Impelled at this grave hour in the chequered history of the over
century-old, world-encompassing, repeatedly-persecuted yet undefeatable
Faith, to summon the entire body of the valorous upholders of its
institutions who, severally and collectively, stand pledged to the
prosecution of the mightiest crusade launched since its inception, whether
residing in homelands or overseas, however repressive the regimes under
which they labor, to ponder anew the full implications and essential
requirements of their stewardship of the Cause of Baha'u'llah.
Entreat them to refuse to allow any vicissitudes, present or future, to
dampen their ardor and enthusiasm, impair their solidarity, weaken their
resolution, or deflect them from their high purpose. Unbowed by adversity,
disdainful of the clamors, undeterred by the machinations of the
inveterate, artful, traditional enemies who are alarmed by their own
declining fortunes, contrasting with the evidence of the dynamic force,
impelling power, rising prestige, indivisible unity, accumulating
resources, multiplying institutions and inextinguishable spirit of God's
infant Faith, it behoveth them to bend their energies, rise to higher
levels of consecration, vigilantly combat all forms of misrepresentations,
eradicate suspicions, dispel misgivings, silence criticisms, through still
more compelling demonstration of loyalty to their respective governments,
win, maintain and strengthen the confidence of the civil authorities in
their integrity and sincerity, reaffirm the universality of the aims and
purposes of the Faith, proclaim the spiritual character of its fundamental
principles, and assert the non-political character of its administrative
institutions.
Appeal to members of communities untrammeled by the disabilities and
shackles imposed on their less privileged brethren, particularly those
established in the North American continent, recognized stronghold of the
administrative order of the Faith, and those residing in the British
Commonwealth and Empire, situated in the heart, the East and West of the
African continent, scattered throughout the Antipodes and Pacific area, to
arise promptly and accelerate the tempo of their activities, multiply
exploits which will more than offset the transient setbacks which a
steadily-advancing and as yet not fully-emancipated Faith may suffer.
Theirs is the sublime opportunity so to act as to thoroughly dishearten
and confound any schemes which envious, fanatical and embittered
adversaries, tottering to their fall, may devise.
Share message with National Assemblies.
--Shoghi
[Cablegram, May 26, 1955]