June 22nd, 1938.
Dear Baha'i Sister,
I am instructed by our beloved Guardian to express his thanks for your
communication of May 14th, with the enclosed copy of the resolutions
passed by the Australian and New-Zealand N.S.A. in its April meeting held
in Melbourne. He has also noted with deep satisfaction the program of the
public meeting you had arranged on that occasion, and is very much
heartened to know that the response from the public has been most genuine
and quite beyond your expectations.
The general situation of the Cause in Melbourne, however, has caused
immense grief to his heart, specially as the believers themselves are
losing interest and seem to be drifting away. The decision taken by your
Assembly to hold the next Annual Convention there, with the view of
encouraging and guiding the friends to re-organise their activities, and
also in order to stimulate the progress of the teaching work in that
center is most splendid. The Guardian would strongly advise that in the
meantime every effort be exerted, through such means as the N.S.A. may
find feasible and effective, to bring back into the Community those
members who have already left, and to take immediate measures to
discourage those who contemplate doing so.
With reference to Miss Martha Root's projected teaching trip to your
shores; the Guardian highly appreciates the cordial invitation extended to
her by your Assembly, and has every hope that through her splendid zeal,
mature and wide experience in the teaching field, she will be able to lend
an unprecedented impetus to the expansion and consolidation of the
teaching work throughout Australia and New-Zealand during this coming
winter.
In closing I wish to convey through you to the newly-elected N.S.A. the
Guardian's heartfelt congratulations and sincere greetings, and to assure
them of his prayers, that throughout their new term of office, they may be
assisted in acquitting themselves befittingly of their task.
Also kindly extend to them his loving thanks for the expression of deep
sympathy which they have conveyed to him on their behalf, and in the name
of the believers in New-Zealand and Australia, in the passing away of the
Holy Mother, Munirih _Kh_anum.
Yours in His Service,
H. Rabbani.
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-worker:
I truly admire the manner in which the national representatives of the
believers of Australia and New Zealand are discharging their
responsibilities and fulfilling their vital and manifold functions. I,
moreover, feel eternally thankful for the spirit which the believers
themselves manifest, the support they extend to them, the vigilance,
steadfastness and self-sacrifice that distinguish the record of their
services. The foundations they are laying will endure and broaden as the
days go by, and the institutions they are erecting will multiply a
thousandfold if they persevere in the path they are now treading. The
blessing of the Abha Beauty will enable them to achieve still greater
victories if they refuse to hesitate and falter.
Gratefully,
Shoghi.