The Light of Divine Guidance (Volume 2)
by Shoghi Effendi
Edition 1, (September 2006)
BAHA’I TERMS OF USE
You have permission to freely make and use copies of the text and any
other information ("Content") available on this Site including printing,
emailing, posting, distributing, copying, downloading, uploading,
transmitting, displaying the Content in whole or in part subject to the
following:
1. Our copyright notice and the source reference must be attached to the
Content;
2. The Content may not be modified or altered in any way except to change
the font or appearance;
3. The Content must be used solely for a non-commercial purpose.
Although this blanket permission to reproduce the Content is given freely
such that no special permission is required, the Bahá’í International
Community retains full copyright protection for all Content included at
this Site under all applicable national and international laws.
For permission to publish, transmit, display or otherwise use the Content
for any commercial purpose, please contact us
(http://reference.bahai.org/en/contact.html).
CONTENTS
Baha’i Terms of Use
Letter of 27 February (1922)
Letter of 5 January 1923
Letter of 18 December 1925
Letter of 15 February 1926
Letter of 4 November 1926
Letter of 9 November 1926
Letter of 6 April 1928
Letter of 11 April 1929
Letter of 11 April 1929
Letter of 8 June 1929
Letter of 9 June 1929
Letter of 20 November 1929
Letter of 30 April 1930
Letter of 14 December 1930
Letter of 8 April 1931
Letter of 10 September 1931
Letter of 17 September 1931
Letter of 14 January 1932
Letter of 6 December 1932
Letter of 11 December 1932
Letter of 2 January 1933
Letter of 16 April 1933
Letter of 25 April 1934
Letter of 25 April 1934
Letter of 25 September 1934
Letter of 20 November 1934
Letter of 20 November 1934
Letter of 7 December 1934
Letter of 13 December 1934
Letter of 13 January 1935
Letter of 15 April 1935
Letter of 21 May 1935
Letter of 17 June 1935
Letter of 5 July 1935
Letter of 3 August 1935
Letter of 24 December 1935
Letter of 25 January 1936
Letter of 26 January 1936
Letter of 31 March 1936
Letter of 19 October 1936
Letter of 25 October 1936
Letter of 3 March 1937
Letter of 23 June 1937
Letter of 20 October 1937
Letter of 7 January 1938
Letter of 18 January 1938
Letter of 1 February 1938
Letter of 20 March 1938
Letter of 29 March 1938
Letter of 7 May 1939
Letter of 26 May 1946
Letter of 3 July 1946
Letter of 11 July 1946
Letter of 12 July 1946
Letter of 25 July 1946
Letter of 29 July 1946
Letter of 30 July 1946
Letter of 29 December 1946
Letter of 18 January 1947
Letter of 9 February 1947
Letter of 18 February 1947
Letter of 18 February 1947
Letter of 18 February 1947
Letter of 22 February 1947
Letter of 30 March 1947
Letter of 1 April 1947
Letter of 4 April 1947
Letter of 4 April 1947
Letter of 12 April 1947
Letter of 3 May 1947
Letter of 13 June 1947
Letter of 4 July 1947
Letter of 19 July 1947
Letter of 27 September 1947
Letter of 14 November 1947
Letter of 21 November 1947
Letter of 21 November 1947
Letter of 25 November 1947
Letter of 27 November 1947
Letter of 8 December 1947
Letter of 18 December 1947
Letter of 30 January 1948
Letter of 2 June 1948
Letter of 10 June 1948
Letter of 10 June 1948
Letter of 11 June 1948
Letter of 3 July 1948
Letter of 3 December 1948
Letter of 13 December 1948
Letter of 8 February 1949
Letter of 2 March 1949
Letter of 11 March 1949
Letter of 20 March 1949
Letter of 24 March 1949
Letter of 31 March 1949
Letter of 11 April 1949
Letter of 15 April 1949
Letter of 27 May 1949
Letter of 30 May 1949
Letter of 5 June 1949
Letter of 30 September 1949
Letter of 20 October 1949
Letter of 22 October 1949
Letter of 22 October 1949
Letter of 30 October 1949
Letter of 12 November (1949?)
Letter of 18 December 1949
Letter of 28 March 1950
Letter of 30 September 1950
Letter of 2 October 1950
Letter of 6 October 1950
Letter of 26 October 1950
Letter of 26 October 1950
Letter of 10 February 1951
Letter of 10 February 1951
Letter of 5 April 1951
Letter of 22 April 1951
Letter of 31 May 1951
Letter of 19 September 1951
Letter of 30 October 1951
Letter of 6 December 1951
Letter of 20 January 1952
Letter of 14 March 1952
Letter of 12 April 1952
Letter of 7 May 1952
Letter of 23 May 1952
Letter of 25 May 1952
Letter of 30 August 1952
Letter of 29 November 1952
Letter of 13 March 1953
Letter of 13 May 1953
Letter of 16 March 1953
Letter of 16 March 1953
Letter of 19 April 1953
Letter of 7 May 1953
Letter of 16 May 1953
Letter of 1 November 1953
Letter of 8 February 1954
Letter of 11 May 1954
Letter of 2 June 1954
Letter of 5 September 1954
Letter of 4 October 1954
Letter of 12 December 1954
Letter of 30 September 1955
Facsimile of a letter found on page 118
Letter of 13 January 1956
Letter of 26 March 1956
Letter of 3 May 1956
Letter of 26 August 1956
Letter of 16 September 1956
Letter of 28 September 1956
Letter of 15 November 1956
Letter of 17 November 1956
Letter of 30 November 1956
Letter of 6 December 1956
Letter of 6 December 1956
Letter of 15 December 1956
Letter of 2 February 1957
Letter of 17 March 1957
Letter of 25 March 1957
Letter of 28 March 1957
Letter of 28 April 1957
Letter of 14 May 1957
Letter of 28 May 1957
Letter of 31 May 1957
Letter of 4 June 1957
Letter of 4 June 1957
Letter of 22 July 1957
Letter of 7 August 1957
Letter of 24 October 1957
LETTER OF 27 FEBRUARY (1922)(1)
27 February (1922)
Honoured Sir:
It is with regret and sorrow that I enclose at last the long-protracted
translations of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s answer to your letter. His sudden passing
to the Great Beyond has plunged us all in profound grief and added heavily
to our preoccupations and responsibilities. Happily, however, the full
answer to your epistle, had been written, and signed by him many days
before his passing and were it not for the desire to have it adequately
rendered into English and French, it would have reached you far sooner
than now. As I am not certain of your address at the present moment, I am
enclosing a copy of the original text which bears his signature, hoping to
forward the text as soon as I am assured of your true address.
I am sending, too, a copy of the English version to Mr. A. Iṣfáhání, a
Bahá’í friend of ours who, I understand, has had the pleasure and
privilege of meeting you on more than one occasion, and who I am sure will
submit it to you, should this letter fail to reach its destination.
The Bahá’ís the world over will be delighted to have copies of
‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s answer to your letter circulated amongst them, as it is
unique in many respects and much appreciated in its nature and
comprehensiveness. I have refrained from giving them copies until I hear
of your desire to do so.
Being a personal letter I thought it incumbent upon me to inform you and
request you on this point.
My very best wishes and kind regards and hoping to hear from you soon,
I am yours very sincerely
Shoghi Rabbani
(grandson of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá)
LETTER OF 5 JANUARY 1923
5 January 1923
The beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful throughout Great
Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland. The glory of the
All-Glorious rest upon them! Beloved brethren and sisters in ‘Abdu’l-Bahá!
His honor, Jináb-i ‘Abdu’l-Ḥusayn-í Avárih, fired with the spirit of
service and teaching which the passing of our beloved Master has kindled
in every heart, is proceeding to Europe and will visit every Bahá’í centre
in that great continent, that he may with the aid of the many friends in
those regions raise the Call of Yá-Bahá’u’l-Abhá and stimulate interest in
the Cause of God. He is indeed qualified for such an eminent noble task
and I am confident that by the Grace of God and with the whole-hearted
assistance of the loved ones of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, he may be enabled to promote
far and wide the universal Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh.
His wide experience and familiarity with the various aspects of the
Movement, his profound and extensive knowledge of its history; his
association with some of the early believers, the pioneers and martyrs of
the Cause will I am sure to appeal to every one of you and will serve to
acquaint you still further with the more intimate and tragic side of this
remarkable Movement.
May his sojourn in your country lend a fresh impetus to the onward march
of the Cause in the West and arouse widespread interest in the history as
well as the principles of the Bahá’í Movement!
LETTER OF 18 DECEMBER 1925(2)
18 December 1925
An die lieben Bahá’í Geschwister in Esslingen Meine geliebten Bahá’í
Geschwister,
Euren schönen Brief vom 9. Kaul hat unser geliebter Hüter, Shoghi Effendi
erhalten und grosse Freude dadurch bekommen. Damit strömt die Liebe Gottes
und der süsse Duft Eurer Harmonie, Einigkeit, Aufrichtigkeit und
Ergebenheit der Wohlfahrt der heiligen Sache.
Unser geliebter Hüter hat mich beauftragt, diese Zeilen an Euch zu
schreiben und seine Liebe und herzliche Grússe euch zu übersenden. Er
versichert Euch, dass er fúr Euch am heiligen Grabe Unsers Geliebten,
‘Abdu’l-Bahás mit ganzem Herzen betet. Er erwartet immer gute Nachrichten
von Eurem Wohlsein und von dem Fortschritte der heiligen Sache in Eurem
Land.
Liebe Geschwister, die Angelegenheiten in meiner Heimat haben mich
gezwungen, eine Reise nach Persien zu machen. Der geliebte Hüter hat mir
Urlaub dáfúr bewilligt. Ich verlasse Haifa binnen drei oder vier Tagen. Da
während meiner Abwesenheit von Haifa niemand hier ist, der Deutsch kann,
sollen alle die Briefe und Nachrichten, die dem lieben Shoghi Effendi
geschickt werden werden, auf Englisch geschrieben werden. Die heilige
Familie lassen Euch auch herzliche Grússe.
Mit treuer Liebe, verbleibe ich immer, Euer ergebener Bruder in Seinem
heiligen Namen und Dienste unsers geliebten Hüter
[From the Guardian:]
My dearest friends:
This is to assure you personally of my continued and earnest prayers for
your happiness, welfare and spiritual advancement. The Esslingen friends
are near and dear to my heart. I have great admiration for their
steadfastness, their love and devotion and cherish great hopes for their
future. They are destined to achieve great things for our beloved Cause.
Always your true brother,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 15 FEBRUARY 1926
15 February 1926
With regard to your first question on alcohol and drinking Bahá’u’lláh
fully aware of the great misery that it brings about, prohibits it as He
expressly states that everything that takes away the mind or in other
words makes one drunk is forbidden. The Master has promoted the same idea.
In connection with spiritualism, although the Master says that there is
some element of truth in what some teach under the subject of
auto-suggestion and others, spiritualism as such is not taught by the
Bahá’í religion. Our Master has said that religion and true science must
go together and most of these things have not been proved by science.
As to your third question Shoghi Effendi would like you to understand that
when one believes in one to be divinely inspired and when one is convinced
that he has a great mission to the world in his teachings, he must very
naturally be ready to accept all that that world-teacher that
divinely-inspired man says. It is with this view that he feels that a real
Bahá’í would be one who is convinced that Bahá’u’lláh was a world-teacher
and a Messenger of God bearing to mankind a great Message, and would
therefore be ready to accept all that Bahá’u’lláh has said and the same is
true of the Master whom we believe to have been the great propounder of
the Bahá’í teachings and the one through whom the Covenant of God was
firmly established in the world.
With regard to the differentiation between Bahá’í and Bahá’í friend. This
differentiation was not one which Bahá’u’lláh and the Master firmly
established but because there are so many people who are attracted to the
Bahá’í Cause just as they are attracted to some society and people who
have not developed spiritually to look at the world and the spiritual
elements of life in the proper light that a Bahá’í would look at it, it
has become a habit of differentiating between what you might call
beginners in the Bahá’í Movement and those who have studied the Movement
thoroughly and who know its teachings exactly and who understand the real
spirit that is back of it all. You should not think, however, that a
Bahá’í is one who is superior to a Bahá’í friend, but only that he has
studied the Movement better and realizes well the great and divine spirit
that is at the root of all Bahá’í teachings.
I hope that in spite of the briefness that has been necessary in answering
your interesting questions, I have been able to explain to you properly
the meaning of each answer. It is always through questioning and mature
thought that we can arrive at the root of everything and in the teachings
of Bahá’u’lláh there are so many things which though at present seemingly
unnecessary will be of great necessity in the future development of
mankind.
LETTER OF 4 NOVEMBER 1926
4 November 1926
The wine mentioned in the Tablets has undoubtedly a spiritual meaning for
in the book of Aqdas we are definitely forbidden to take not only wine,
but every thing that deranges the mind. In poetry as a whole wine is taken
to have a different connotation than the ordinary intoxicating liquid. We
see it thus used by the Persian Poets such as Sa’dí and Umar _Kh_ayám and
Háfiz to mean that element which nears man to his divine beloved, which
makes him forget his material self so as better to seek his spiritual
desires. It is very necessary to tell the children what this wine means so
that they may not confuse it with the ordinary wine.
The books of laws or Aqdas has not yet been properly translated because as
you mentioned we do not have any competent person for the work. When the
Cause was first introduced to west one of the Arab friends made such an
attempt but it was so misleading and confusing that the Master forbade any
individual to make another trial. He said that it is the work of a group
of competent translators and not of one person. Most of the important
subjects mentioned there are, however, quite familiar to the friends
through other tablets and there is no pressing need for such a work at
present.
[From the Guardian:]
Your welcome letter, indicative of your perseverance in service, despite
the great loss you have sustained, was a source of great comfort and
strength to me. I hope and pray that your dear children will grow in
spiritual understanding, wisdom and virtue and by their life, their
conduct and future services to the Cause make the soul of their departed
father radiant and joyous and prove a solace to your heart. Rest assured
that you all occupy a warm and abiding place in my heart and are the
object of my constant and fervent prayers at the holy Shrines.
LETTER OF 9 NOVEMBER 1926
9 November 1926
He has great hopes for Germany. That country forms the center of a
politically and socially troubled country; many an individual are weary of
mere palliative measures. They desire a complete reform beginning with the
heart and branching into all the different branches of activity.
[From the Guardian:]
This is just a word that I wish to add in person, assuring you and the
dear friends in Esslingen of my great love for you and my continued
prayers for your welfare and spiritual advancement. I will tenderly
remember you at the three holy Shrines and will supplicate for each of you
Divine Guidance and Strength.
LETTER OF 6 APRIL 1928
6 April 1928
To the Friends gathered at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Renftle(3)
Dear Friends,
He thanks you very much for your kind Naw-Rúz greetings and he is highly
pleased to receive such a sweet message from his friends in Karlsruhe. He
hopes and prays that the new Bahá’í year may be full of happiness and
prosperity for you all, and may witness a great progress in the spread of
the Bahá’í teachings in Karlsruhe.
You will surely make your best effort in that connection and Shoghi
Effendi will pray that our dear and departed Master may help you and
strengthen you. He will be always glad to hear from you and of your doings
there and you should be happy to hold your meetings in such a beautiful
home, the photograph of which you had sent....
[From the Guardian:]
My dear co-workers:
I wish to add a few words in person and assure you of my keen pleasure in
receiving your most welcome message, as well as of my prayers for your
success and spiritual advancement. I trust that you may each grow to
become a radiant star in the firmament of the Cause and exemplify in your
life and conduct the radiant spirit that animates the Faith.
Your true brother,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 11 APRIL 1929
11 April 1929
To the Bahá’ís in Karlsruhe.
Dear Bahá’í brothers and sisters:
Your kind words of New Year greetings to Shoghi Effendi has been received
and it gave him much pleasure. He hopes that this coming year will bring
to the Cause many spiritual victories, especially in Germany which stands
as the heart of the present troubled Europe. If the banner of peace should
not be raised in that continent, only God can foresee what will ensue,
what calamities another war will bring, and what will happen to our
present civilization.
Shoghi Effendi will remember you all in his prayers and ask for you divine
guidance and help....
[From the Guardian:]
Dearly-beloved friends:
I am deeply touched by your message and I wish to add these words in
person as a token of my affection and prayers for you. The beloved of the
Lord in Karlsruhe are dear and near to my heart. I long to hear from them,
and to learn of the progress of their activities. May the Almighty guide
their steps, cheer their hearts, deepen their understanding and enable
them to fulfil their heart’s desire.
Your true and loving brother,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 11 APRIL 1929
11 April 1929
He hopes that your number may daily increase and include people of
capacity and spiritual insight. It is true that the Cause in Germany has
some difficult problems to solve and some differences to overcome, but
these should merely arouse as to greater activity. The Cause ever since
its inception has been confronting problems, but these have frozen to be a
factor in strengthening our faith and adding to our energy.
It is very necessary that we should endeavour to strengthen the National
Assembly. Without it no unity and cooperation could be obtained throughout
the country.
As you say in your letter private, informal gatherings held in homes where
different friendly individuals are invited often give better result for
only those who are really interested are attracted and then once attracted
they could be traced and kept in touch.
LETTER OF 8 JUNE 1929
8 June 1929
The beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful throughout
Europe.
Dearly-beloved friends:
Dr. Yúnís _Kh_án Afrú_kh_tih, an outstanding figure in the teaching and
administrative activities of the believers in Persia, is proceeding to
Europe in order to visit the Bahá’í centres and reinforce the bonds of
Bahá’í fellowship that unite the East with the West. His mature
experience, his wide knowledge of the state of affairs in Persia, his
exemplary loyalty and devotion to the Cause, his ability and character
eminently qualify him to undertake such a noble task, and I feel confident
that his prolonged stay amongst you will prove of the utmost benefit to
the interests of our beloved Cause.
I urge every individual believer, and particularly every local Assembly,
to endeavour to get into close touch with him, to obtain an insight into
the material and spiritual conditions now prevailing in Persia and to seek
a clearer understanding of the animating purpose, the distinguishing
features and the moving history of the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh.
May his deliberations and intimate companionship with you serve to draw
closer the ties that bind the Eastern and Western sections of the Bahá’í
World and prepare the way for the ultimate formation of that international
body that must guard the unity, and reinforce the strength of the Bahá’í
Faith.
Your true brother,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 9 JUNE 1929
9 June 1929
Shoghi Effendi wishes me to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated
January 23rd 1929 and the enclosed photos of the friends in Rostock.
Though your number is still very small yet we hope that through the
Master’s help and confirmation it will increase until it can in its turn
radiate its light to regions around.
Shoghi Effendi will remember you in his prayers and ask for you divine
guidance.
Yesterday one of our prominent Persian friends, Dr. Yúnís _Kh_án left for
Europe. His main purpose is to visit the different centers in Germany and
meet the friends. Through such travellers we hope the East and the West
will become more closely united.
[From the Guardian:]
My dear co-worker:
I wish to assure you in person of my keen interest in your activities as
well as of my fervent prayers for you, that the Beloved may guide your
steps, cheer your heart and enable you to fulfil your most cherished
desire.
Your true brother,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 20 NOVEMBER 1929(4)
20 November 1929
Shoghi Effendi has been very glad to receive your letter of August and to
learn of the visit of Dr. Yúnís _Kh_án and Mr. Fred. Kline. He is also
very pleased to know that you have already chosen a plot of land for a
Bahá’í home.
The Guardian has always wished to see Esslingen a great and flourishing
Bahá’í center, just as our beloved Master always hoped that it may become.
Of course you realize that perseverance, enthusiasm and a firm faith in
the ultimate success of our Cause is necessary, and when we are assisted
by the Almighty there can be no doubt that all our endeavours will be
crowned with success.
Assuring you one and all of Shoghi Effendi’s warm regards and of his
prayers for you,
[From the Guardian:]
With the assurance of my deep affection and fervent prayers at the holy
Shrines for you,
Your true brother,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 30 APRIL 1930
30 April 1930
To the Friends gathered at Esslingen
At this season of the year when Bahá’ís throughout the world are
celebrating the Ridván festivities and are renewing their determination to
work and live under the banner of Bahá’u’lláh, Shoghi Effendi is very glad
indeed to receive your message.
He wishes me to take the opportunity and assure you of his affection and
also of his wish and prayers that you may strive unitedly for the progress
of the Faith and its establishment in your land. He hopes that you will
stand firm, unaffected by the dark forces around us, and that you will
help to carry the message of Bahá’u’lláh far and wide.
[From the Guardian:]
...I will continue to pray for you from the depths of my heart. The tests
and trials, through which you are passing, are for the good of our beloved
Cause. Be happy and hopeful. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá will bless you a hundredfold for
your perseverance and devoted efforts.
Your true brother,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 14 DECEMBER 1930
14 December 1930
Shoghi Effendi ... is extremely appreciative of your desire to serve the
Cause and help to spread its message of peace throughout the world, and
sincerely hopes that the time would come when you would realize this hope
and attain your heart’s desire.
We are, however, told and urged by the Master to consult with our friends,
especially the Assemblies, before we undertake any important decision in
our life especially when the subject pertains to any plan of service we
have in mind. There are always so many circumstances to take into
consideration. Personally Shoghi Effendi has no objection to any such plan
of service but would much prefer to have you consider, in consultation
with the friends, the subject from all its aspects, among others its
financial one.
Meanwhile, Shoghi Effendi hopes that you will devote all your free time to
the study of the Teachings, and at the same time help their spread in
Germany. Europe with all its menaces of war surely needs the principles of
the Cause that are the only foundations for a permanent establishment of
peace.
LETTER OF 8 APRIL 1931
8 April 1931
Shoghi Effendi wishes me to ... express his great pleasure for the service
you have been rendering the friends by visiting them and telling them of
your experiences in Haifa. Those who are privileged to visit the shrines
and obtain from it its life-giving spirit, should on their return home,
diffuse it among the friends, gladden their heart and thus draw them
nearer to the source of all blessing.
You mention in your letter that Mr. Herrigel is becoming conscious of the
mistake he has made. He surely ought to have studied the true situation
before taking sides and expressing his opinion. This is exactly what I
wrote to him on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, but he was blinded by Mrs.
White. Anyhow, Shoghi Effendi hopes that as time passes the truth that the
Master’s will encloses will more and more dawn upon him and make him
repent for his past deeds.
[From the Guardian:]
Convey to the friends in Berlin the expression of my loving appreciation
of their devoted endeavours for the promotion of our beloved Cause. May
the Beloved bless richly their efforts and enable them to fulfil their
heart’s desire.
LETTER OF 10 SEPTEMBER 1931(5)
10 September 1931
In regard to your father’s spiritual testament, which betrays on the part
of the author an inadequate knowledge of the Bahá’í Faith, the Guardian
feels that you should make it clear to all the inquirers that the late Dr.
Forel, as many other persons who have embraced the Cause, did not have a
complete understanding of the fundamentals of the Bahá’í religion. He was
particularly interested in the social aspect of the Movement and owing to
some psychological reasons he did not lay much emphasis on its doctrinal
side. This can be explained by the fact that our lamented doctor being
advanced in age at the time of his acquaintance with the Bahá’í teachings
was not able to devote all his time to a deep study of the tenets of the
Faith.
Shoghi Effendi, however, in his letter addressed personally to your father
explained to him that the Bahá’ís should firmly believe in the existence
of God and in the immortality of the soul and in many other fundamental
teachings which the Bahá’ís share with the adherents of many other
religions. Our lamented doctor may have most probably considered it unwise
to declare openly that he had rejected all his previous conceptions in
regard to the existence of God and such similar ideas and preferred to
express in an indirect way the many changes which the knowledge of the
Faith had brought in his mind by declaring that he had become a Bahá’í.
At any rate there is no doubt whatever that the well-known Tablet revealed
by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá for him had brought a tremendous change in his monistic
theories and induced him to accept the Message openly.
However great the contradictions in Dr. Forel’s testament in regard to his
attitude towards the Cause we cannot fail but to recognize him as a Bahá’í
who had but a partial glimpse of the Bahá’í Revelation. No one can claim
that his knowledge of this Revelation is adequate, especially at this time
when the Bahá’í Faith is still in the embryonic stage of its development.
Dr. Forel was sincere in his convictions but like every human being his
comprehension was limited and this was not in his power to change.
These are the ideas which came to Shoghi Effendi’s mind when he read a
‘résumé of Dr. Forel’s testament in one of the well-known Swiss journals
and he wishes you to share them with all those who are interested to know
of the Doctor’s attitude towards this Movement....
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-worker:
The passing of your distinguished father has indeed grieved me profoundly
and I wish to assure you of my heartfelt sympathy in your irreparable
loss. I would deeply appreciate a written account of his eventful life and
of the meritorious services he rendered humanity, either from your pen or
any other friend in Germany, for publication in the next issue of the
Bahá’í World. I feel that his reference to the Cause in the codicil of
this testament indicates the perceptible change in his mental outlook
since he penned the earlier passages of his will, for he must have known
from the Tablet he received as well as from the letters I wrote him and
from many other Bahá’í publications the fundamental and distinguishing
features of the Cause. That is why I feel that with your consent and
approval, the publication of his references to the Cause in his testament
could very well be published in the Bahá’í World. With my best wishes and
deepest sympathy,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 17 SEPTEMBER 1931(6)
17 September 1931
He was particularly gratified to learn of your interesting visits to the
different Bahá’í centres in Germany and he wishes me to assure you of
their great importance for the unity of the Cause in that land.
The German believers have undoubtedly experienced a very severe trial and
their faith has been tested in an unprecedented way. Their staunchness,
however, has been admirable and their sincerity deeply rooted. With the
exception of a few they have proven that their conversion to the Faith had
a solid foundation and that it withstood all the violent storms of recent
years.
Shoghi Effendi wishes you to persevere in your work and he fervently prays
that the Almighty may assist you and sustain your efforts and to enable
you to render great services to the Cause.
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-worker:
Your letter has indeed rejoiced my heart. I strongly feel that you should,
if convenient and feasible, concentrate your efforts on Germany and help
to consolidate the foundations of the Cause and increase the unity and
understanding of the friends. This, I feel, is your great and special
mission.
LETTER OF 14 JANUARY 1932
14 January 1932
Shoghi Effendi was very glad to learn that you devote a considerable
amount of your time to the study of the teachings. It is absolutely
essential for those who desire to spread the movement to be quite familiar
with the writings of Bahá’u’lláh and the Master. Without that knowledge we
may be spreading our own views and wrongly attributing to them things that
are the result of our imaginings.
Concerning cremation I have not seen anything in the writings. But as
Bahá’u’lláh in the book of Aqdas directs the friends to bury their dead,
he indirectly discourages cremation. Whether there is some basic reason
for such a preference he does not say, but we may try and find it.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá does often state that the medical science will much improve.
With the appearance of every Revelation a new insight is created in man
and this in turn expresses itself in the growth of science. This has
happened in past dispensations and we find its earliest fruits in our
present day. What we see however is only the beginning. With the spiritual
awakening of man this force will develop and marvelous results will become
manifest. Among other phases of human learning the medical science will
have a place. There is a Tablet of Medicine that Bahá’u’lláh has revealed
and which is translated into English. That does not contain much of
scientific informations but has some interesting advices for keeping
healthy.
Shoghi Effendi was very glad to hear that you are planning to study
Persian very seriously. Should you do it you will obtain ample reward for
your labours, for you will then be able to go straight to the writings
themselves.
LETTER OF 6 DECEMBER 1932
6 December 1932
To the Bahá’ís of Esslingen
Dear Bahá’í Brothers and Sisters:
Shoghi Effendi wishes me to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated
November 28th 1932 written on the occasion of the commemoration of the
passing away of our beloved Master ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.
The Guardian is very glad to see that at such celebrations the friends
come together and with a true spirit of service and devotion renew their
determination to consecrate their life to the service of the Faith. It is
only through such methods that the fire of enthusiasm can be kept burning
in our hearts, and that we can keep the goal of our very being upon this
earth ever present before our minds.
In his moments of prayer at the blessed Shrines, Shoghi Effendi will think
of you all and ask God to guide you and sustain your efforts. He trusts
that through your constant efforts and God’s infinite grace the Cause will
spread throughout that city and the neighbouring regions and your group
become a center of attraction for those sincere souls who seek the
spiritual life and desire the resuscitation of mankind....
[From the Guardian:]
Dear co-workers:
Your welcome message brought cheer and comfort to me in my great sorrow. I
value your sentiments, your collaboration, your assurances of undying
loyalty to the Cause of God. I will continue to supplicate for you all the
Beloved’s blessings.
Your true and affectionate brother,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 11 DECEMBER 1932
11 December 1932
It is surely very unfortunate that the material means do not permit you to
travel as much as you desire. But these days are exceptional. Better days
are sure to come, and you, as well as other souls who desire to serve,
will find the way open for them.
Meanwhile you can try and teach those you meet—people who are within easy
reach and who also need the spiritual enlightenment that the spirit and
teachings of the Cause provide.
The German people have true appreciation for spiritual matters and when
they are interested in a certain sphere they are not satisfied with a
shallow knowledge of it. They try to go deep in any subject they take up,
and once they are convinced of its truth are ready to devote all their
life to it. Such are the people that the Cause needs. Such should be the
souls that you should try and interest in the Faith.
[From the Guardian:]
I greatly value your past and present services, and cherish bright hopes
for your future contributions to the spread of our beloved Faith.
Persevere in your efforts, and, if possible, travel to different centres
in central and south-Eastern Europe, and do all you possibly can to
further the interests of the Faith. This work is highly meritorious. May
the Beloved inspire, sustain and bless you.
Your true brother,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 2 JANUARY 1933
2 January 1933
Through Dr. Grossmann Shoghi Effendi has come to learn of your activities
in serving the Cause of God and diffusing its divine spirit in Frankfurt.
He therefore wished me to write you this short note and express his deep
appreciation.
He sincerely hopes that through your persistent efforts and God’s infinite
guidance and blessings the Faith will be established in that city and many
earnest souls will cluster around its banner.
Consider what source of joy and gratification it should be to you to see
people, who have been for years seeking for the truth and craving to
obtain it, who look upon the prevailing conditions of the world with
distress and earnestly pray for salvation, find through you the object of
their quest and attain the peace, tranquillity and spiritual life which
they have longed for. The accomplishment of the task and the resulting
success will be an ample reward for all your strivings.
LETTER OF 16 APRIL 1933
16 April 1933
The Guardian sincerely hopes and prays that the study of the Dawn-Breakers
will inspire the friends to greater activity and more exerted energy in
serving the Cause and spreading its message in that town. The life of
those heroes of the Faith should teach us what true sacrifice is, and to
what extent we should forego our personal and worldly interests while
endeavouring to carry the divine message to the four corners of the earth.
Shoghi Effendi would advise the friends in Rostock to hold regular study
classes and read that book with great care, committing its salient facts
to memory, so that while teaching the Cause, they may be able to show the
motivating spirit of the Faith by referring to some incidents of those
early days.
LETTER OF 25 APRIL 1934
25 April 1934
The Bahá’ís of Esslingen
Dear Bahá’í Friends:
The Guardian has read with deep and sustained interest your beautiful
message of Ap. 15th, and he was greatly touched by the expressions of
hope, of devotion and of loyalty which it so faithfully conveyed, and by
the repeated assurances it gave of the united and continued efforts of
your community to extend and consolidate the foundations of the Faith in
your center. Such repeated evidences of your determination to spread the
Message and of your splendid cooperation in establishing the
administrative order of the Cause in Germany make him invariably think of
the promises the Master did so forcefully give in regard to the future
progress of the Movement in that country. May your endeavours contribute
an increasing share towards the gradual realization of these promises.
Shoghi Effendi was greatly impressed by the beautiful marriage ceremony
which you had organized in honour of Mr. and Mrs. Hugo Bender. He hopes
that through this union the bonds of cooperation and of fellowship will be
further strengthened between the members of your community. His prayers
for the success of your activities will continue to be offered to
Bahá’u’lláh, that you may each and all be enabled to assist in the
consummation of the great work He has summoned us to achieve in this Day.
[From the Guardian:]
Dearly-beloved co-workers:
Your joint and most welcome message brought infinite joy to my heart. I am
delighted to learn of your hopes, your plans and activities. The
summer-school is the object of my constant and fervent prayers. I cherish
great hopes for its expansion in the days to come. May it become a great
teaching center and may the light of this glorious Revelation radiate from
it to all parts of your great and promising country.
Your true brother,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 25 APRIL 1934
25 April 1934
The Guardian has deeply appreciated your kind words to him, as well as the
beautiful message addressed to him by the Esslingen friends, all of which
conveyed in a remarkable and touching way the intense devotion and the
unflinching loyalty of the German believers to the Cause. His hopes for
the future development of the Faith in your country are brighter and
firmer than ever. He is fervently supplicating to Bahá’u’lláh that you may
all be given a wider opportunity to carry into the field of action the
noble thoughts and the good and sincere wishes you so deeply cherish in
your hearts.
...please convey the Guardian’s warmest greetings to all the believers in
Esslingen and in Stuttgart, and also to our dear Mrs. Schweizer who seems
to be still living with us in Haifa. Let me also assure you of his prayers
on your behalf at the Holy Shrines.
LETTER OF 25 SEPTEMBER 1934(7)
25 September 1934
Dear Friends and co-workers,
On behalf of the Guardian I wish to acknowledge the receipt of your deeply
appreciated message of August 19th written through the care of dear Mr.
Schultheiss, and to thank you for it, as well as for the beautiful
photographs which you have been most kind in sending to him. From them all
he has gathered a very good impression about the conditions of the Cause
in your centre, and was much encouraged to witness the beautiful spirit of
fellowship and of service which is animating your group. He cherishes,
indeed, the brightest hopes for the future expansion of the Faith not only
in your two localities but throughout Germany as a whole. He is ardently
praying that the beloved Master’s promises to that effect may gradually
and by means of your painstaking and continued labours be completely
realized. In the meanwhile he wishes you to persevere in your efforts for
the study and the spread of the Teachings, and to confidently and quietly
toil for the future establishment of Bahá’u’lláh’s world order in your
country.
His prayers on behalf of each and every one of you will be continually
offered to God, that through His guidance and love you may individually
and collectively make a steady advancement in His Cause.
With hearty greetings and good wishes to you all,
[From the Guardian:]
Dearly-beloved co-workers:
I was so pleased to receive your most welcome message. Any letter bearing
such evidences of exemplary devotion to the Cause of God is a source of
immense joy to my heart. I will most assuredly pray for you all and
cherish the brightest hopes for your future contribution to the spread of
our glorious Faith. Persevere and never feel depressed or discouraged. May
the Almighty enable you to mirror forth the glory and splendour of this
stupendous Revelation.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 20 NOVEMBER 1934(8)
20 November 1934
Dear Bahá’í Friends,
Your welcome message dated November 4th is just at hand, and its perusal
has, as usual, greatly cheered our Guardian’s heart. He feels ever so
grateful to you for the remarkable spirit and manner in which you are
collaborating for the further consolidation of Bahá’í administration in
your locality. Your painstaking labours to this end are being surely
rewarded and guided by Bahá’u’lláh Who, as so often promised in His
writings, will sustain and bless all those who arise to promote His
message, and whom, no consideration whatever, deters from serving His
Cause.
Shoghi Effendi is specially pleased to realize that you are in such a
close touch with the friends in other parts of Germany, and in particular
with those two indefatigable and devoted servants of the Cause Mrs. A. M.
Schweizer and Miss A. Köstlin. Their frequent and warm visits to Gôppingen
are surely of an incalculable benefit to you all, and it is hoped that by
their means your centre will come to play an increasingly important role
in the spread of the Teachings, as well as in the general administration
of the Cause in Southern Germany...
[From the Guardian:]
Dearly-beloved co-workers:
Your most welcome letter rejoiced my heart and served to remind me of the
spirit of devotion, of determination and zeal that animate the believers
in that promising country. I will no doubt continue to pray for you from
the bottom of my heart, that you may each and all arise to diffuse far and
wide the fragrance of this wondrous Revelation and to establish its truths
in the hearts of your fellow countrymen.
Your true brother,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 20 NOVEMBER 1934
20 November 1934
He is, indeed, happy to realize the remarkable share you are having in the
promotion of the general interests of the Faith in Gôppingen. Your active
participation in all Bahá’í gatherings and meetings, and the zeal and
enthusiasm which you succeed in creating among the attendants are, indeed,
a real source of strength to the community of the believers in your
centre.
The Guardian hopes, therefore, that you will continue exercising this
highly-beneficial and much-needed influence among the friends, so that by
its means you may all work as unitedly and harmoniously as possible.
For what the Cause greatly needs in Germany at present is unity, both of
thought and action. Not until the believers succeed in putting the Bahá’í
principle of cooperation and fellowship into actual practice can they hope
to vindicate the truth of the Message. Unity, therefore, is vital, and
constitutes the main key to the success of your endeavours in every field
of Bahá’í activity.
LETTER OF 7 DECEMBER 1934(9)
7 December 1934
Dear Friends and co-workers:
Shoghi Effendi was deeply moved by your beautiful message dated November
27th, and he has directed me to convey to you on his behalf the expression
of his loving appreciation and gratitude for the sentiments of love,
devotion and loyalty which that message expressed.
He was, indeed, so pleased to learn that you had gathered at the home of
our dearly-beloved sister and co-worker Miss Johanna Hirsch, and that you
had heard from her the story of her pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
It is his hope that you may also one day have the privilege of undertaking
a similar journey and of visiting the Holy Shrines in Akká and Haifa.
Shoghi Effendi is continually praying on behalf of each and every one of
you, and is entreating Bahá’u’lláh that He may continue sending you His
blessings and guidance, that as a result your efforts for the promulgation
of His message may be crowned with success....
[From the Guardian:]
May the Beloved of our hearts guide and strengthen you, bless your
efforts, add to your numbers, remove every obstacle from your path, and
deepen your knowledge of the fundamentals of His Cause, and the
distinguishing features of His glorious Revelation.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 13 DECEMBER 1934(10)
13 December 1934
He has been deeply gratified and comforted, indeed, to learn that the
authorities have, as a result of your efforts and of those of Mrs. Bishop,
accepted to grant permission for the holding of Bahá’í meetings in Berlin.
For this, the friends must feel deeply grateful to the Government and
should strive, through both their words and actions, to win the full
confidence of the authorities, and to demonstrate that they are
law-abiding and faithful citizens.
The Guardian fervently hopes and prays that, now that the believers are
permitted to hold meetings, they will take full advantage of this
opportunity and will come together as frequently as possible, and will
thus resume their activities which had been abated for such a long
time....
LETTER OF 13 JANUARY 1935(11)
13 January 1935
Dear Bahá’í Friends,
The Guardian has duly received your letter of the fourth of this month,
and was delighted to learn, from your detailed report of Bahá’í activities
in Esslingen, of the growing spirit of devotion, of unity and of
cooperation that is animating you all in your labours for the promotion
and further establishment of the Cause in your centre.
He feels truly confident, indeed, that through the manifestation of this
same spirit and through its fuller embodiment in all your manifold
activities, whether teaching or administrative, the Faith in Esslingen
will acquire increasing strength, both in number and influence, and will
come to play an important and unique role in the administration of the
interests of the Cause throughout Germany.
His continued advice to you all is to persevere in your work, and to toil
confidently and with one accord for the speedy and complete attainment of
this objective....
[From the Guardian:]
May the Almighty keep you under His shadow, bless your devoted, your
valued and ceaseless efforts, guide your steps, cheer your hearts, and
enable you to widen the range of your historic services.
Your true brother,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 15 APRIL 1935(12)
15 April 1935
Dear Bahá’í co-workers,
Your secretary’s message of the 21st of March last addressed on your
behalf to the Guardian has duly reached him, and its perusal has greatly
rejoiced his heart.
He has been particularly impressed by the warm sentiments you have been
moved to express to him on the occasion of the feast of Naw-Rúz, and
wishes me to fully reciprocate your greetings and good wishes. He
cherishes the hope that in this new Bahá’í year the friends in Esslingen
will be specially assisted in spreading the Cause in their center, and in
effectively helping their fellow-believers throughout Germany in their
stupendous and weighty task of extending and consolidating the foundations
of the Faith in that country.
He is continually praying on behalf of you all at the Holy Shrines that
your labours in this connection may be blessed and enriched, and that the
results achieved may be such as to stimulate you to redouble your efforts
for the wider penetration of the Cause and its firmer establishment in
your land.
With loving and sincere greetings to you all
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued friends:
Your message filled my heart with joy and gratitude and has served to
remind me of your constancy, your devotion, and unsparing efforts for the
spread of the Faith and the consolidation of its institutions. I will
continue to supplicate on your behalf that the Beloved whom you serve so
diligently and well may bless, sustain and guide you in your high
endeavours.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 21 MAY 1935(13)
21 May 1935