the course of a twice repeated visit to the homeland of this community,
are now, after having lain dormant for almost a quarter of a century, at
long last, sprouting throughout the length and breadth of the British
Isles, and are even revealing the potency of their regenerative power,
through the instrumentality of those valiant pioneers, who, faithful to
His Call and dedicated to His service, are leaving the shores of those
islands to settle in the territories of a far-away and backward continent.
Amidst their arduous labours, in their contact with the heterogeneous
tribes and races dwelling in that continent, in their dealings with the
civil authorities of divers countries and states within whose jurisdiction
they will labour, in their struggle with an inhospitable climate, in the
hazards to which they will be inevitably exposed, in the adventures they
may experience, in the reverses they may temporarily suffer, in the
opposition they will meet with, in the tests and trials they will undergo,
His unfailing guidance will be vouchsafed to them in direct proportion to
the degree of their consecration to their task, and the perseverance, the
courage and fidelity they will display as they discharge their duties.
The remarkable success that has attended their high endeavours since the
initiation of their first collective enterprise within the confines of
their native land, the still more notable evidence of God's sustaining
grace that has accompanied the opening of the first stage of their Mission
overseas, are sufficient proof of the tremendous potency of the forces at
work for the purpose of ensuring the unrestricted expansion of their
future activities within and beyond the frontiers of their island home,
and the ultimate consummation of their magnificent enterprise.
In the months immediately ahead, the strongholds of the Faith erected, in
the form of local assemblies, and already established in Ireland,
Scotland, Wales and England, must be maintained at all costs in their
present strength; the groups and isolated centres already brought into
being must, under no circumstances, be allowed to decrease in number or be
lost to the Faith; the translation and publication of pamphlets in the
languages already selected must be vigorously pushed forward and
completed; the centre in the capital of Kenya must be assiduously
expanded; the preparations for the projected inter-continental Conference
must be carefully carried out; the effective participation of the
representatives of the British Baha'i community in the Stockholm
inter-continental Conference must be ensured; and all the preparatory
steps, required for the effectual collaboration of the members of this
community in the global crusade, destined to be launched on the morrow of
the world-wide celebrations of the approaching Holy Year, should, to
whatever extent possible, be undertaken.
There is no time to lose. The issues at stake call for immediate action,
demand unrelaxing vigilance, undivided attention, and a consecration
unexampled in the annals of the Faith in the British Isles. Though the
number of those summoned to shoulder so immense a task be dishearteningly
small, though the resources at their disposal be meagre, though the cares
and preoccupations of the peoples amidst whom they live are such as to
often blind them to the Faith and its healing message, yet the position
they occupy and the responsibilities devolving upon them in the heart and
centre of a world-wide empire, the manifold tokens of esteem and
loving-kindness showered upon them during the infancy of this community by
the Centre of God's Covenant; the inherent qualities of tenacity of
purpose, of exemplary fidelity, of perspicacity that distinguishes the
race to which they belong, must inspire hope and confidence in their
future, and fully entitles them to play a leading role in the future
proclamation of the Message of Baha'u'llah to the multitudes that live
beneath the shadow of the British Crown.
That they may become increasingly conscious of the sublimity of their
task; that they may address themselves to it with their characteristic
zeal, ability, intelligence and fervour; that they may speedily acquire
the spiritual potentialities for the initiation of a still more momentous
stage in the unfoldment of their historic Mission; that they may earn
increasingly, through their superb feats, the unqualified admiration of
their brethren in every continent of the globe and prove themselves worthy
of the bounties already received and those which, we may well believe, are
held in store for them, is my cherished hope and constant prayer.
Shoghi
Letter of 15 June 1952
15 June 1952(67)
Dear Baha'i Friends,
The beloved Guardian has instructed me to write you in his behalf, to
request that information relating to the British Isles and their
activities, contained in the booklet "The Baha'i Faith" 'Information
Statistical and Comparative' be brought up to date as of May 1 1952, and
sent to him here by the first possible air mail post.
One of the features of the Holy Year will be the re-issuance of this
important book; inasmuch as the Holy Year is fast approaching the Guardian
wishes the information as quickly as possible.
Briefly, the information which your N.S.A. is to provide, brought up to
date of May 1, 1952, is as follows:
Incorporated local spiritual assemblies in the British Isles.
Baha'i Centres in the British Isles, showing, if possible, the division
between local spiritual assemblies, Groups and Isolated Believers.
Any information not immediately available should be handled by telegraph,
but such information as is available should not be delayed for any one or
two delinquents. You can appreciate that if the booklet is to be published
early in the Holy Year, the information should reach the Guardian at a
very early date.
The Guardian sends his loving greetings to the National Assembly and its
devoted members....
Letter of 29 August 1952
29 August 1952(68)
DEEPLY TOUCHED PROFOUNDLY APPRECIATE NOBLE SENTIMENTS PRAYING FULFILMENT
HIGH DESTINY DEEPEST LOVE.
SHOGHI
Letter of 15 October 1952
15 October 1952(69)
PROFOUNDLY APPRECIATE MESSAGE ARDENTLY PRAYING BRITISH COMMUNITY MAY ARISE
BEFITTINGLY DISCHARGE GREAT TASKS AHEAD.
SHOGHI
Letter of 20 November 1952
20 November 1952(70)
DELIGHTED LOVING APPRECIATION.
SHOGHI
Letter of 28 December 1952
28 December 1952
MAINTENANCE GROUPS ISOLATED CENTRES ADVISABLE THOUGH NOT ESSENTIAL PART
PLAN.
SHOGHI
To Entire Baha'i World, 5 January 1953
REJOICE SHARE BAHA'I COMMUNITIES EAST WEST THRILLING REPORTS FEATS
ACHIEVED HEROIC BAND BAHA'I PIONEERS LABOURING DIVERS WIDELY-SCATTERED
AFRICAN TERRITORIES PARTICULARLY UGANDA HEART CONTINENT REMINISCENT ALIKE
EPISODES RELATED BOOK ACTS RAPID DRAMATIC PROPAGATION FAITH
INSTRUMENTALITY DAWN-BREAKERS HEROIC AGE BAHA'I DISPENSATION MARVELLOUS
ACCOMPLISHMENTS SIGNALISING RISE ESTABLISHMENT ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER FAITH
LATIN AMERICA ECLIPSED EXPLOITS IMMORTALISING RECENTLY LAUNCHED CRUSADE
EUROPEAN CONTINENT SURPASSED GOAL SEVEN-MONTH PLAN INITIATED KAMPALA
ASSEMBLY AIMING DOUBLING TWELVE ENROLLED BELIEVERS OUT-STRIPPED NUMBER
AFRICANS CONVERTED COURSE LAST FIFTEEN MONTHS RESIDING KAMPALA OUTLYING
DISTRICTS PROTESTANT CATHOLIC PAGAN BACKGROUNDS LETTERED UNLETTERED BOTH
SEXES REPRESENTATIVE NO LESS SIXTEEN TRIBES PASSED TWO HUNDRED MARK.
EFFULGENT RAYS GOD'S TRIUMPHANT CAUSE RADIATING FOCAL CENTRE FAST
AWAKENING CONTINENT PENETRATING ACCELERATING RATE ISOLATED REGIONS
UNFREQUENTED WHITE MEN ENVELOPING THEIR RADIANCE SOULS HITHERTO
INDIFFERENT PERSISTENT HUMANITARIAN ACTIVITIES CHRISTIAN MISSIONS
CIVILISING INFLUENCE CIVIL AUTHORITIES NO LESS NINE LOCALITIES QUALIFIED
ATTAIN COMING RIDVAN ASSEMBLY STATUS WITHIN SINGLE TERRITORY
LONG-SLUMBERING CONTINENT.
ZANZIBAR MADAGASCAR FRENCH MOROCCO SOUTH RHODESIA ITALIAN SOMALILAND
ALREADY OR SOON BE OPENED FAITH.
DESIRE PAY SPECIAL TRIBUTE STRENUOUS EFFORTS EXERTED 'ALI NA_KH_JAVANI
SETTING EXAMPLE DEDICATION FREEDOM PREJUDICE FELLOW PIONEERS LABOURING
INHOSPITABLE SURROUNDINGS CONFRONTED MANIFOLD FORMIDABLE OBSTACLES.
PLANNING ENTRUST SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE DELEGATED ATTEND APPROACHING
KAMPALA CONFERENCE PORTRAIT HOLY BAB REPLICA ONE DEPOSITED BENEATH DOME
MA_SH_RIQU'L-A_DH_KAR WILMETTE TO BE EXHIBITED ASSEMBLED ATTENDANTS
HISTORIC OCCASION CONFIDENT UNVEILING MAY DRAW NEWLY RECRUITED VANGUARD
EVER-SWELLING HOST BAHA'U'LLAH AS WELL AS ALL PARTICIPATING VISITORS
ITINERANT TEACHERS SETTLERS CLOSER SPIRIT MARTYR-PROPHET FAITH BESTOW
EVERLASTING BENEDICTION ALL GATHERED MEMORABLE SESSIONS EPOCH-MAKING
INTER-CONTINENTAL CONFERENCE DEDICATED PROSECUTION LATEST MOST GLORIOUS
CRUSADE LAUNCHED COURSE ELEVEN DECADES BAHA'I HISTORY.
SHOGHI
Letter of 8 January 1953 (Teaching Conference)
8 January 1953 (Teaching Conference)
MOVED PLACE RECORD EXPRESSION ABIDING APPRECIATION NOTABLE CONTRIBUTION
BRITISH BAHA'I PIONEERS MAGNIFICENT SUCCESS HISTORIC ENTERPRISE LAUNCHED
AFRICAN CONTINENT COURSE TWO YEAR PLAN FORMULATED BRITISH BAHA'I
COMMUNITY. GOALS FIRST EPOCH-MAKING STAGE GLORIOUS OVERSEAS MISSION
FOLLOWERS BAHA'U'LLAH BRITISH ISLES NOBLY ACHIEVED. APPEAL ATTENDANTS
CONFERENCE FOCUS ATTENTION FLEETING MONTHS AHEAD CONSOLIDATION HOMEFRONT
CONSTITUTING NO LESS VITAL PHASE SECOND COLLECTIVE ENTERPRISE BRITISH
BAHA'I HISTORY. URGE PARTICIPANTS RESOLVE UPON RETURN RESPECTIVE
COMMUNITIES EXERT UTMOST FAN FLAME PIONEERING SPIRIT UTILISE EVERY
AVAILABLE MEANS ENSURE ALL ASPECTS TRIUMPHANT CONSUMMATION PLAN. TOTAL
SUCCESS INTERNAL EXTERNAL PHASES PRESENT UNDERTAKING WILL CONSTITUTE
BEFITTING CONTRIBUTION STEADFASTLY LABOURING HIGHLY ESTEEMED TENACIOUSLY
LOYAL BRITISH BAHA'I COMMUNITY WORLD WIDE CELEBRATIONS HOLY YEAR PAVE WAY
EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATION ITS MEMBERS IMPENDING TEN YEAR CRUSADE MARKING
OPENING THIRD COLLECTIVE ENTERPRISE INAUGURATED SINCE INCEPTION FAITH
BRITISH ISLES SIGNALISING SECOND MEMORABLE STAGE THEIR UNFOLDING MISSION
FOREIGN FIELDS DESTINED EMBRACE TERRITORIES BRITISH CROWN BOTH AFRICAN
EUROPEAN CONTINENTS. PRAYING FERVENTLY ATTAINMENT OBJECTIVES ULTIMATE
ACHIEVEMENT DISTANT GOALS.
SHOGHI
Letter of 15 January 1953 (Teaching Conference)
15 January 1953 (Teaching Conference)
DEEPLY TOUCHED MESSAGE APPRECIATE REDEDICATION PRAYING GLORIOUS SUCCESS.
SHOGHI
Letter of 28 January 1953
28 January 1953
ADVISE MODIFY LIST LANGUAGES. KINDLY AIRMAIL IMMEDIATELY EXPLANATION
AMERICAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY FOR MODIFICATION THEIR MANUSCRIPT.
SHOGHI
Letter of 1 February 1953
1 February 1953
ADVISE ASSEMBLY'S REPRESENTATIVES ATTENDING KAMPALA CONFERENCE ENSURE NO
ONE PHOTOGRAPHS BAB'S PORTRAIT DURING DISPLAY. SENDING COLOUR FILM SHRINES
ARRANGE PROVIDE PROJECTOR SIXTEEN MILLIMETRES.
SHOGHI
Letter of 13 March 1953
13 March 1953
ASSURE YOU LOVING FERVENT PRAYERS.
SHOGHI
Letter of 25 March 1953
25 March 1953
YOUR ASSEMBLY HENCEFORTH CONSULTATIVE BODY ONLY FOR BRITISH TERRITORIES IN
AFRICA.
SHOGHI
Letter of 3 April 1953
3 April 1953
Dear Baha'i Brother:
Enclosed please find the Guardian's Convention Message.
As there are a great many African languages enumerated, and the spelling
is very involved, the Guardian has decided to Air Mail you this message,
rather than have it cabled, which was his original intention.
Please cable immediately you receive this letter, acknowledging it, so
that the Guardian will know his Convention Message is in your hands.
Otherwise he will of course have to cable it from here.
He is eagerly awaiting the report of the African Conference, which he has
not received to date....
P.S. Your letter regarding a rug supposedly owned by Baha'u'llah coming up
for sale, has just been received, and the Guardian feels that he cannot
possibly authenticate this rug as having belonged at any time to
Baha'u'llah. It may of course be quite true that it did. He leaves it to
the discretion of your Assembly to decide whether you wish to purchase it
or not.
Letter of 8 April 1953
8 April 1953
APPEAL ENTIRE COMMUNITY EXERT SUPREME EFFORT ELEVENTH HOUR SEAL SUCCESS
PLAN ASSURE LOVING FERVENT PRAYERS.
SHOGHI
Letter of 18 April 1953
18 April 1953
HEARTFELT CONGRATULATIONS DEEPEST LOVE.
SHOGHI
"WORLD WIDE MISSION ENTRUSTED BRITISH BAHA'I COMMUNITY"--THE BRITISH ROLE
IN THE TEN YEAR CRUSADE
1953-1957
1953 (Convention)
1953 (Convention)
WARMLY CONGRATULATE ASSEMBLED DELEGATES BAHA'I COMMUNITY BRITISH ISLES
CELEBRATING MOST GREAT FESTIVAL HOLY YEAR ON MAGNIFICENT VICTORIES
ACHIEVED AFRICAN CONTINENT EXCEEDING HIGHEST HOPES PLAN FORMULATED TWO
YEARS AGO ORIGINALLY CONCEIVED MERE PRELUDE AFRICAN CAMPAIGN ASSUMED SUCH
PROPORTIONS YIELDED SUCH FRUIT DESERVE BE REGARDED DISTINCT STAGE CAMPAIGN
LAUNCHED BRITISH BAHA'I COMMUNITY BEYOND BORDERS HOMELAND SIX YEAR PLAN
FIRST COLLECTIVE UNDERTAKING BRITISH BAHA'I HISTORY LAID BROADENED
FOUNDATIONS ADMINISTRATIVE INSTITUTIONS DESTINED DIRECT OPERATION FUTURE
OVERSEAS ENTERPRISES BRITISH BAHA'I COMMUNITY TWO YEAR PLAN INAUGURATED
WITHIN AFRICAN CONTINENT GLORIOUS MISSION SAME COMMUNITY CALLED UPON
ACCOMPLISH THROUGHOUT BRITISH DEPENDENCIES EASTERN WESTERN HEMISPHERES
HOUR PROPITIOUS TRIUMPHANT RICHLY BLESSED BRITISH NATIONAL SPIRITUAL
ASSEMBLY PARTICIPATE ELEVEN SISTER NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES EAST WEST IMPENDING
WORLD SPIRITUAL CRUSADE THROUGH LAUNCHING TEN YEAR PLAN EMBRACING THREE
CONTINENTS GLOBE CALCULATED CARRY STAGE FURTHER THEIR OWN PARTICULAR
CRUSADE THROUGHOUT NUMEROUS WIDELY SCATTERED HIGHLY DIVERSIFIED COLONIES
PROTECTORATES BRITISH EMPIRE HASTEN DAY BE ABLE ASSUME PREPONDERATING
SHARE SUCH VAST HIGHLY MERITORIOUS PIONEERING ENTERPRISE.
MOMENTOUS PLAN WHICH COURSE COMING DECADE SEPARATING THEM MOST GREAT
JUBILEE WILL DEMAND COMPLETE SUSTAINED CONSECRATION TWOFOLD TASK
CONSOLIDATION FAITH ENGLAND SCOTLAND WALES IRELAND ITS PROPAGATION BEYOND
ISLAND HOME INVOLVES
FIRST OPENING FOLLOWING VIRGIN TERRITORIES: SEVEN EUROPE--CHANNEL ISLANDS,
CYPRUS, FAROE ISLANDS, HEBRIDES ISLANDS, MALTA, ORKNEY ISLANDS, SHETLAND
ISLANDS; FOUR AFRICA--BRITISH CAMEROONS, BRITISH TOGOLAND, MADEIRA, SOUTH
WEST AFRICA.
SECOND CONSOLIDATION FAITH FOLLOWING TERRITORIES: NINE AFRICA--ANGOLA,
BELGIAN CONGO, GOLD COAST, KENYA, NIGERIA, SIERRA LEONE, TANGANYIKA,
UGANDA, ZULULAND; EUROPE--EIRE; ASIA--HONG-KONG.
THIRD ESTABLISHMENT NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY BAHA'IS CENTRAL EAST
AFRICA.
FOURTH PURCHASE LAND ANTICIPATION CONSTRUCTION MA_SH_RIQU'L-A_DH_KAR
KAMPALA.
FIFTH ESTABLISHMENT NATIONAL HAZIRATU'L-QUDS LONDON.
SIXTH CONVERSION INTO NATIONAL INSTITUTION LOCAL HAZIRATU'L-QUDS KAMPALA.
SEVENTH INCORPORATION NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY BAHA'IS CENTRAL EAST
AFRICA.
EIGHTH ESTABLISHMENT NATIONAL ENDOWMENTS BRITISH ISLES.
NINTH ESTABLISHMENT NATIONAL ENDOWMENTS BY NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY
BAHA'IS CENTRAL EAST AFRICA.
TENTH TRANSLATION BAHA'I LITERATURE THIRTY-ONE AFRICAN LANGUAGES: ACCRA,
AFRIKAANS, ALADIAN, ASHANTI, BANU, BEMBA, BUA, CHUANA, GIO, GU, JIENG,
JOLOF, KUANYAMA, KRONGO, KROO, LIUMBI, MALAGASY, NUBIAN, PEDI, POPO,
RONGA, SENA, SHILHA, SHONA, SOBO, SUTO, WONGO, XOSA, YALUNKA, YAO, ZULU.
ELEVENTH DOUBLING NUMBER SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES LOCALITIES BRITISH ISLES.
TWELFTH INCORPORATION NINETEEN ASSEMBLIES ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, WALES,
IRELAND.
THIRTEENTH ESTABLISHMENT ISRAEL BRANCH NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY BRITISH
ISLES.
FOURTEENTH FORMATION EUROPEAN, ASIAN TEACHING COMMITTEES, DESIGNED
STIMULATE, CO-ORDINATE TEACHING ACTIVITIES PLAN.
ARDENTLY PRAYING DECADE LONG CRUSADE CULMINATING HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY
DECLARATION FAITH BAHA'U'LLAH MAY WITNESS BOTH ADMINISTRATIVE TEACHING
FIELDS HOME FRONT AS WELL AS BEYOND CONFINES BRITISH ISLES FRUITION SEEDS
HAND CENTRE COVENANT SO LOVINGLY PATIENTLY SOWED COURSE TWICE REPEATED
VISIT HEART BRITISH EMPIRE. MAY IT LIKEWISE CARRY TRIUMPHANT CONCLUSION
INITIAL EPOCH UNFOLDMENT WORLD-WIDE MISSION ENTRUSTED BRITISH BAHA'I
COMMUNITY AMIDST PEOPLES RACES DWELLING DEPENDENCIES BRITISH CROWN
SCATTERED THROUGHOUT FIVE CONTINENTS GLOBE.
SHOGHI
Letter of 28 April 1953 (Convention)
28 April 1953 (Convention)
GREATLY VALUE NOBLE SENTIMENTS HAND CAUSE DELEGATES FRIENDS FERVENTLY
PRAYING SHRINES VALIANT BRITISH BAHA'I COMMUNITY PLAY MEMORABLE PART WORLD
CRUSADE FULFIL HISTORIC MISSION. DEEPEST LOVE.
SHOGHI
Letter of 13 May 1953
13 May 1953
URGE FULL FLEDGED BAHA'I ASSEMBLIES BRITISH TERRITORIES UGANDA TANGANYIKA
KENYA NOW REGARDED MOST POWERFUL PILLARS SWIFTLY EMERGING STEADILY
CONSOLIDATING HIGHLY PROMISING AFRICAN BAHA'I COMMUNITY SET GLORIOUS
EXAMPLE THROUGH PROMPT MEASURES INITIATION EXTENSION WORK THROUGH DESPATCH
SURPLUS MEMBERS LOCAL COMMUNITIES INCLUDING AFRICANS NEIGHBOURING
TERRITORIES FRENCH SOMALILAND RUANDA URUNDI MADAGASCAR FRENCH BELGIAN
CONGO COMORO ISLANDS EVEN ALGERIA MOROCCO ACCELERATING THEREBY PROCESS
FORMATION LOCAL ASSEMBLIES ESTABLISHMENT NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CENTRAL EAST
AFRICA ADDING FRESH LAURELS CROWN ALREADY WON PIONEERING FIELD AFRICAN
CONTINENT.
SHOGHI
Letter of 17 May 1953
17 May 1953
MAIL FIFTY COPIES STATISTICAL PAMPHLET.
SHOGHI
Letter of 1 June 1953
1 June 1953
URGE IMMEDIATE STEPS PUBLICATION PAMPHLETS AFRICAN LANGUAGES. APPROVE
APPROACH NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. MYSELF CONTRIBUTING
THOUSAND POUNDS MERITORIOUS PURPOSE.
SHOGHI
Letter of 4 June 1953
4 June 1953
Africa Committee
Dear Baha'i Sister:
Your letters of June 27, August 4, August 18, September 19, October 9 and
November 27, 1952, with enclosures, have been received, and the beloved
Guardian has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.
Your letter of May 25th has also been received. He of course meant French
Equatorial Africa, but condensed it for the sake of the cable. The Belgian
Congo is naturally separate.
As many of your questions and reports dealt with pre-Conference
complications, which, thanks to the grace of Baha'u'llah, were all
satisfactorily removed, I will not touch upon them in this letter.
The Guardian was immensely pleased and relieved when it became clear that
the Baha'is had obtained visas for Uganda, and were attending in large
numbers, and that hotel accommodation was available.
From the report he has received from Mr. Ioas and pilgrims, the Conference
was undoubtedly a tremendous success, and befittingly inaugurated the
round of celebrations during this Holy Year.
It is a great pity that there should have been so much unfavourable
publicity connected with the public meeting associated with the
Conference, and its attendance. One cannot, however, help but feel that
such an attitude was inevitable sooner or later, because there is no doubt
that the missionaries are beginning to feel the keenest resentment and a
certain degree of alarm, due to the success of our teaching methods in
Africa.
Your committee will no doubt face, in the days to come, many grave
problems; but the Guardian feels sure that, whatever happens, and whatever
attacks are made upon the Faith and its pioneers, the net result cannot
but be good for us in the long run, and can only serve to hasten the
spread of the Cause.
He feels that your committee has every right to feel immensely proud, and
grateful to God, for the success of your unremitting labours over such a
long period of time.
He was most happy to hear that Mr. Dudley Smith Kutendele is planning to
go and teach the Faith in Nyasaland, and will pray that his efforts may
meet with success in the end.
Your understanding of the treatment of polygamist converts to the Faith is
quite correct, but of course if anyone who is a Baha'i wishes to marry
more than one wife, he cannot do so. If they should disobey this law, then
the cases must be handled in the same way as the Persians do, which is
that these persons who become polygamists, break the laws of marriage.
As regards your question about the proper designation for the huts which
will be used by the believers in villages, as Baha'i Centres, he thinks
that, for the time being, until a more dignified structure can be erected,
they should be called "Baha'i Centre", and not Haziratu'l-Quds--the correct
name is Haziratu'l-Quds and not Hazira.
He was immensely pleased over the example shown by Enos Epyeru, in
withdrawing from political affiliation, and feels that some of the African
friends are showing a most exemplary spirit of devotion and loyalty. He
feels that a great potential strength lies in these new African believers.
No doubt your committee will be faced with problems, due to the
inexperience of some of these people in administrative matters, but,
through loving guidance, and the wisdom of those who are associated with
them on the spot, these minor things can be satisfactorily taken care of,
and the main thing, the establishment of assemblies and groups, be carried
out successfully.
The Guardian was indeed delighted over 'Ali Na_kh_javani's trip to the
Teso district. The purity of his spirit, the intensity of his devotion,
and the longing in his heart to bring the Faith to his African brothers,
all of which he so clearly showed forth in his actions, were no doubt the
great factors which enkindled the first fires in the hearts of the
believers in that land, and which have spread so swiftly and have been the
cause of such joy to our beloved Guardian.
The Guardian considers that the settling of all the virgin territories all
over the world is the most important of the goals given to any of the
National Assemblies, and that it should be given precedence. Indeed, he is
hoping that the one hundred and thirty territories still unopened may all
be settled by pioneers this year, if possible.
It is not necessary for a National Assembly to confine itself to the
placing of pioneers from its own community in its goal areas--it may draw
on other Baha'i communities for pioneers for its goal territories, as
well, and vice versa. In other words, pioneers from the British Isles may
be sent to territories under the administrative jurisdiction of other
National Bodies than the British National Assembly, and pioneers may be
accepted for British posts who are not members of the British community.
The important thing is to achieve the goals.
The Guardian is urging the bodies associated with the work in Africa to
disperse their forces, and not endeavour to build up large communities.
Otherwise, there will be a large number of pioneers in one place, while
other goal countries may be left entirely without a pioneer.
As regards the translations for Africa, he has urged the American National
Spiritual Assembly, in connection with the printing of Baha'i literature
in the languages allotted to that continent, to give you any help it can.
The Guardian feels confident that, by proper concentration of effort and
exchange of information between the committees responsible for getting the
pioneers out to Africa, the ways and means will be forthcoming to achieve
our objectives this year.
You may rest assured that his prayers will continue to be offered for the
work you are performing, and that he most deeply appreciates the
conscientious and tireless devotion of all the members of your committee,
a devotion which has enabled the Conference to take place with such
success.
With loving Baha'i greetings....
P.S. In reading over this letter, I see that I have not done justice to
the deep feeling of appreciation our beloved Guardian has for the
wonderful spirit shown by Mr. Banani and his wife, as well as by Philip
Hainsworth and Mr. and Mrs. Collison. The services of all of those friends
cannot be overestimated, nor those of the devoted pioneers in Kenya and
Tanganyika.
[From the Guardian:]
May the Almighty bless, sustain and guide you in your highly meritorious
endeavours, remove all obstacles from your path, and enable you to lend a
great impetus to the historic work being achieved in the African
Continent.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
Letter of 5 June 1953
5 June 1953
Dear Baha'i Friends,
Our Beloved Guardian has been greatly encouraged by reports reaching him
from all parts of the Baha'i World, of victories, already gained, and
plans being laid for the prosecution of the Ten Year Crusade. He was
particularly pleased to learn that some 150 people have offered to pioneer
in virgin overseas areas at the American Convention.