you through our dear brother, Mr. Asgarzadeh. Some time ago I received a
letter addressed to our beloved Guardian from Miss Mabel M. Sharples, the
Hon. Secretary of the Conference on Living Religions within the Empire,
giving him some information concerning the time of the Conference, and
conditions covering the submission of papers to be read at the Conference.
I forwarded this letter to our beloved Shoghi Effendi.
Yesterday I received a letter from him instructing me to answer in his
behalf Miss Sharples' letter. Yesterday I answered her letter and told her
that Shoghi Effendi hopes to be able to attend the Conference and deliver
an address on the Cause in person and in case circumstances prevent him
from doing so, a paper will be sent to the Conference through Mr. Simpson,
the President of the Baha'i Spiritual Assembly, to be read on that
occasion. I told her also that we will appreciate any further information
or suggestion she thinks necessary in regard to this matter. This
information or suggestion will be communicated by her to your National
Spiritual Assembly.
This morning a cablegram was communicated by the Greatest Holy Leaf to Mr.
Roy Wilhelm in New York, instructing the committee in charge of the
desired article to hasten its despatch. This article should be handed
towards the end of July. The time is short. If the American friends have
already sent that article, I mean if it is on the way, and we receive it
in time, we shall immediately forward it to our dear Shoghi Effendi for
his approval and then mail it to you. If it, however, arrives late, we
will directly mail it to you so that you may modify it if necessary and
hand it over to the Secretary of the Conference. In the latter case, it is
not necessary to submit it to Shoghi Effendi for his approval, for he
authorises you, the members of the National Spiritual Assembly to make any
correction which you think advisable.
Shoghi Effendi has also instructed me to enclose a cheque for thirty
pounds in this letter as contribution towards the Conference. If the
English friends are to add something to this sum and offer it to the
Conference, it will be highly appreciated by Shoghi Effendi.
The cheque is drawn by the Anglo-Palestine Bank at Haifa on the Jewish
Colonial Trust, London, payable to your order. It is dated June 15th and
No. F077834/34224. Today we received the answer to our cablegram to Mr.
Wilhelm, stating that the article was mailed on the 11th, both to Haifa
and England and that Mr. Mills would gladly act at the Conference.
As we understand Mr. Mountfort Mills may go from America to England at the
time of the Conference. Shoghi Effendi will be very glad, if Mr. Mills
read the Paper. This desire of Shoghi Effendi was also mentioned in
to-day's cablegram which was communicated to Mr. Wilhelm.
Through the many cablegrams and letters which have arrived from different
centres of the Cause, promising the maintenance of harmony, union and love
among the dear friends, the grief and sorrow of our beloved Guardian has
been greatly lightened and so we have great hope that when the hot season
of the Holy Land is over, we will have the pleasure and joy of his return.
The members of the Holy Family are all sending you and your dear
co-workers their tender love and assure you of their ardent prayers at the
Holy Shrines in your behalf. They are always awaiting heart-refreshing
glad tidings from you. My humble greeting and warm love to yourself and
the dear friends too.
Your humble brother and co-worker in His service,
(Enclosure)
Bahiyyih _Kh_anum, Haifa
ARTICLE MAILED ELEVENTH BOTH HAIFA LONDON GLADLY ACT CONFERENCE.
MILLS
Letter of 16 July 1924
16 July 1924
My dear Baha'i Brother,
...I have to write you and inform you that only yesterday I had the
privilege of receiving a letter from our dear Guardian who is still away
from Haifa ... he wishes me to write you, in answer to your letter to him,
that he very much regrets to be unable to be present in London and
represent a Cause to which he has ... dedicated his heart and soul. Were
it at all possible for me to send you his short note, you would see for
yourself with what a spirit he expresses his deep regret.... Although he
realises your disappointment at his inability to go to London, he wishes
me to assure every one of you that his eager prayers for you all is
unfailing and that it is with a glad heart that he cherishes the fondest
hopes in the effort that the proceedings of the religious Conference shall
have on the audience. May I also add that this is a hope in which
everybody shares especially the Greatest Holy Leaf and the members of the
family.
I presume by now you have already received a copy of the address that is
to be read...
You might be interested to know that the news of the progress of the Cause
among the Kadiani sect in India is quite surprising and two of their chief
leaders have not only become Baha'is, but have started an admirable little
weekly, I think, through which they hope to bring many of their colleagues
over. By the way, I believe the leader of the sect who is himself a young
man is coming over to London to represent his sect at the Conference.
The confusion and disorder in Persia which had aroused so much
apprehension on the part of the helpless Baha'is and had even led in one
case to actual martyrdom, has apparently subsided for the moment.
Here in Haifa everybody is in good health. With heartfelt greetings to all
the friends in London....
Letter of 23 September 1924
23 September 1924
MAY WEMBLEY (sic CONFERENCE) FULFIL YOUR FONDEST HOPES PRAY CONVEY
AUTHORITIES MY SINCERE REGRET AT INABILITY TO BE PRESENT I WISH THEM FULL
SUCCESS IN THEIR NOBLE ENDEAVOURS.
SHOGHI
Letter of 24 September 1924
24 September 1924(4)
The beloved of the Lord and the hand-maids of the Merciful in Great
Britain.
Care of the National Spiritual Assembly.
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 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.
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 organised 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 Abha 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 splendour of those eternal principles
proclaimed by Baha'u'llah.
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-Baha, who from His station above is the sure witness
of all that you have endured and suffered for Him.
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
centres of activity, upholding and promoting their interests with complete
unanimity and contentment, with perfect understanding, genuine enthusiasm,
and sustained vigour. This indeed is the one joy and yearning of my life,
for it is the fountain-head 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
Letter of 10 October 1924
10 October 1924
My dear good brother,
Your letter of Sept. 30th written to our beloved Guardian, Shoghi Effendi,
arrived and rejoiced his dear heart with its very interesting contents.
Yesterday he instructed me to translate a great part of it into Persian so
that it may be inserted in the circular of the Haifa Spiritual Assembly
and also to convey to you his great affection for you and the dear English
friends who so splendidly laboured towards the dignified representation of
the Cause of God at the Conference on Religions.
We have already the reports given in "The Times" from the two sessions of
the Conference allotted to the A?madiyyih people and to us. Both are very
interesting indeed....
Shoghi Effendi prays for the success and confirmation of you and all the
dear and noble English friends whose earnestness of efforts towards the
welfare of the Cause of God he highly admires and appreciates with
profound love....
Letter of 10 October 1924
10 October 1924
My dearly-beloved brother,
I am highly gratified with your splendid achievements and deeply
appreciative of your painstaking efforts. More power to your elbow! You
are rendering our precious Cause a splendid service in its hour of need!
Lady Blomfield's idea of a reception was undoubtedly inspired and was
admirably executed. It has indeed rejoiced my heart. My love and my
gratitude for her wise, patient and fruitful efforts.
Your brother,
Shoghi
Letter of 25 October 1924
25 October 1924
My dear Baha'i Brother,
Your very interesting letter of Oct. 15th. written to our beloved Guardian
together with the printed copy of the sermon of Dr. Walsh arrived the day
before yesterday and imparted great joy to his dear heart. He cherishes
great hopes for the bright future of the Cause in England. Of course his
hopes are partly based on the intrinsic mighty power of the Cause of God
and partly on the dignified way the dear friends in England are presenting
the Cause of God to the public.
Yesterday afternoon he instructed me to write this informing you of the
safe arrival of your letter and assure you that he appreciates with great
love your distinguished services to the Cause of God. He prays at the Holy
Shrines that fresh confirmations may reach you from the Abha Kingdom day
by day so that you may have material comfort and spiritual success. He is
sure that the holy spirit of our beloved Lord, 'Abdu'l-Baha is watching
over you and guiding your steps in life.
The members of the Holy Family and the friends in Haifa are thinking of
you and the other dear friends in England with love and admiration,
joining all in prayers for your happiness.
[From the Guardian:]
My dearest friend,
I wish to add a few words of assurance and sympathy in view of the heavy
burden of responsibility that rests on your shoulders in these difficult
and trying times. My fervent and increasing prayer is that 'Abdu'l-Baha
may show you the way that will enable you to continue your splendid
pioneer work effectually, peacefully, free from every earthly care and
anxiety. Dr. Walsh's sermon is astonishingly good. I wish you would send
me about 50 copies of the same. I pray unceasingly for my friends in
England.
Shoghi
Letter of 4 November 1924
4 November 1924
My dear Mr. Simpson,
It is always a pleasure to acknowledge receipt of your letters to our dear
Guardian, and he was deeply interested in the minutes of the last meeting
of the N.S.A. which you were so kind as to enclose.
Your own letter, however, brought up a very interesting and vital question
in regard to the future progress of the Cause in England, especially now
that through the efforts of you all the spread of the Baha'i Movement has
been well placed on the road to our ultimate victory. Now is the time to
take all necessary measures against a slacking in our pace and it is truly
unfortunate that just when the individual endeavours of every single
member is most needed and necessary, age and earthly cares deprive us of
some of our experienced and able co-workers. It would, I believe, be a
great service if just as few as possible could manage to deny themselves
of the joy and enthusiasm of serving as noble a Cause.
I am sure it would interest you to know that Mr. and Mrs. Mills are now in
Haifa and all that they have to say proves well the energy and efforts of
the London friends. We already have about ten pilgrims and are expecting
some more. I suppose Dr. Esslemont who would have much to tell us and
whose arrival Shoghi Effendi is eagerly awaiting, is among those who will
soon arrive....
[From the Guardian:]
My dear fellow-worker,
I trust that the prolonged visit of Dr. Esslemont will prove to be in
future pregnant with far-reaching possibilities for the service of the
Cause in England. To yourself I send my imperishable love and brotherly
greetings.
Affectionately,
Shoghi
Letter of 22 November 1924
22 November 1924
My dear Mr. Simpson,
The letter you had sent through Dr. Esslemont to Shoghi Effendi has
arrived and it gave him very great pleasure to read it. Although it is
quite beyond me to express to you just what thoughts and sentiments your
frank expressions of loyalty and love aroused in his heart, this I feel I
can assure you that it made him hopeful of the future and added to his
great confidence in you.
The Baha'i Cause has a great mission to the people of England but the
field of service though immensely vast presents innumerable difficulties,
and it needs the able hand of a staunch and true Baha'i primarily and the
dexterity of a good supervisor, to overcome every confronting difficulty
and to carry His Message to millions of people. This responsibility has
been entrusted to you by the guided decision of the Baha'is in England and
our Guardian finds great pleasure in confiding the same duty in you and in
endorsing the happy decision of the friends there.
In regard to your contemplated withdrawal from the presidency of the
N.S.A. and the London Assembly, it made him very happy to know that even
the thought of it has totally vanished. The hopes that he cherished in you
are far too many to permit you a more quiet part in Baha'i activities in
England, and the hopeful signs of progress in the past year has made the
prospects of the coming year very bright and it all depends upon the
efforts of the friends in England and the guidance of our Master from on
high just how bright it shall turn out to be.
We still have Mr. Mills with us in Haifa and I assure you, we miss you
very much. The photograph you had sent to Shoghi Effendi has been received
and it shall be framed and placed in the Persian Pilgrim House...
...just of late we had the very sad news of the martyrdom of a Baha'i
woman expecting to be soon a mother, and although she was related to very
influential officers in the army, nothing could make the criminals, who
sought refuge in the house of one of the Mullas, arrested. Though such
cases of untold carnage prove with much more force than mere words just
what the spirit of Baha'u'llah infused into every such Baha'i has been,
and exactly what it means in Persia to try and become one, the horrors of
such a murder are truly beyond words. All that we have to do is to seek
His Grace and to beg and implore for God's mercy.
May I also write a further assurance of Shoghi Effendi's reliance upon you
and with an expression of his heartfelt love for you....
[From the Guardian:]
My most precious fellow-worker,
But for your unremitting labours, your sound and selfless efforts, the
burden that weighs upon me would prove well-nigh unbearable. I am sure
your heart responds to the sentiments that surge in my heart. I have a
profound admiration for the heroic manner in which you are rendering such
pioneer service to the Cause in England. May the Master sustain you,
comfort you and uphold you in your great task. Be assured of my brotherly,
unfailing prayers.
I am your true and affectionate brother,
Shoghi
Letter of 24 November 1924
24 November 1924(5)
To my dearly beloved brothers and sisters in 'Abdu'l-Baha.
Care of the English 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-Baha. 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?
We have but to turn our eyes to the world without to realise the
fierceness and the magnitude of the forces of darkness that are struggling
with the dawning light of the Abha 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 world-wide ruin. Races,
alienated more than ever before, are filled with mistrust, humiliation and
fear, and seem to prepare themselves 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 increasing
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? 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 fellowmen, 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 Baha'i 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 character, can in the last resort establish our claim
that the Baha'i spirit is in this day the sole agency that can translate a
long cherished ideal into an enduring achievement.
With this vision clearly set before us, and fortified by the knowledge of
the gracious aid of Baha'u'llah and the repeated assurances of
'Abdu'l-Baha, let us first strive to live the life and then arise with one
heart, one mind, one voice, to reinforce our numbers and achieve 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 behoveth 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, Ya Baha'u'l-Abha! (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 that individual
regeneration--the essential requisite of teaching--let us arise to teach His
Cause with righteousness, conviction, understanding and vigour. Let this
be the paramount and most urgent duty of every Baha'i. 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;
familiarise ourselves with their manners, traditions, thoughts and
customs; arouse, stimulate and maintain universal interest in the
Movement, and at the same time endeavour 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 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 Baha'u'llah.
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 realise 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.