that your N.S.A. should seriously consider the ways and means for the
speedy publication of this highly valuable work, the spread of which
cannot but give an unprecedented publicity to the Faith. He values the
efforts that have thus far been exerted to this end and particularly
appreciates the careful attention you have given the matter and hopes that
as a result of these combined efforts something truly substantial will be
achieved.
Shoghi Effendi feels rather surprised that no acknowledgment has thus far
been made of his last general letter, Feb. 8,(25) to the believers of the
West, a copy of which was forwarded to you as secretary of the N.S.A. Will
you please be kind enough to inform him whether the said document has
reached you safely.
With the renewed assurance of his best wishes and of his continued
supplications for the speedy development of the Cause in your country.
Yours in His Service,
[From the Guardian:]
With the assurance of my continued prayers for the extension of the range
of your splendid activities and for the success of your constant and high
endeavours,
Your true brother,
Shoghi
Letter of 15 May 1934
15 May 1934
Dear Baha'i Friend,
The Guardian has received and deeply appreciated your message dated May
7th, and was gratified to learn of the results of your national Baha'i
elections. He wishes me to convey to you, and to the remaining officers of
the N.S.A. his hearty greetings, and his best wishes for the success and
continued expansion of your Baha'i activities in this year. He is
fervently praying for your guidance and assistance in all the various and
historic steps you are taking for the spread and the consolidation of the
Movement throughout Great Britain.
What the Guardian would strongly urge your National Assembly to do in the
next few months is a renewed and decisive effort for the speedy
publication of Mr. Townshend's recent book on the Cause. Through the
reading of such a challenging and scholarly work many will, undoubtedly,
be awakened and stimulated, while others will be infuriated to the extent
of virulently attacking the Faith. The unprecedented publicity which the
Cause will be thus receiving will in itself constitute an important step
towards a wider and fuller recognition of the Movement by distinguished
personalities, in both intellectual and social circles. Mr. Townshend's
book is, indeed, very timely, and through it the friends and the
non-believers will be given a new vision of the Cause. Shoghi Effendi is
hoping that, as a result of his repeated requests, your N.S.A. will be
stimulated to renew and persevere in their efforts in this vitally
important matter.
With the renewed assurance of his prayers on your behalf and on behalf of
the friends in London.
Yours in His Service,
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-worker,
I will fervently pray that the obstacles that stand in your way and which
hinder the publication of Canon Townshend's splendid work will be
completely and speedily surmounted. I anticipate an outburst of interest
and an unprecedented revival of activity as a direct result of the
circulation of this notable work--a work which I trust will prove a
landmark in the history of the Faith in your land.
Shoghi
Letter of 2 July 1934
2 July 1934
Dear Mrs. Slade,
Shoghi Effendi is pleased to learn, from your letters of June 11th and
16th, of the new possibilities for the publication of Canon Townshend's
book. Realising the number and force of the difficulties which have thus
far stood in your way, he cannot indeed but feel gratified that you have
at last been able to overcome some of them. He hopes that through your
determination to have this valuable booklet published without any further
delay some valuable and permanent result will be achieved, and that a few
people of capacity and influence will be attracted to the Faith.
In case no publishing firm accepts your offer for the printing of the
booklet, the Guardian approves that the N.S.A. should undertake the
publication.
Hoping to hear very soon some more definite and encouraging news about
this matter, and with the Guardian's best wishes for you and for your
collaborators in the N.S.A.
Yours in His Service,
[From the Guardian:]
With the renewed assurance of my loving and continued prayers for the
success of your unsparing efforts for the spread of His Faith and the
consolidation of its institutions,
Your true brother,
Shoghi
Letter of 11 July 1934
11 July 1934
Dear Mrs. Slade,
On behalf of the Guardian I wish to acknowledge the receipt of your
letter, and to assure you once more of his deepfelt appreciation of your
highly-valued efforts for the publication of Canon Townshend's booklet on
the Cause. He hopes that the believers the world over will co-operate with
your N.S.A. for giving the work the widest publicity possible, and by
ordering as many copies as they can for distribution in their own
communities. They will surely appreciate, and draw great benefit from,
this original and beautifully-written essay of Mr. Townshend, and they
will certainly do their best to make it known by the outside world.
Shoghi Effendi wishes you to send him, as soon as the book is published,
150 copies for his library. He will also place some of them in
Baha'u'llah's Mansion at Bahji for the benefit of the Baha'i as well as
non-Baha'i visitors.
With the renewed assurance of his best wishes and of his continued prayers
on your behalf.
Yours in His Service,
[From the Guardian:]
May the Almighty bless your incessant and meritorious endeavours and crown
them with unprecedented success,
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
Letter of 2 September 1934
2 September 1934
Dear Mrs. Slade,
The Guardian has received and read with much interest your letter of
August 9th. It gives him pleasure to learn that the agreement for the
publication of Canon Townshend's book has already been signed, and he is
looking forward to see the book out of the press within the next few
weeks. He hopes that your communications with the American N.S.A. for
bringing out an American edition of this same book are proceeding
satisfactorily, as he has every reason to believe that the friends in
America will do their best to secure for that important publication the
widest demand and publicity possible.
Shoghi Effendi would advise that you should also communicate with the
N.S.A. of the Baha'is of Australia and New Zealand, and with other English
speaking Assemblies, groups and individuals, informing them of this new
publication, and asking for their assistance in creating for it as wide a
demand as possible.
With his renewed greetings and best wishes to you and to all the friends
in London,
Yours in His Service,
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-worker,
I have read your letter of May 22 and Aug. 9 with joy and thankfulness as
both eloquently testify to your inflexible resolve to promote by every
means in your power the best interests of our beloved Cause. I trust and
pray that the effect of the publication of the "Promise" will be such as
to gladden your heart and reinforce the constant efforts which you have so
devotedly exerted in recent years for the propagation of the Faith. I will
soon send the cheque for the books I have asked you to send me and which I
will distribute as widely as I possibly can.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
Letter of 30 September 1934
30 September 1934
Dear Mrs. Slade,
The Guardian has directed me to thank you for your welcome letter dated
September fifth. The news of the passing away of Mr. Simpson has deeply
grieved his heart. He hopes and fervently prays that the Beloved may fully
reward him for all the services which he has rendered the Faith in Great
Britain, and particularly for the active part which he took during the
early days of his association with the Movement, in establishing the Cause
of the Administration in that land. May the Almighty enable his soul to
progress spiritually in the other world, and may the memory of his earlier
services to the Faith sustain and encourage the friends in their labours
for the propagation of the Cause in Great Britain.
The Guardian has already written Mr. ... concerning Mr. ... gift to the
Cause and has expressed his profound appreciation of the suggestion made
by him to have his property registered in the name of your National
Assembly. This step, he is convinced, would be of great help to your
Assembly, in that it would assist in enabling it to obtain full legal
recognition from the authorities and thus become an effective and powerful
organ for the administration of Baha'i affairs throughout the British
Isles. But, if your Assembly feels that such a step would be premature, he
suggests that you should have the property registered in the name of the
Palestine Branch of the American N.S.A., until such time as your own
Assembly would be in a position to acquire full legal recognition from the
British authorities, and will be entitled to hold property in Palestine.
In the meantime the American N.S.A. can issue a statement testifying that
this property is registered only temporarily in their name, and that as
soon as the incorporation is effected they will have it transferred to the
name of the National Assembly of the British Isles.
Concerning the material which your Assembly has been requested to provide
for the writing of a history of the Cause in England, the Guardian feels
the advisability of making as few references to individuals as possible.
He further suggests that emphasis be placed on two major events, the
Master's visit to England, and the publication of Dr. Esslemont's "New
Era" which, indeed, constitutes a real landmark in the history of the
Faith in that country.
There is another point to which the Guardian wishes to draw the attention
of your N.S.A. It is the importance which national Baha'i summer schools
are acquiring in the development and spread of the Cause. Two of these, as
you know, have already been established and are now regularly functioning,
that of America with its three branches in Green Acre, Lou-Helen Ranch and
Geyserville, and that of Esslingen in Germany which in the last two years
has considerably developed, and has attracted the attention of non-German
believers throughout the Baha'i world. The Guardian suggests that pending
the establishment of a similar Baha'i Summer School in England, your
Assembly should take into consideration the most effective way in which it
can co-operate with the German friends in furthering the interests of
their summer school at Esslingen. Meanwhile an effort should be made by
our English believers to take the necessary steps for the formation of a
similar institution in Great Britain. Many Baha'i travellers in Europe,
mostly American, have had this summer the opportunity of attending
meetings and classes of the friends in Esslingen. Mr. and Mrs. Greven,
Mrs. Collins, Mr. and Mrs. Bishop representing the Baha'i Bureau at
Geneva. Baha'is from Austria and Persia attended. Miss Jack and Mrs.
Gregory came specially from the Balkans, and gave detailed reports on the
conditions of the Cause in the Balkans. In view of this international
importance which the Esslingen summer school is thus acquiring, at least
in Europe, the Guardian feels the advisability of your National Assembly
being represented at these important gatherings.
In closing I wish to ask you to convey the Guardian's greetings and love
to Mr. As_gh_arzadeh who, as you write, seems to be suffering from
ill-health. Will you kindly assure him of Shoghi Effendi's prayers for his
complete recovery, and express his appreciation of his continued labours
for the Cause in London.
With warmest greetings to you and to all the friends, Yours in His
Service,
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-worker:
The utmost effort, I feel, should be exerted to ensure the incorporation
of the British National Assembly. Should the authorities require a
document setting forth the laws and principles governing the activities of
the community, the text of the Declaration of Trust and By-laws now
operating in America and adopted by the National Assemblies of Egypt,
India and 'Iraq should be presented to them. The text is published in Vol.
IV of the "Baha'i World" and constitutes a pattern for all national Baha'i
constitutions. I would also greatly welcome close collaboration by the
believers in England in the development of the very useful and promising
summer school recently initiated in Esslingen and which has served this
summer as a meeting place of teachers and representatives in Europe.
Your true brother,
Shoghi
Letter of 22 November 1934
22 November 1934
Dear Baha'i Sister,
Your letters dated September 21st and November 16th have been received and
their contents carefully noted by the Guardian.
He has also received the one hundred and fifty copies of "The Promise of
All Ages" and wishes me to thank you for them, and to renew his
appreciation of your painstaking efforts for the publication of this most
timely and singularly penetrating book on the Cause. He hopes and prays
that your labours in this connexion may be abundantly rewarded. He has
already sent Mr. Townshend a cheque of thirty-five pounds on account of
the 150 copies of his book. He hopes the sum will reach him very soon. He
would deeply appreciate if you kindly send him copies of the letters of
acknowledgment which you receive from those to whom the book has been
offered, as in this way he can more or less know of the reaction which the
book has produced on the mind of the intellectual public in London and
elsewhere.
With regard to Mr. Townshend's suggestion to procure the copyright of the
portraits of the Master taken in Paris, Shoghi Effendi fully approves the
idea, and would advise you to write the Paris Assembly about it and to try
to enlist their co-operation and help in this matter.
The Guardian also wishes to express his whole-hearted approval of the
steps your National Assembly is taking for incorporating their Assembly as
a duly recognised religious body in England and throughout the British
Isles. He would suggest that in case the authorities refuse to recognise
the N.S.A. as a religious society you should insist on having it
temporarily registered as a commercial body or under any other
designation. He requests you to send him copies of the registration
documents as soon as they are ready, as he intends to take the necessary
steps for the establishment of a Palestine Branch of your National
Assembly similar to that which the American N.S.A. now possesses in
Palestine.
With his fervent prayers and loving greetings to you and to all the
friends in London,
Yours in His Service,
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-worker:
The books you have sent me are being widely distributed and I am sure they
will serve to stimulate genuine interest in the fundamentals of the Faith.
A special and sustained effort, I feel, should be exerted by your National
Assembly in order to ensure that copies of this brilliant production may
reach most, if not all the Baha'i centres throughout the East and West and
may be made accessible to the most influential leaders and organisations
in every continent of the Globe. The success it can achieve largely
depends upon the publicity which the continued and organised endeavours of
your Assembly can now accord it.
Praying for your success and protection.
Your true brother,
Shoghi
Letter of 17 December 1934
17 December 1934
Dear Mrs. Slade,
The Guardian has directed me to thank you for your welcome letter dated
December 8th, and also for the undated one just received.
In regard to his money order for the 150 copies of the "Promise of All
Ages", he wishes you to offer the remaining sum to your National Assembly
for the purposes of their national fund.
He is pleased to learn that the editor of "The Times' Literary Supplement"
has accepted to have Canon Townshend's book reviewed in his paper. He
trusts that the result will be such as to stimulate many people to buy
this volume, and to carefully and seriously study and meditate upon its
contents.
With reference to Mr. ... property on Mt. Carmel, the Guardian specially
requests you to proceed quickly in the matter of your National Assembly's
incorporation so as to enable him to establish a branch of that Assembly
in Palestine and thus make possible the registration of the land in
question in the name of the British N.S.A. The land is completely
safe-guarded at present.
He would deeply appreciate if you send him photostatic copies of the
registration documents as soon as they will be ready.
In this connection, the Guardian wishes me to draw once more your
attention to the importance of following, in the adoption of your
Assembly's constitution, complete and exact wording of the text of the
Declaration of Trust and By-Laws of the American N.S.A., with due
consideration however to all local conditions which may necessitate some
minor departure from the original American copy.
It will interest you to know that the N.S.A. of the Baha'is of India and
Burma have carefully followed the constitutions adopted by the American
believers, both in the local and the national sphere, and have succeeded
in registering their National Assembly as a legal body empowered to
administer the affairs of the Cause throughout India and Burma. The
Guardian is now engaged in establishing a branch of the Indian N.S.A. in
Palestine. The National Assemblies of Egypt, 'Iraq and Persia have
likewise adopted without any alteration whatever the text of the American
constitution as a pattern for their local as well as national regulations
and by-laws.
Yours in His Service,
[From the Guardian:]
May the Almighty enable you to surmount all the obstacles that stand in
your path and accomplish the great project which you are initiating, and
establish your manifold administrative activities on a sound, permanent
and unassailable basis.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
Letter of 27 December 1934
27 December 1934
Dear Mrs. Slade,
The Guardian has directed me to send you enclosed a copy of the
Declaration of Trust and By-Laws of the National Spiritual Assembly of the
Baha'is of India and Burma.
You will find, after going carefully over the text, that except for
Article VIII which is being amended, it is fully identical with the
constitution adopted by the American N.S.A., and as such is in close
conformity with the principles laid down by the Guardian concerning
national Baha'i constitutions throughout the world.
He feels it his duty, now that your N.S.A. is taking steps for its formal
registration in the Government, to earnestly request you to adopt, in its
entirety and without any alteration, the full text of the constitution of
the American N.S.A. so as to maintain the necessary uniformity in the
essential principles of the Administrative Order. Whatever is not
specified in the text of this national constitution, the Guardian has
already explained to the National Assemblies of America, India, Egypt,
'Iraq and Persia, is to be left to the discretion of these Assemblies. He
does not object if there be any differences in these secondary matters,
but he feels that he should insist on uniformity in essentials. Diversity
in unity--which is so vital and basic a principle of the Movement--would
thereby be maintained.
With heartiest greetings to you and to all the friends, Yours in His
Service,
Letter of 15 February 1935
15 February 1935
Dear Mrs. Slade,
I am directed by the Guardian to thank you for your letters of the fourth
of January last and of the seventh of this month, all of which he has read
with deepest interest.
He was, however, grieved to learn of the slight indisposition in your
health, and particularly of the serious illness of Miss Elsie Lea. He is
praying for you both at the Holy Shrines that you may be given the
necessary strength to resume your work for the Cause in London.
With regard to the situation in Persia, it is pretty bad indeed.
Conditions have not improved in the slightest degree, and the friends are
still suffering from the intolerable burden of restrictions imposed upon
them by the Authorities. The Guardian does not advise your Assembly to
enter into detailed correspondence with any of the friends there, but sees
no objection if you send them copies of your News Letters....
The friends will no doubt appreciate the possibilities which the admission
of so distinguished a person as ... in their midst will have for the
Cause. This new development should, indeed, encourage and stimulate them
to persevere, nay to redouble their efforts for the extension of their
teaching activities throughout Great Britain. The future of the Cause in
that country is, indeed, bright. But the friends should also exert their
utmost, lest through neglect and apathy its progress be impeded. Now that
such a wonderful opportunity has presented itself to them, it is their
responsibility to take their full chance and to make a renewed attempt to
extend and further consolidate their teaching work in London and
throughout the British Isles.
Shoghi Effendi is fervently praying that through the confirmations and
blessings of Baha'u'llah you may all be assisted in effectively attaining
this objective.
Yours in His Service,
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-worker:
I am so pleased to learn of the splendid response of ... to the call of
our Faith, and would urge you to make a special effort, in conjunction
with the friends and Assemblies in England, to aid him to deepen his faith
and extend the scope of his valued activities. I will pray for the success
of your efforts and the realisation of your highest hopes.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
Letter of 7 April 1935
7 April 1935
Dear Mrs. Slade,
Shoghi Effendi has received your letters dated March 8th and April 1st,
and wishes me to thank you for them.
With regard to the incorporation of the British N.S.A., he is sorry,
indeed, that the authorities have definitely refused your application. He
is, nevertheless, confident that your Assembly's efforts in this
connection will, in due time, bear fruit, and that the officials concerned
will gradually come to alter their views regarding the nature and
significance of the Movement.
In the meantime, the Guardian can have ... property on Mt. Carmel
transferred to the name of the Palestine Branch of the American N.S.A.
With the renewed expression of Shoghi Effendi's deepfelt appreciation of
your services, and with his loving greetings and best wishes to you and to
the friends in London....
[From the Guardian:]
Dear co-worker,
I grieve to learn of the refusal of the Board of Trade to incorporate the
National Assembly, but I feel certain that the friends will not allow this
setback to damp their zeal or to weaken their determination to prosecute
the work they have so devotedly undertaken. It may indeed prove a blessing
in disguise, and I would urge the friends to persevere and not to lose
heart and to rest assured that our beloved Faith will ultimately conquer.
With my best wishes for all of you,
Shoghi
Letter of 9 December 1935
9 December 1935
Dear Mrs. Slade,
The Guardian has just received letters from Sir Herbert Samuel and Sir
Francis Younghusband inviting him to attend and present a paper on the
subject: How to promote the spirit of World Fellowship through religion at
the projected conference of the "World Fellowship Through Religion" to be
held in London this coming July.
As he is unable to be present at this meeting, he has thought best to ask
the British N.S.A. to act as his representatives, and to appoint someone
to read this paper which he is asking Mr. Townshend to prepare for that
occasion. He is specially writing Mr. Townshend about it, and urging him
to have the statement ready by the end of January, when it has to be
handed by your N.S.A. to Sir Francis Younghusband according to his request
from the Guardian.
He also thinks it necessary for your Assembly to communicate as promptly
as you can with Sir F. Younghusband, and to express your readiness and
pleasure to participate in the activities and deliberations of the World
Fellowship conference.