2 November 1943
Letter of 5 January 1944
Letter of 13 March 1944
Letter of 22 April 1944
Letter of 1 May 1944
Letter of 3 May 1944
Letter of 22 May 1944
Letter of 23 May 1944
"Their first collective enterprise"--THE SIX YEAR PLAN
1944-1950
Letter of 25 May 1944
Letter of 26 May 1944
Letter of 8 July 1944
Letter of 11 August 1944
Letter of 12 August 1944
Letter of 14 August 1944
Letter of 5 January 1945
Letter of 27 January 1945
Letter of 27 March 1945
Letter of 11 April 1945
Letter of 25 April 1945
Letter of 1 May 1945
Letter of 3 May 1945
Letter of 9 May 1945
Letter of 10 May 1945
Letter of 9 August 1945
Letter of 18 December 1945
Letter of 21 February 1946
Letter of 5 March 1946
Letter of 12 March 1946
Letter of 22 March 1946
Letter of 24 April 1946
Letter of 24 April 1946
Letter of 26 April 1946
Letter of 30 April 1946 (Convention)
Letter of 8 May 1946
Letter of 10 May 1946
Letter of 22 May 1946
Letter of 29 May 1946
Letter of 7 June 1946
Letter of 18 June 1946
Letter of 6 July 1946
Letter of 2 August 1946 (Summer School)
Letter of 25 August 1946
Letter of 12 October 1946
Letter of 15 November 1946
Letter of 21 November 1946
Letter of 26 December 1946
Letter of 30 December 1946
Letter of 1 January 1947
Letter of 12 January 1947 (To Teaching Conference)
Letter of 20 January 1947
Letter of 29 January 1947
Letter of 8 February 1947
Letter of 26 February 1947
Letter of 20 March 1947 (To First Regional Youth Conference)
Letter of 21 March 1947
Letter of 28 March 1947
Letter of 7 April 1947
Letter of 16 April 1947
Letter of 29 April 1947
Letter of 8 May 1947
Letter of 14 May 1947
Letter of 24 May 1947
Letter of 18 June 1947
Letter of 28 June 1947
Letter of 19 July 1947
Letter of 20 August 1947
Letter of 12 September 1947
Letter of 25 September 1947
Letter of 9 October 1947
Letter of 9 October 1947
Letter of 10 October 1947
Letter of 16 October 1947
Letter of 24 October 1947
Letter of 10 December 1947
Letter of 7 January 1948
Letter of 20 January 1948
Letter of 6 February 1948
Letter of 25 February 1948
Letter of 3 March 1948
Letter of 4 April 1948
Letter of 4 April 1948
Letter of 25 April 1948
Letter of 29 April 1948
Letter of 2 May 1948
Letter of 5 May 1948
Letter of 9 May 1948
Letter of 13 May 1948
Letter of 10 June 1948
Letter of 7 July 1948
Letter of 7 September 1948 (Summer School)
Letter of 2 October 1948
Letter of 27 October 1948
Letter of 29 October 1948
Letter of 5 November 1948
Letter of 5 November 1948
Letter of 25 November 1948
Letter of 22 December 1948
Letter of 2 January 1949
Letter of 12 January 1949
Letter of 19 January 1949
Letter of 20 February 1949
Letter of 1 April 1949
Letter of 9 April 1949
Letter of 15 April 1949
Letter of 18 April 1949
Letter of 19 April 1949
Letter of 27 April 1949
Letter of 8 July 1949
Letter of 9 July 1949
Letter of 19 July 1949
Letter of 24 July 1949
Letter of 6 September 1949
Letter of 29 September 1949
Letter of 29 September 1949
Letter of 5 November 1949
Letter of 25 November 1949
Letter of 4 December 1949
Letter of 12 December 1949
Letter of 21 December 1949
Letter of 23 December 1949
Letter of 27 December 1949
Letter of 29 December 1949 (Teaching Conference)
Letter of 4 January 1950
Letter of 19 January 1950
Letter of 31 January 1950
Letter of 25 February 1950
Letter of 20 March 1950--National Teaching Committee
Letter of 28 March 1950
Letter of 30 March 1950
Letter of 4 April 1950
Letter of 11 April 1950
Letter of 19 April 1950
Letter of 21 April 1950
"The threshold of a new and glorious epoch"--THE AFRICA PLAN
1950-1953
Letter of 1 May 1950
Letter of 3 May 1950
Letter of 9 June 1950
Letter of 15 June 1950
Letter of 28 June 1950
Letter of 24 July 1950
Letter of 12 August 1950 (Summer School)
Letter of 6 September 1950
Letter of 11 September 1950
Letter of 15 September 1950
Letter of 2 November 1950
Letter of 14 November 1950
Letter of 14 November 1950
Letter of 22 November 1950
Letter of 22 December 1950
Letter of 10 January 1951 (Teaching Conference)
Letter of 16 January 1951
Letter of 17 January 1951
Letter of 25 January 1951
Letter of 25 February 1951
Letter of 23 April 1951
Letter of 25 April 1951 (Convention)
Letter of 2 May 1951
Letter of 4 May 1951
Letter of 5 May 1951
Letter of 22 June 1951
Letter of 22 June 1951
Letter of 4 July 1951
Letter of 15 July 1951
Letter of 20 July 1951
Letter of 21 August 1951
Letter of 26 August 1951
Letter of 2 September 1951
Letter of 19 September 1951
Letter of 16 October 1951
Letter of 28 October 1951
Letter of 11 November 1951
Letter of 23 November 1951
Letter of 6 December 1951
Letter of 19 December 1951
Letter of 30 December 1951
Letter of 8 January 1952 (Teaching Conference)
Letter of 16 January 1952
Letter of 13 February 1952
Letter of 20 February 1952
Letter of 29 February 1952
Letter of 4 March 1952
Letter of 8 March 1952
Letter of 12 March 1952
Letter of 18 March 1952
Letter of 16 April 1952
Letter of 22 April 1952
Letter of 29 April 1952
Letter of 4 May 1952
Letter of 3 June 1952
Letter of 3 June 1952
Letter of 4 June 1952
Letter of 12 June 1952
Letter of 15 June 1952
Letter of 29 August 1952
Letter of 15 October 1952
Letter of 20 November 1952
Letter of 28 December 1952
Letter of 8 January 1953 (Teaching Conference)
Letter of 15 January 1953 (Teaching Conference)
Letter of 28 January 1953
Letter of 1 February 1953
Letter of 13 March 1953
Letter of 25 March 1953
Letter of 3 April 1953
Letter of 8 April 1953
Letter of 18 April 1953
"World wide mission entrusted British Baha'i Community"--THE BRITISH ROLE
IN THE TEN YEAR CRUSADE
1953-1957
1953 (Convention)
Letter of 28 April 1953 (Convention)
Letter of 13 May 1953
Letter of 17 May 1953
Letter of 1 June 1953
Letter of 4 June 1953
Letter of 5 June 1953
Letter of 8 June 1953
Letter of 25 June 1953
Letter of 28 June 1953
Letter of 30 June 1953
Letter of 9 July 1953
Letter of 18 July 1953
Letter of 21 July 1953
Letter of 22 July 1953
Letter of 23 July 1953
Letter of 23 August 1953
Letter of 30 August 1953
Letter of 31 August 1953
Letter of 31 August 1953
Letter of 6 September 1953
Letter of 8 September 1953
Letter of 11 September 1953
Letter of 22 September 1953
Letter of 4 October 1953
Letter of 7 October 1953
Letter of 10th October 1953
Letter of 10 October 1953
Letter of 16 October 1953
Letter of 16 October 1953
Letter of 9 November 1953
Letter of 21 November 1953
Letter of 29 November 1953
Letter of 12 January 1954
Letter of 12 January 1954 (Teaching Conference)
Letter of 9 March 1954
Letter of 24 March 1954
Letter of 7 April 1954
Letter of 13 April 1954
Letter of 17 April 1954
Letter of 20 April 1954
Letter of 21 April 1954
Letter of 24 April 1954
Letter of 25 April 1954 (Convention)
Letter of 29 April 1954
Letter of 3 May 1954
Letter of 6 May 1954
Letter of 16 May 1954
Letter of 4 June 1954
Letter of 6 June 1954
Letter of 11 June 1954
Letter of 17 June 1954
Letter of 21 June 1954
Letter of 23 June 1954
Letter of 22 July 1954
Letter of 29 July 1954 (Summer School Committee)
Letter of 29 August 1954
Letter of 16 October 1954
Letter of 27 October 1954
Letter of 28 October 1954
Letter of 11 November 1954
Letter of 16 December 1954
Letter of 22 December 1954
Letter of 17 January 1955
Letter of 20 February 1955
Letter of 8 March 1955
Letter of 29 March 1955
Letter of 9 April 1955
Letter of 20 April 1955
Letter of 21 April 1955
Letter of 24 April 1955
Letter of 25 April 1955 (Convention)
Letter of 28 April 1955
Letter of 22 May 1955
Letter of 2 June 1955
Letter of 10 July 1955
Letter of 26 July 1955
Letter of 5 August 1955
Letter of 22 August 1955
Letter of 30 August 1955
Letter of 6 September 1955
Letter of 6 September 1955 (Summer School)
Letter of 20 September 1955
Letter of 4 October 1955
Letter of 28 October 1955
Letter of 4 November 1955
Letter of 11 November 1955
Letter of 18 November 1955
Letter of 8 December 1955
Letter of 13 December 1955
Letter of 14 December 1955
Letter of 15 December 1955
Letter of 16 December 1955
Letter of 1 January 1956
Letter of 4 January 1956
Letter of 18 January 1956
Letter of 26 March 1956
Letter of 5 April 1956
Letter of 6 April 1956
Letter of 10 April 1956
Letter of 27 April 1956
Letter of 29 April 1956
Letter of 2 May 1956
Letter of 10 May 1956
Letter of 26 June 1956
Letter of 11 July 1956
Letter of 4 November 1956
Letter of 8 December 1956
Letter of 14 December 1956
Letter of 27 December 1956
Letter of 12 January 1957
Letter of 12 January 1957
Letter of 26 February 1957
Letter of 27 February 1957
Letter of 9 March 1957
Letter of 14 March 1957
Letter of 16 March 1957
Letter of 23 March 1957
Letter of 27 March 1957
Letter of 30 March 1957
Letter of 12 April 1957
Letter of 19 April 1957
Letter of 30 April 1957
Letter of 27 May 1957
Letter of 7 June 1957 (Shetland Summer School)
Letter of 14 August 1957
Letter of 30 August 1957
Letter of 7 September 1957
Letter of 14 September 1957
Letter of 2 October 1957
Letter of 11 October 1957
THE GUARDIAN'S MESSAGES
To Local Spiritual Assemblies
Letter of 23 April 1950
Letter of 14 November 1947
Letter of 22 September 1948
Letter of 1 November 1947
Letter of 17 October 1948
Letter of 15 February 1950
Letter of 16 September 1955
Letter of 30 January 1957
Letter of 27 August 1947
Letter of 16 October 1948
Letter of 27 January 1957
Letter of 22 September 1948
Letter of 9 April 1949
Letter of 9 September 1950
Letter of 14 March 1954
Letter of 5 September 1950
Letter of 24 January 1952
Letter of 25 January 1929
Letter of 20 July 1932
Letter of 28 July 1950
Letter of 19 January 1950
Letter of 30 September 1949
Letter of 16 September 1956
Letter of 8 April 1947
Letter of 30 May 1949
Letter of 27 October 1950
Letter of 25 December 1951
Letter of 25 December 1952
Letter of 1 February 1954
Letter of 23 April 1954
Letter of 7 December 1954
Letter of 28 February 1955
Letter of 21 March 1955
Cables to the Oxford Assembly
Letter of 25 November 1949
Letter of 22 April 1950
Letter of 26 October 1950
Letter of 21 April 1954
Letter of 26 September 1957
Letter of 14 May 1957
EXCERPTS FROM LETTERS TO INDIVIDUALS
Letter of 28 September 1925
Letter of 28 October 1925
Letter of 28 December 1925
Letter of 28 March 1926
Letter of 16 October 1926
Letter of 6 April 1928
Letter of 12 December 1929
Letter of 9 February 1930
Letter of 9 June 1930
Letter of 22 October 1930
Letter of 30 November 1930
Letter of 30 April 1931
Letter of 7 November 1931
Letter of 2 January 1932
Letter of 10 January 1932
Letter of 23 February 1932
Letter of 16 May 1932
Letter of 10 August 1932
Letter of 15 March 1933
Letter of 6 May 1933
Letter of 29 May 1933
Letter of 17 October 1933
Letter of 12 November 1933
Letter of 1 December 1933
Letter of 4 June 1934
Letter of 10 November 1934
Letter of 8 February 1935
Letter of 29 May 1935
Letter of 6 April 1936
Letter of 21 November 1936
Letter of 3 February 1937
Letter of 31 March 1938
Letter of 18 April 1940
Letter of 2 June 1941
Letter of 1 August 1941
Letter of 19 October 1941
Letter of 30 October 1941
Letter of 14 March 1942
Letter of 25 September 1942
Letter of 5 May 1943
Letter of 26 May 1943
Letter of 6 August 1943
Letter of 17 October 1944
Letter of 27 November 1944
Letter of 27 January 1945
Letter of 10 May 1945
Letter of 7 July 1945
Letter of 3 March 1946
Letter of 4 March 1946
Letter of 19 March 1946
Letter of 21 May 1946
Letter of 20 November 1946
Letter of 15 February 1947
Letter of 18 February 1947
Letter of 27 September 1947
Letter of 27 September 1947
Letter of 13 October 1947
Letter of 14 October 1947
Letter of 19 October 1947
Letter of 4 March 1948
Letter of 26 March 1948
Letter of 8 April 1948
Letter of 9 June 1948
Letter of 23 June 1948
Letter of 20 September 1948
Letter of 17 October 1948
Letter of 23 December 1948
Letter of 8 January 1949
Letter of 20 March 1949
Letter of 22 July 1949
Letter of 25 July 1949
Letter of 22 October 1949
Letter of 18 February 1950
Letter of 28 March 1950
Letter of 4 October 1950
Letter of 20 October 1950
Letter of 11 January 1951
Letter of 10 February 1951
Letter of 30 August 1951
Letter of 11 November 1951
Letter of 5 October 1952
Letter of 3 March 1955
Letter of 6 March 1955
Letter of 12 January 1957
Letter of 15 August 1957
"THEIR DAILY SUSTENANCE"
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES
BIOGRAPHIES
DR. JOHN E. ESSLEMONT, Hand of the Cause of God
EDWARD THEODORE HALL
MRS. THORNBURGH-CROPPER
GEORGE PALGRAVE SIMPSON
MISS ETHEL JENNER ROSENBERG
DIA'U'LLAH ASGHARZADIH, Knight of Baha'u'llah
SARA, LADY BLOMFIELD (SITARIH KHANUM)
GEORGE TOWNSHEND, Hand of the Cause of God
MRS. ISOBEL SLADE
MRS. LOUISE GINMAN
MISS FLORENCE E. PINCHON
MISS CLAUDIA STUART COLES
SISTER GRACE CHALLIS
DAVID HOFMAN
MRS. LILIAN STEVENS
MISS EVELYN BAXTER, Knight of Baha'u'llah
?ASAN M. BALYUZI, Hand of the Cause of God
FRANK HURST
MRS. MARY BASIL-HALL (PARVINE)
ALBERT AND JEFF JOSEPH
RICHARD ST. BARBE BAKER, O.B.E., LL.D., FOR.D.I.P. (CAMBRIDGE)
MISS JESSICA YOUNG
KATHLEEN BROWN (LADY HORNELL)
URSULA SAMANDARI (nee NEWMAN), Knight of Baha'u'llah
MRS MARION HOFMAN
MISS UNA TOWNSHEND, Knight of Baha'u'llah
JOSEPH LEE
MRS DOROTHY FERRABY (nee Cansdale)
PHILIP HAINSWORTH
WALTER WILKINS
MRS ALMA CYNTHIA GREGORY
ROBERT CHEEK
MRS JOAN GIDDINGS (nee BROWNE)
HUGH AND VIOLET MCKINLEY
DR. LUTFU'LLAH HAKIM
FRED STAHLER
MRS. PRUDENCE GEORGE
JOHN LUDLOW MARSHALL
MARY OLGA KATHERINE MILLS, Knight of Baha'u'llah
ALFRED AND EDITH LUCY SUGAR
CHARLES WILLIAM DUNNING, Knight of Baha'u'llah
MISS CLAIRE GUNG
MRS. LIZZIE FOWLER HAINSWORTH
MISS MARGARET SULLIVAN (later MRS. MARGARET NELSON)
CYRIL AND MARGARET JENKERSON
RICHARD H. BACKWELL
MISS ADA WILLIAMS
MRS CONSTANCE LANGDON-DAVIES
GEORGE K. MARSHALL
MRS MARGUERITE PRESTON (nee Wellby)
BERNARD LEACH, C.H., C.B.E.
SAMUEL SCOTT
JOHN FERRABY, Hand of the Cause of God.
MRS FLORENCE "MOTHER" GEORGE
MUSA BANANI, Hand of the Cause of God.
'ALI NAKHJAVANI
?ASSAN AND ISOBEL SABRI
ARTHUR NORTON
ERIC MANTON
DR. ABBAS AND SHOMAIS AFNAN,
EDMUND (TED) CARDELL, Knight of Baha'u'llah
DR. JOHN GEORGE MITCHELL, Knight of Baha'u'llah
MISS IRENE BENNETT
MISS DOROTHY WIGINGTON
ERNEST WILLIAM GREGORY
DR. ERNEST SPENCER MILLER
IAN SEMPLE
MISS JEAN M. CAMPBELL
JOHN CHARLES CRAVEN
ADDENDUM FOR H. M. BALYUZI
THE MESSAGES FROM THE GUARDIAN OF THE BAHA'I FAITH TO THE BAHA'I COMMUNITY
OF THE BRITISH ISLES
[Frontispiece]
"...this community can do no better than to gird up afresh its loins, turn
its back upon the clamour of the age, its fears, confusion and strife,
step resolutely forward on its chosen path, unshakably confident that with
every step it takes, should it remain undeflected in its purpose and
undimmed in its vision, a fresh outpouring of Divine grace will reinforce
and guide its march on the highroad of its destiny."
Shoghi
"...The annals of the British Baha'i community, small in numbers, yet
unconquerable in spirit, tenacious in belief, undeviating in purpose,
alert and vigilant in the discharge of its manifold duties and
responsibilities, have in consequence of its epoch-making achievements
been vastly enriched.
"The process set in motion and greatly accelerated through the successive
formulation of the Six Year Plan, the Two Year Plan and the Ten Year Plan,
must continue unabated and unimpaired. Nay with every passing day it must
gather momentum. Every individual believer must, henceforth, encouraged
and inspired by all that has already been achieved, contribute to its
future and speedy unfoldment.
"That the entire community may befittingly respond to the call of the
present hour and bring to a final consummation the Mission with which it
has been entrusted is the deepest yearning of my heart and the object of
my unceasing prayers."
Shoghi
THE SEEDS ARE TENDED
1922-1944
Letter of 5 March 1922
5 March 1922(1)
Dear Fellow-workers in the Cause of Baha'u'llah,
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 endeavour to realise 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.
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
candour, that the dignity and unity of the Cause urgently
demands--particularly throughout the American continent--that the friends
should in their words and conduct emphasise and give absolute prominence
to the constructive dynamic principles of Baha'u'llah, 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 endeavour at this moment to
forget past impressions, and with absolute goodwill and genuine
co-operation 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 goodwill, of forebearance 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 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 groups 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-Baha 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 Baha'i 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.
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 Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha 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
harmonised 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 Abha 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 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 Baha, and should it exceed this number it does not matter.
It behoveth 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-Baha 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 Baha 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 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 honoured
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 honoured
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 endeavour to fulfil these conditions the Grace of the
Holy Spirit shall be vouchsafed unto them, and that assembly shall become
the centre 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-Baha after having Himself and in His own
handwriting corrected the translation made into Arabic of the I_sh_raqat
(the Effulgences) by _Sh_ay_kh_ 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
honour, _Sh_ay_kh_ Faraju'llah, has here rendered into Arabic with
greatest care the I_sh_raqat 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 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 co-operation 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.
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 Baha'i organ, the
matter of publication, or reprinting Baha'i literature and its
distribution among the various assemblies, the means whereby the teaching
campaign may be stimulated and maintained, the work of the
Ma_sh_riqu'l-A_dh_kar, the racial question in relation to the Cause, the
matter of receiving Orientals and associating 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 handmaidens of Baha'u'llah are so devoutly and earnestly engaged, to
be harmonised and conducted with unity, co-operation and efficiency, that
the effect of such a combined and systematised 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 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
Letter of 16 December 1922
16 December 1922
To my spiritual brethren and sisters in Great Britain.
Care of the members of the Spiritual Council.(2)
My dearest brethren and sisters in the faith of God!
May I at the very outset of this, my very first letter to you, convey to
your hearts in words, however inadequate but assuredly deeply felt and
sincere, a measure of my burning impatience, during my days of retirement,
to return speedily and join hands with you in the great work of
consolidation that awaits every earnest believer in the Cause of
Baha'u'llah.
Now that happily I feel myself restored to a position where I can take up
with continuity and vigour the threads of my manifold duties, the
bitterness of every disappointment felt, time and again, in the course of
the past weary months at my feeling of unpreparedness, have been merged in
the sweetness of the present hour, when I realise that spiritually and
bodily I am better equipped to shoulder the responsibilities of the Cause.
The thought, so often comforting and sustaining, that in the counsels of
my British co-workers of that land, I shall find spontaneous and
undiminished support as well as wise and experienced assistance, is surely
one of those forces which will hearten me in the midst of my future
labours for the Cause.
That in every one of you our departed Master reposed His future and truest
hopes for an able and convincing presentation of the Cause to the outside
world, is abundantly revealed in His spoken and written words to you, as
well as in His general references to the spirit of sincerity, of tenacity
and devotion that animates His friends of that land.
The fierce tests that have raged over that island in the past; the calm
and determination with which they have been so bravely faced and
surmounted; the seeds of loving fellowship that the Beloved in person has
more than once scattered in its soil; the rise, as its result, of a few
but indeed capable, reliable, devoted and experienced followers and
admirers of the Cause; the splendid and in many instances unique
opportunities that are yours--these indeed are cherished thoughts for a
land that illumines its past and should cheer its future.
I need hardly tell you how grateful and gratified I felt when I heard the
news of the actual formation of a National Council whose main object is to
guide, co-ordinate and harmonise the various activities of the friends,
and when I learned of its satisfactory composition, its harmonious
procedure and the splendid work it is achieving.
My earnest prayer is that the blessing of the Almighty may rest upon all
its deliberations, that it may be divinely guided, inspired in its work,
may smooth speedily and definitely all differences that may arise, may
promote the all-important work of Teaching, may widen the sphere of its
correspondence and exchange of news with the distant parts of the Baha'i
world, may secure through its publications a dignified and proper
presentation of the Cause to the enlightened public, and may in every
other respect prove itself capable of distinct and worthy achievements.
With abiding affection and renewed vigour I shall now await the joyful
tidings of the progress of the Cause and the extension of your activities,
and will spare no effort in sharing with the faithful, here and in other
lands, the welcome news of the progressive march of the Cause and the
unceasing labours of our British friends for the Cause of Baha'u'llah.
Your brother,
Shoghi
Letter of 23 December 1922
23 December 1922
To my beloved brethren and sisters throughout Great Britain.
Care of the members of the Baha'i Council.
Dearest Friends,
I have during the last few days been waiting eagerly for the first written
messages of my Western friends, sent to me since they have learned of my
return to the Holy Land. How great was the joy when dear Miss Rosenberg's
letter--the very first that reached me from the West--was handed to me this
evening, bearing the joyful news of the safety, the unity and the
happiness of my British friends across the seas! I read it and re-read it
with particular pleasure and felt a thrill of delight at the welcome news
of the harmonious and efficient functioning of your Spiritual Assembly.
I very sincerely hope that now that I have fully re-entered upon my task,
I may be enabled to offer my humble share of assistance and advice in the
all-important work which is now before you. I fervently pray to God that
the field of your activities may go on expanding, that your zeal and
efforts may never diminish, and that new souls, active, able and sincere,
may soon join with you in bearing aloft the Glorious Standard of the Cause
in that land....
Ere long, an able and experienced teacher recently arrived from Persia
will visit your shores and will, I trust, by his thorough knowledge of the
Cause, his wide experience, his fluency, his ardour and his devotion,
reanimate every drooping spirit and inspire the active worker to make
fresh and determined efforts for the deepening as well as the spreading of
the Movement in those regions. His forthcoming book, which he has
patiently and laboriously written on the history of the Movement and which
has been partly revised by the Pen of our Beloved Master is beyond any
doubt the most graphic, the most reliable and comprehensive of its kind in
all Baha'i literature. I am sure he will considerably enrich the store of
your knowledge of the various phases and stages of the Baha'i Movement.
Our beloved Dr. Esslemont will, I trust, be particularly pleased to meet
him, as he is eminently qualified to offer him valuable help in connection
with various aspects of his (Dr. Esslemont's) book. I am enclosing various
suggestions of Mr. Dreyfus-Barney and of Mr. Roy Wilhelm made by them at
my request, during their last sojourn in the Holy Land. I submit them to
Dr. Esslemont's consideration as well as to that of the Spiritual
Assembly. I very deeply regret my inability to give the attention I desire
to this admirable work of his, but will assuredly do all in my power to
aid him in the final stages of his work. I am certain however that the
book as it now stands gives the finest and most effective presentation of
the various aspects of the Cause to the mind of the Oriental as well as to
that of the Westerner. May it arouse a genuine and widespread interest in
the Cause throughout the world.
I am now starting correspondence with every Baha'i local centre throughout
the East and will not fail to instruct and urge the believers everywhere
to send directly through their respective spiritual local Assemblies the
joyful tidings of the progress of the Cause, in the form of regular
detailed reports, to the various assemblies of their spiritual brethren
and sisters in the West. England, I am confident, will regularly and
consistently receive, directly, and indirectly through the "Star of the
West" and the "Baha'i News" of India, a large share of such tidings from
Persia, Caucasus, Turkestan, India, Turkey and Mesopotamia, North Africa
and Egypt. It would be most gratifying and encouraging to all earnest
workers for the Cause of Baha'u'llah if every now and then a report on the
spiritual activities of the friends in Great Britain, as well as articles
on spiritual matters, would be submitted for publication to the
above-mentioned periodicals. It would, I feel very strongly, react very
favourably on the Cause in England, and would serve to draw closer the
ties that bind all spiritual centres together at the present time.
I would be pleased and grateful if the members of the Spiritual Assembly
would at any time inform me of their needs, wants and desires, their plans
and activities, that I may through my prayers and brotherly assistance
contribute, however meagrely, to the success of their glorious mission in
this world.
To my extreme regret, I feel unable in view of my manifold and pressing
duties, and owing to the extraordinary extension of the Movement in recent
times, to correspond with the friends individually and express to them in
writing what I always feel in the depth of my heart of brotherly affection
and abiding gratitude for their love and sympathy for me. I shall,
however, await with eager expectation their individual letters and assure
them of my readiness and wish to be of any service to them in their work
for the Cause.
Remembering every one of you in these hallowed surroundings and fervently
praying at the three sacred Thresholds that the blessings of the Lord may
rest upon your individual and collective efforts,
I am as ever your devoted brother,
Shoghi
Letter of 17 February 1923
17 February 1923
The beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful throughout
London, Manchester and Bournemouth.
Care of the members of the National Spiritual Assembly.(3)
Dearest brethren and sisters in 'Abdu'l-Baha,
The letters that I have recently received from the friends in London and
Manchester have been to me a source of great hope and encouragement, and
have served to strengthen the ties that bind me to my dearly-beloved
friends in that great country.
I am much pleased and gratified to hear of the wonderful progress of the
work of our able and devoted brother, Jinab-i-'Avarih, and my earnest hope
and prayer is that he may, by his zeal, patience, experience and
knowledge, set ablaze the fire that the Master has kindled in the heart of
that land.