Occasion approaching celebration ninth Naw-Ruz second Baha'i century,
desire share following triple announcement Baha'i world through National
Assemblies East and West. First: Safe arrival in Holy Land in the course
of the last six months successive consignments of stones for the remaining
facades of the Octagon and Pinnacles, eighteen window frames belonging to
the Drum, one hundred tons of cement, thirty-five tons of timber, fifteen
tons of steel, eight wrought iron balustrades, stones for the lower
section of the Drum as well as the completion of construction of the
Octagon and the erection of fifteen feet Pinnacles constituting, with the
ornamental balustrades, the central adornment of the Holy Edifice. The
leaded glass required for twenty-four windows of the Octagon and eighteen
lancet windows of the Drum, ordered. Investigations initiated for the
fabrication of gilded tiles, the final material necessary for the
construction of the Sepulcher.
Recall with feelings of humble thankfulness and intense joy the series of
historic landmarks in the progress of the sacred enterprise, associated,
first, with the formal entombment, Naw-Ruz 1909, sixty lunar years after
the Bab's martyrdom, of His dust in the vault of the Shrine; second, the
laying, forty years later, Naw-Ruz 1949, of the first threshold stones of
the Arcade of the Sepulcher; third, the completion, two years later,
Naw-Ruz 1951, of the excavation for eight piers, designed to support the
Dome, followed by the placing, a year later, on the eve of Naw-Ruz 1952,
of the second crown of the same Edifice. The way is now prepared for the
erection of the Drum, including eighteen windows symbolizing the eighteen
Letters of the Living, the appointed transmitters of the dawning Light of
the Author of the Babi Dispensation, as well as the rearing of the golden
Dome, constituting the third and final unit of the triple crown destined
to irradiate its splendor in the heart of God's Holy Mountain. Moved to
pay warm, loving tribute to the Shrine's immortal architect and Hand of
the Cause, Sutherland Maxwell, and the services of Ugo Giachery, UNO
Representative of the International Baha'i Community, recently elevated to
the rank of Hand of the Cause, and newly-appointed member of the
International Baha'i Council, who is ably discharging manifold
responsibilities connected with the mighty undertaking.
Second announcement: The enlargement of the International Baha'i Council.
Present membership now comprises: Amatu'l-Baha Ruhiyyih, chosen liaison
between me and the Council. Hands of the Cause, Mason Remey, Amelia
Collins, Ugo Giachery, Leroy Ioas, President, Vice-President, member at
large, Secretary-General, respectively. Jessie Revell, Ethel Revell,
Lotfullah Hakim, Treasurer, Western and Eastern assistant Secretaries.
Third announcement: Following upon the missions entrusted to the Hands of
the Cause in connection with the establishment of Haziratu'l-Quds in the
Dominion of Canada and Central Africa, have instructed Ugo Giachery to
take in conjunction with the European Teaching Committee, immediate steps,
after the conclusion of his pilgrimage, aiming at the formation, ere the
termination of the American Community's second Seven Year Plan, of the
first National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Italy and Switzerland.
Advise United States National Assembly arrange, through European Teaching
Committee, the election on the occasion of Naw-Ruz 1953 of nineteen
delegates by all local Assemblies already established in both countries.
Urge convocation Ridvan same year, in the city of Florence, on the
occasion of the festivities of the Baha'i Holy Year of the first
Convention for the express purpose of electing through the delegates the
projected National Assembly. Appeal to the American Baha'i community,
particularly the Baha'is residing in Italy and Switzerland, to exert their
utmost to insure in the course of the coming year the multiplication of
Spiritual Assemblies in both countries, thereby broadening the basis of
the projected pillar of the future Universal House of Justice. Advise
European Teaching Committee, upon consummation of the glorious enterprise
to issue formal invitation to their spiritual offspring, the newly-emerged
National Assembly, to participate, together with its sister National
Assemblies of the United States, the British Isles, and Germany, in the
Intercontinental Conference in August of the same year in the capital city
of Sweden. Anticipate entrusting to the youngest among the twelve National
Assemblies of the Baha'i World a specific plan enabling it, in conjunction
with its sister National Spiritual Assemblies of the Baha'i World, to
promote in the course of the ten years separating the second from the Most
Great Jubilee the Global Crusade designed to hoist the standard of
Baha'u'llah in the remaining states, dependencies and islands of the whole
planet. Invite the attendants to the third Baha'i Intercontinental
Conference to befittingly commemorate the undreamt-of climax of the
brilliant victories won in the course of the second Seven Year Plan,
eclipsing the feats accomplished in the Latin American field in the course
of the first Seven Year Plan and presaging the tremendous triumph to be
won in the course of the third Seven Year Plan in the African, Asiatic and
Australian continents.
With throbbing heart call to mind the solemn affirmations and glowing
promises recorded in the Tablets of the Divine Plan envisioning the
evidences of the everlasting dominion destined to signalize the
inauguration, and accompany the triumphal progress, of the mission of the
vanguard of Baha'u'llah's crusaders and champion builders of His world
order in the European, Asiatic, African and Australian continents and the
islands of the Pacific Ocean. Advise European Teaching Committee to cable
the text of the third announcement to the Assemblies of the capital cities
of Italy and Switzerland and urge on my behalf the participation of the
Swiss believers in the first teaching conference in Rome on the eve of
Naw-Ruz this year for consultation with their Italian collaborators on the
prosecution of the soul-uplifting fateful undertaking in the heart and
south of the European continent.
--Shoghi
[Cablegram, March 8, 1952]