dwell on yourself. Each one of us, if we look into our failures, is sure
to feel unworthy and despondent, and this feeling only frustrates our
constructive efforts and wastes time. The thing for us to focus on is the
glory of the Cause and the Power of Baha'u'llah which can make of a mere
drop a surging sea! You certainly have no right to feel negative; you have
embraced this glorious Faith and arisen with devotion to serve it, and
your labours are greatly appreciated by both the Guardian and your
fellow-Baha'is. With something as positive as the Faith and all it teaches
behind you, you should be a veritable lion of confidence, and he will pray
that you may become so.
There is, unfortunately, no way that one can force his own good upon a
man. The element of free will is there and all we believers--and even the
Manifestation of God Himself--can do is to offer the truth to mankind. If
the people of the world persist, as they seem to be doing, in their blind
materialism, they must bear the consequences in a prolongation of their
present condition, and even a worsening of it. Our duty as Baha'is is to
build up such a love and unity within our own ranks that the people will
be attracted by this example to the Cause. We also must teach all we can
and strengthen the Baha'i community in the Administration. But more we
cannot do to avert the great sufferings which seemingly still lie ahead of
the world in its present evil state.
Letter of 14 October 1947
14 October 1947
Summer School is, indeed, a wonderful experience, for at the present time
it is the only institution that affords the Baha'is of England an
opportunity of all living together, for however short a time, as a
community, and this and the spirit it engenders, has a very inspiring
affect.
Letter of 19 October 1947
19 October 1947
He (the Guardian) does not feel that it is desirable to lay down any
conditions for giving to the Baha'i Fund. This is an entirely personal
matter, and each believer must act according to his own judgment and the
needs of the Faith. In times of crisis, whether in the affairs of the
Cause or in one's own family, people naturally behave differently from
under normal circumstances. But decisions in these matters must rest with
each individual Baha'i.
Generally speaking the secretary of an assembly must be careful to convey
exactly what the majority decision or advice of the body was. There can
surely be no objection to his putting it in proper terms and clarifying
the matter according to the decision or instruction of the assembly. But
he should of course not introduce his personal views unless endorsed by
the assembly.
The nature of assembly minutes is a matter for the body itself to decide.
Naturally all important subjects brought up and notes must be recorded,
but how detailed the record must be is for the members themselves to
decide.
'Abdu'l-Baha said we must sacrifice the important for the most important.
The most important thing now for the English Baha'is is to accomplish
their Plan. The sacrifice of other activities, cultural or otherwise, is
not of very much importance compared to their goal. They can always
return, when they have more time, to such pursuits. To serve any great
Cause or purpose requires sacrifice....
Baha'u'llah is not the intermediary between other Manifestations and God.
Each has His own relation to the Primal Source. But in the sense that
Baha'u'llah is the greatest Manifestation to yet appear, the One who
consummates the Revelation of Moses, He was the One Moses conversed with
in the Burning Bush. In other words, Baha'u'llah identifies the glory of
the God-Head on that occasion with Himself. No distinction can be made
amongst the Prophets in the sense that They all proceed from one Source,
and are of one essence. But Their stations and functions in this world are
different.
Letter of 4 March 1948
4 March 1948
It is not surprising, in view of the gloom overhanging the entire world,
and in conjunction with their run-down, exhausted state due to war
conditions and present circumstances of life in England, that the British
Baha'is should sometimes reflect the state of their countrymen! It is a
pity, and they should certainly try, as believers, to be cheerful and
radiant; but he (the Guardian) feels the greatest sympathy for them, and
considers that when their present achievements are assessed in future,
people will give them a double measure of praise for having done so much
when they were least fit to do it. The spirit of determination, and their
perseverance, are truly outstanding.
Just because some people have lost their vision of the Cause, or never had
a proper grasp of its implications before entering it, and leave the fold,
should not cause undue discouragement. There are bound to be such cases,
and although every moral support should be given them, if they still wish
to withdraw, they fall off--as you said--like withered leaves from the Tree
of the Faith, and do it no real harm.
He likes to be provided with facts by the friends, when they ask his
advice, for although his decisions are guided by God, he is not, like the
Prophet, omniscient at will, in spite of the fact that he often senses a
situation or condition without having any detailed knowledge of it....
Letter of 26 March 1948
26 March 1948
One of the greatest problems in the Cause is the relation of the believers
to each other; for their immaturity (shared with the rest of humanity) and
imperfections retard the work, create complications, and discourage each
other. And yet we must put up with these things and try and combat them
through love, patience and forgiveness individually, and proper
administrative action collectively.
Letter of 8 April 1948
8 April 1948
We Baha'is firmly believe that it is possible, if we have the right
spirit, to make our stumbling blocks stepping-stones to progress. You have
already, through at last facing yourself and acknowledging that you have
both failed and erred in managing your life so far, set your feet on the
right path. But now this new and spiritual condition in you is going to be
proved--and the proving, the testing, will surely consist of the way you
determine to take your punishment.
Life is based on laws: physical, man-made, and spiritual. As you have
broken the laws of the society in which you live, you will have to stand
up like a man and take your punishment. The spirit in which you do this is
the most important thing, and constitutes a great opportunity for you. He
(the Guardian) advises you to turn your face towards the future, to
realise that when you are set free you have loving and helpful friends to
go to, an upright job awaiting you, and you can also become active in
serving our glorious Faith. So really everything lies before you. But at
present, until your sentence is up, you must live within yourself in a way
not to spoil the new future awaiting you. You must not become bitter--for
after all you are only reaping what you planted. Baha'u'llah and
'Abdu'l-Baha, through no crime of their own, spent the better part of
their lives in exile and imprisoned, but they never became embittered
although they were the victims of injustice. You, on the other hand, are
the victim of injustice which you have inflicted on yourself--therefore you
certainly have no right to be bitter towards the world.
He urges you to grasp firmly the teachings of our Faith, the love of your
family and many Baha'i friends, to put the past behind entirely, realising
that it can do you no more harm; on the contrary, through changing you and
making you spiritually aware, this very past can be a means of enriching
your life in the future! He will certainly ardently pray for your
happiness, your victory over yourself, and that you may become an
exemplary and active Baha'i.
Letter of 9 June 1948
9 June 1948
"Reciting" the Greatest Name means to repeat it over and over, silently or
out loud....
The chairman of the local assembly is, if present, the logical and
appropriate person to take charge of the consultation period between the
assembly and the community members at the Nineteen Day Feast.
Letter of 23 June 1948
23 June 1948
He (the Guardian) encouraged him to face manfully the future, accept the
legitimate sanction of society as punishment for his admittedly
anti-social conduct, and realise that his very suffering, humiliation and
punishment can--if he will let it--be the means of freeing him from many of
his past weaknesses and mistakes, and making him a worthy member of
society. He should look to the future, for there is in his power, with
Baha'u'llah's help, to shape into a worthy and constructive way of
life....
The English Baha'is did gloriously succeed after all! Hitching one's wagon
to a star, however impractical it may seem, does bring results, for man,
with God to help him, does possess strengths far beyond the mere
materialist's ken!
As regards your question about p. 41, Kitab-i-Iqan; to say that, after 622
A.D., Christendom was Islam in disguise is a little misleading. The Sun of
Truth, after the advent of Mu?ammad, no longer shone from the Christian
horizon. Islam was, from then until the Bab's advent, the Path of Truth.
We should never insist on teaching those who are not really ready for the
Cause. If a man is not hungry, you cannot make him eat. Among the
Theosophists there are, no doubt, many receptive souls, but those who are
satisfied should be just associated with in a friendly way, but let alone.
Once a seeker comes to accept the concept of progressive religion, and
accepts Baha'u'llah as the Manifestation for this day, the reincarnation
concept will fade away in the light of truth; we should try and avoid
controversial issues in the beginning if possible.
Mirza Abu'l-Fadl was a very excellent and erudite Baha'i teacher. Although
he did err sometimes, yet in identifying Abraham with Zoroaster, he is not
confusing the Prophet Abraham with the Prophet Zoroaster, as the name of
Zoroaster was supposed to have been "Abram".
Letter of 20 September 1948
20 September 1948
He (the Guardian) is very happy indeed to see the change in your attitude
and to hear that you are now not only a recognised member of our Faith,
but a prospective Baha'i pioneer!
It is quite natural for anyone, observing the present state of the world,
to feel very depressed and apprehensive of the future. Any intelligent
person must be wondering what you are wondering. It is indeed hard to see
what lies ahead of us in the near future--but we, as Baha'is, unlike most
people, have absolute assurance that the distant future is serene and
bright. We do not know if there will be another Great War; what we do know
is this: that unless people become spiritually awakened in time, great
suffering, maybe in the form of war, will come upon them, for humanity
must be unified, must be redeemed. If men refuse absolutely to take the
easier road of faith, of seeking out God's Manifestation for this age and
accepting Him, then they will bring upon themselves a fresh crisis in
human affairs and very great affliction. What we, as Baha'is, must do is
our duty; we cannot do other people's duty for them, alas, but we can
fulfil our own sacred responsibilities by serving our fellow-men, living a
Baha'i life, teaching the Faith, and strengthening its budding world
order.
He urges you, just as you have surmounted the crisis in your own life,
through faith and courage, to now go out and serve the Cause with that
same faith and courage. We must leave to God the final reckoning with His
creatures today--but meantime we must give them His Message.
Letter of 17 October 1948
17 October 1948
The Cause in England seems, in spite of financial handicaps, to be going
forward in Seven League boots. He (the Guardian) is truly proud of the
British believers, and this is more than he could say in the past, when
the work for years seemed to be stagnating! Those days are now passed
forever, he feels sure.
Letter of 23 December 1948
23 December 1948
He (the Guardian) is very glad to see you are now living the life of an
active Baha'i and keeping in close touch with dear ... who is a fine
friend to have, with his devotion to the Cause and his optimism.
The Guardian urges you not to be discouraged by any setbacks you may have.
Life is a process of trials and testings, and these are--contrary to what
we are prone to thinking--good for us, and give us stamina, and teach us to
rely on God. Knowing He will help us, we can help ourselves more.
He does not know how, in the present very chaotic state of the world, you
could find just the kind of job you want of driving abroad. Positions are
difficult to obtain and travel so complicated. Unless you can migrate out
to Africa or Australia, in some regular government scheme, he would urge
you to persevere in Great Britain and do the best you can. He urges you,
in the next job you have, to pray whenever you feel the conditions at work
are too much for you. You will find you are helped and strengthened and
once you get established in some position you may work yourself up, or go
on with good references to a better employment later on....
Letter of 8 January 1949
8 January 1949
The only people who are truly free of the "dross of self" are the
Prophets, for to be free of one's ego is a hall-mark of perfection. We
humans are never going to become perfect, for perfection belongs to a
realm we are not destined to enter. However, we must constantly mount
higher, seek to be more perfect.
The ego is the animal in us, the heritage of the flesh which is full of
selfish desires. By obeying the laws of God, seeking to live the life laid
down in our teachings, and prayer and struggle, we can subdue our egos. We
call people "saints" who have achieved the highest degree of mastery over
their egos.
There is no contradiction between Gleanings p. 66 and p. 262. In one place
He says the mirror will never be free from dross, in the other place He
says it will be "so cleared as to be able" etc. It is a relative thing;
perfection will never be reached, but great and ever greater, progress can
be made.
The word "Guardian" in the Seven Valleys has no connection with the Baha'i
Guardianship.
The Qur'an should be to some extent studied by the Baha'is but they
certainly need not seek to acquire a mastery over it, which would take
years, unless they really want to. All Divine Revelation seems to have
been thrown out in flashes. The Prophets never composed treatises. That is
why in the Qur'an and our own Writings different subjects are so often
included in one Tablet. It pulsates, so to speak. That is why it is
"Revelation".
Life is a constant struggle, not only against forces around us, but above
all against our own ego. We can never afford to rest on our own oars, for
if we do, we soon see ourselves carried down stream again. Many of those
who drift away from the Cause do so for the reason that they had ceased to
go on developing. They became complacent or indifferent, and consequently
ceased to draw the spiritual strength and vitality from the Cause which
they should have. Sometimes, of course, people fail because of a test they
just do not meet, and often our severest tests come from each other.
Certainly the believer should try to avert such things, and if they
happen, remedy them through love. Generally speaking nine-tenths of the
friends' troubles are because they don't do the Baha'i thing, in relation
to each other, to the administrative bodies or in their personal lives.
No doubt to the degree we Baha'is the world over strive to spread the
Cause and live up to its teachings, there will be some mitigation of the
suffering of the peoples of the world. But it seems apparent that the
great failure to respond to Baha'u'llah's instructions, appeals and
warnings issued in the 19th century, has now sent the world along a path,
or released forces, which must culminate in a still more violent upheaval
and agony. The thing is out of hand, so to speak, and it is too late to
avert catastrophic trials.
You should never be too depressed about your dissatisfaction concerning
not finding a job you like, a place in the world that fits you. If you
analyse it this general sense of mis-fit is one of the curses of your
generation, one of the products of the world's disequilibrium and chaos.
It is not confined to your life, it is pretty general.
Letter of 20 March 1949
20 March 1949
He (the Guardian) fully realises that some decisions are very hard to take
in life, and he urges you in this case to do two things: in the first
place, are you quite sure two years voice-training will really carry you
where you hope it will? In other words, he presumes that your teacher's
opinion has been backed up by the opinion of other professionals? It would
be a great pity to, in any way, sacrifice your service to the Cause for a
career which in the end might not prove a substantial one. And in the
second place he advises you to remain in ... and continue your studies
(once you are quite assured about the outcome), providing the Plan does
not reach such a critical point that it is imperative for you to go as a
pioneer in order to really help save the situation. If this need arises in
such urgency, he certainly feels you should temporarily give up your
singing lessons, for, of course, no sacrifice is too great for the Cause.
What we put into serving it we know serves a useful and worthy purpose,
whereas the outcome of our struggles in life is never assured completely,
and is certainly insignificant compared to the Faith's importance.
Letter of 22 July 1949
22 July 1949
The work on the Shrine--now beginning to rise visibly at the corners--and
the spread of the Faith which brings many communications from new places,
and many problems too, keeps us all busy as never before, especially the
Guardian. But to see the course going ahead so fast fills our hearts with
gratitude and the work involved seems a small contribution to make to such
a Holy Cause.
As regards to the question you asked me to put to the Guardian about the
Aqdas and the House of Justice elections: as most of the laws of the Aqdas
cannot at present be enforced anywhere he has not deemed it necessary or
wise to translate and promulgate them. You can orally translate them for
any of the believers anxious to know exactly what they are. The National
Assemblies (or Houses of Justice) will elect directly the International
House of Justice, but just what form this election will take must be
decided in the future when the proper time comes. Neither the Master nor
the Guardian have made any pronouncements about punishments stipulated in
the Aqdas.
Letter of 25 July 1949
25 July 1949
There are no quotations from the Qur'an to support the Master's statement
that European thinkers acknowledge the influence of Islam in shaping the
thought of Europe. In the "Gleanings", page 95 (third printing Jan. 1943)
Baha'u'llah says:--"Of old it has been revealed: Love of one's country is
an element of the Faith of God!" Here Baha'u'llah is quoting not the
Qur'an but an Islamic tradition, and it is this statement which the
Guardian has used as the basis of his argument in the "Promised Day" that
nationhood grew out of the direct influence of Mu?ammad's teachings, and
was one of the great contributions to mankind's evolution of Islam. The
building up of nations came after Mu?ammad, and was a step forward in the
direction of a unified world which the teachings of Baha'u'llah has
provided for.
Letter of 22 October 1949
22 October 1949
We must not only be patient with others, infinitely patient!, but also
with our own poor selves, remembering that even the Prophets of God
sometimes got tired and cried out in despair!
The end of the Plan is in view, and a long last push will, he sincerely
hopes and believes, bring success and a breathing space.
Regarding your questions: it is not the City State, but the National State
which Mu?ammad's teachings fostered. Christ had nothing to do with the
City State concept in any direct manner.
The 100 years respite is only the phrase used by the Guardian to convey
the idea that for a 100 years or so the Cause had not been recognised. It
draws no parallel between this century and the last one, nor does it imply
a repetition of events.
The Hidden Words have no sequence. They are jewel-like thoughts sent out
of the mind of the Manifestation of God to admonish and counsel men.
Unfortunately Baha'u'llah was never asked, and never, as far as we know,
stated, what the force was mentioned by Him in the "Epistle". There is
nothing in the "Mysterious Forces of Civilization" implying that these
great conquerors were not blood thirsty.
A healthy social life and Baha'i work can go hand in hand, but not always
in times of crisis, such as these days the Cause is passing through--and
the world--when great sacrifice can alone meet the demands of the
situation.
He urges you to persevere and add up your accomplishments, rather than to
dwell on the dark side of things. Everyone's life has both a dark and
bright side. The Master said: turn your back to the darkness and your face
to Me.
Letter of 18 February 1950
18 February 1950
He (the Guardian) feels that if you consider it too much of a strain to
keep the Fast you should not do so. Baha'u'llah has exempted people who
are travellers at the time; if you could keep it the days you are not
travelling, and thus partake of its bounty, it would be advisable, but it
is not essential.
Letter of 28 March 1950
28 March 1950
The beloved Guardian, having been in touch with you by cable, and being
more over-worked this year than ever, delayed answering. You know, from
what you saw here, how inefficient--to under-state the matter--his servants
are. The work at the Shrine has vastly increased and of necessity, for as
the first part of the building will soon be finished, the grounds around
it have been entirely remodelled to fit it better and show it off. All
this he has been forced to superintend and plan personally. The attacks
and status of the enemies you know about. So that in all he is very tired.
Letter of 4 October 1950
4 October 1950
We must never take one sentence in the Teachings and isolate it from the
rest: it does not mean we must not love, but we must reach a spiritual
plane where God comes first and great human passions are unable to turn us
away from Him. All the time we see people who either through the force of
hate or the passionate attachment they have to another person, sacrifice
principle or bar themselves from the Path of God.
We know absence of light is darkness, but no one would assert darkness was
not a fact. It exists even though it is only the absence of something
else. So evil exists too, and we cannot close our eyes to it, even though
it is a negative existence. We must seek to supplant it by good, and if we
see an evil person is not influenceable by us, then we should shun his
company for it is unhealthy.
We must love God, and in this state a general love for all men becomes
possible. We cannot love each human being for himself, but our feeling
towards humanity should be motivated by our love for the Father who
created all men.
The Baha'i Faith teaches man was always potentially man, even when passing
through lower stages of evolution. Because he has more powers, and subtler
powers than the animal, when he turns towards evil he becomes more vicious
than an animal because of these very powers.
Many Theosophists accept Baha'u'llah as a Prophet, but we have no special
relation to theosophy. It would seem that the Master had some special
reason for not mentioning Baha'u'llah specifically in His talk to the
Theosophists in Budapest. What it was we do not know, but we can assume
His great tact and wisdom impelled Him not to on that occasion.
Letter of 20 October 1950
20 October 1950
He (the Guardian) feels that in as far as possible the African pioneers
should seek to get a job which will take them to one of the countries
chosen and ensure employment for them there. It does not seem wise or
necessary for a Baha'i to stress the fact he or she is going to teach. A
person's religion is their own business, and they can talk about it
privately as much as they like without neglecting their employer's work.