The Light of Divine Guidance (Volume 1)
by Shoghi Effendi
Edition 1, (September 2006)
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CONTENTS
Baha'i Terms of Use
Letter of 17 December 1922
Letter of 19 January 1923
Letter of 16 February 1923
Letter of 4 December 1923
Letter of 28 December 1923
Letter of 31 December 1923
Letter of 27 November 1924
Letter of 2 February 1925
Letter of 7 March 1925
Letter of 27 May 1925
Letter of 26 October 1925
Letter of 5 November 1925
Letter of 3 December 1925
Letter of 1 April 1926
Letter of 28 June 1926
Letter of 8 April 1927
Letter of 3 April 1929
Letter of 4 April 1930
Letter of 4 April 1930
Letter of 14 June 1930
Letter of 20 June 1931
Letter of 23 December 1931
Letter of 24 February 1932
Letter of 30 March 1932
Letter of 19 May 1932
Letter of 10 September 1932
Letter of 14 September 1932
Letter of 30 November 1932
Letter of 3 May 1933
Letter of 16 May 1933
Letter of 14 June 1933
Letter of 27 June 1933
Letter of 9 August 1933
Letter of 1 October 1933 (Summer School)
Letter of 11 February 1934
Letter of 21 February 1934
Letter of 8 May 1934
Letter of 30 July 1934
Letter of 8 September 1934 (Summer School)
Letter of 25 September 1934
Letter of 3 November 1934
Letter of 5 November 1934
Letter of 10 January 1935
Letter of 4 February 1935
Letter of 5 March 1935
Letter of 7 May 1935
Letter of 5 July 1935
Letter of 10 August 1935
Letter of 12 October 1935
Letter of 22 October 1935
Letter of 12 November 1935
Letter of 5 April 1936
Letter of 10 May 1936
Letter of 10 May 1936 (Convention)
Letter of 10 September 1936 (Summer School)
Letter of 9 December 1936
Letter of 17 March 1937
Letter of 10 December 1937
Letter of 2 February 1938
Letter of 31 March 1938
Letter of 25 April 1938
Letter of 21 May 1938
Letter of 7 May 1939
Letter of 6 June 1939
Letter of 5 November 1945
Letter of 30 December 1945
Letter of Dec. 30th, 1945
Letter of 8 April 1946
Letter of 4 May 1946
Letter of 30 July 1946
Letter of 31 July 1946
Letter of 22 November 1946
Letter of 18 February 1947 (Summer School)
Letter of 22 February 1947
Letter of 26 February 1947
Letter of 4 June 1947 (Convention)
Letter of 19 June 1947
Letter of 24 June 1947
Letter of 27 September 1947 (Summer School)
Letter of 24 October 1947
Letter of 15 November 1947 (Teaching Conference)
Letter of 17 January 1948
Letter of 28 February 1948
Letter of 1 April 1948
Letter of 11 May 1948
Letter of 28 May 1948
Letter of 18 October 1948
Letter of 20 October 1948 (Summer School)
Letter of 20 October 1948
Letter of 14 September 1948
Letter of 21 December 1948
Letter of 5 January 1949 (Summer School)
Letter of 24 February 1949 (Summer School)
Letter of 28 March 1949
Letter of 30 March 1949
Letter of 20 April 1949
Letter of 27 May 1949
Letter of 30 June 1949
Letter of 30 June 1949
Letter of 3 July 1949 (First Pioneer School)
Letter of 4 September 1949 (Summer School)
Letter of 23 December 1949
Letter of 6 March 1950
Letter of 13 April 1950
Letter of 28 June 1950
Letter of 30 December 1950
Letter of 2 March 1951
Letter of 30 April 1951 (Convention)
Letter of 26 July 1951
Letter of 9 August 1951
Letter of 27 August 1951 (Summer School)
Letter of 28 September 1951 (Summer School)
Letter of 30 October 1951 (Summer School)
Letter of 30 October 1951
Letter of 18 April 1952
Letter of 29 April 1952
Letter of 30 May 1952
Letter of 15 June 1952
Letter of 9 July 1952
Letter of 27 August 1952
Letter of 4 October 1952
Letter of 11 October 1952 (Summer School)
Letter of 29 November 1952
Letter of 8 March 1953
Letter of 30 March 1953
Letter of 19 April 1953
Letter of 19 April 1953
Letter of 19 April 1953 (Convention)
Letter of 26 April 1953 (Convention)
Letter of 5 May 1953
Letter of 10 June 1953
Letter of 21 June 1953
Letter of 4 August 1953
Letter of 17 August 1953
Letter of 12 September 1953 (Youth Summer Session)
Letter of 26 September 1953 (Summer School)
Letter of 15 October 1953
Letter of 26 November 1953
Letter of 14 February 1954
Letter of 3 April 1954
Letter of 17 April 1954
Letter of 21 April 1954
Letter of 30 April 1954
Letter of 2 May 1954
Letter of 28 May 1954
Letter of 8 June 1954
Letter of 25 June 1954
Letter of 28 June 1954
Letter of 23 July 1954
Letter of 27 September 1954 (Summer School)
Letter of 18 November 1954
Letter of 12 December 1954
Letter of 10 February 1955
Letter of 10 February 1955
Letter of 23 February 1955
Letter of 23 February 1955
Letter of 8 March 1955
Letter of 11 March 1955
Letter of 29 March 1955
Letter of 20 April 1955
Letter of 1 May 1955 (Convention)
Letter of 1 July 1955
Letter of 2 August 1955
Letter of 23 September 1955
Letter of 23 September 1955 (Summer School)
Letter of 30 September 1955
Letter of 20 October 1955
Letter of 19 October 1955
Letter of 28 October 1955
Letter of 10 November 1955
Letter of November 1955
Letter of 23 November 1955
Letter of 15 December 1955
Letter of 15 December 1955
Letter of 20 December 1955
Letter of 3 February 1956
Letter of 20 March 1956
Letter of 23 March 1956
Letter of 25 March 1956
Letter of 6 April 1956
Letter of 7 April 1956
Letter of 27 April 1956
Letter of 19 May 1956
Letter of 19 May 1956
Letter of 19 May 1956
Letter of 5 June 1956
Letter of 8 June 1956
Letter of 8 June 1956
Letter of 21 June 1956
Letter of 7 July 1956
Letter of 7 July 1956
Letter of 7 July 1956
Letter of 8 July 1956
Letter of 27 July 1956
Letter of 31 July 1956
Letter of 26 August 1956
Letter of 24 September 1956 (Summer School)
Letter of 27 September 1956
Letter of 27 September 1956
Letter of 27 September 1956
Letter of 28 September 1956
Letter of 6 October 1956 (First Austrian Summer School)
Letter of 20 October 1956
Letter of 22 October 1956 (Teaching Conference)
Letter of 9 November 1956
Letter of 15 November 1956
Letter of 30 November 1956
Letter of 30 November 1956
Letter of 5 December 1956
Letter of 1 January 1957
Letter of 10 January 1957
Letter of 11 January 1957
Letter of 11 January 1957
Letter of 13 January 1957
Letter of 19 January 1957
Letter of 19 January 1957
Letter of 19 January 1957
Letter of 24 Janaury 1957 (Winter School)
Letter of 26 January 1957
Letter of 30 January 1957
Letter of 17 February 1957
Letter of 17 February 1957
Letter of 10 March 1957
Letter of 12 March 1957 (Regional Convention)
Letter of 13 March 1957
Letter of 14 March 1957
Letter of 17 March 1957
Letter of 29 March 1957
Letter of 3 April 1957
Letter of 9 April 1957
Letter of 12 April 1957
Letter of 18 April 1957
Letter of 19 April 1957
Letter of 19 April 1957
Letter of 28 April 1957
Letter of 14 August 1957
Letter of 16 August 1957
Letter of 27 August 1957
Letter of 3 September 1957
Letter of 4 September 1957
Letter of 5 September 1957
Letter of 22 September 1957
Letter of 26 September 1957 (Summer School)
Letter of 3 October 1957 (Summer School)
Letter of 27 October 1957
Letter of 30 October 1957 (Teaching Conference)
LETTER OF 17 DECEMBER 1922
17 December 1922
Blest and beloved ones of 'Abdu'l-Baha!
To have been unable, owing to sad circumstances over which I have had no
control, to keep in close and constant touch with you, the beloved
children of 'Abdu'l-Baha, since His passing from this world, is to me a
cause of sad surprise and deep and bitter regret. To say that ever since
the Dawn of a New Day has broken upon me I have in the least felt
reluctant or disinclined to enter into relationship with every one of you,
or felt indifferent to a Cause which is so close and dear to your hearts,
would indeed betray every sentiment of love and fellowship which animates
every one of us in our servitude to His Holy Threshold. It was rather my
utter exhaustion, my profound feelings of sorrow, the overwhelming sense
of my own position and responsibilities and the extreme pressure of work
that have caused me to maintain such a long silence and seem forgetful of
those brave and valiant lovers of the Master in that land.
Of the thoughts that sustained and comforted me during my hours of restful
retirement was the realization, never dismissed from my mind, that in the
German friends the Master will surely find loyal and grateful children who
will repay the tender love and paternal care which He had for them with a
devotion and service, so profound and lasting that will prove worthy of
the many blessings that have been theirs in the past.
The news of your most spiritual gatherings, since the Great Plan of the
Master as revealed in His Testament has been unfolded to our eyes; the
formation and functioning of the National Body with efficiency and
harmony; the extension of your activities; the widening of your
correspondence; the generous and spontaneous help you have extended us in
connection with our difficulties in the Holy Land and above all the spirit
of ready devotion and ever-increasing zeal which is back of it all--these
are sweet thoughts that cheer the bereaved Ladies of the Holy Household
and encourage here and abroad the many friends who look forward to the
hour when all the Master has promised His friends in Germany will come to
be fulfilled.
Having returned to the Holy Land with a renewed vigour and a refreshed
spirit, I shall not fail with the help of the Master to do my part in
enabling you to carry on further and still further the Glorious Standard
of Baha to the very heart and uttermost confines of Germany and thus
hasten the Day when the Spirit of Faith and Peace as revealed in the Cause
of Baha'u'llah will fill the world and the darkness of strife be no more.
In sweet remembrance at the Three Holy Shrines of your labours of love for
His Cause, I am and remain your brother and coworker in His service.
LETTER OF 19 JANUARY 1923
19 January 1923
The beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful throughout
Germany,
Care of the members of the National Spiritual Assembly.
My dearly-beloved friends!
Ever since I have resumed my work in the Holy Land I have been awaiting
with eager and particular interest the detailed letters, individual as
well as collective, of my loved ones in Germany, who, I am sure are
arduously, devotedly and efficiently carrying on the Great Work which the
Master has destined for them in this world.
Much as I desire to correspond individually with every one of you, yet I
find that in view of the marvellously rapid extension of the Movement all
over the world to start and maintain individual correspondence with the
vast and ever-increasing number of Baha'is in the East and the West would
entail so much time and energy on my part as to prevent me from paying
adequate attention to my other duties that are so urgent and vital in
these days.
I shall therefore very regretfully and reluctantly have to content myself
with direct correspondence with every Baha'i group in each locality, be it
a city or hamlet, keeping in constant touch with them directly and through
their respective local assemblies and co-ordinating their spiritual
efforts and activities through the National Spiritual Assembly (National
Body), representative of all the believers and local assemblies throughout
the land.
I am exceedingly anxious, as a preliminary to the faithful execution of
this plan, to receive as soon as it is convenient an official,
comprehensive and detailed report from the National Spiritual Assembly,
stating accurately the actual standing of the Cause in Germany, describing
the progress of the activities of the friends throughout that land and the
adjoining countries such as Austria and Northern Switzerland, and setting
forth the names, the numerical strength, the history, the needs and the
activities of every locality throughout these regions, however small in
size, where the Light of the Cause has so far been able to penetrate.
I hope by this measure to enter into direct and constant communication
with every locality, however small it may be, where a single friend or
more is striving to teach the Cause and establish a Baha'i centre.
It has been my great pleasure to read some of the letters addressed during
the past months by the German friends to the Greatest Holy Leaf, and their
perusal, I assure you, has filled me with intense satisfaction and made me
still more confident of that glorious era of spiritual reawakening which
the unseen Hand of our Master is sure to unfold to our eyes in the near
future.
Your labours are unceasing, your effort knows no bounds, your devotion and
selflessness are indeed worthy of the many blessings our Beloved has
bestowed upon you and the Guidance of Baha'u'llah and His unfailing
assistance will, I am certain, enable you to crown your ceaseless
endeavours with glorious and well-deserved success.
In my hours of prayer and meditation, I remember you most tenderly and
beseech every time I visit the Sacred Shrines a fresh outpouring of His
Grace and Spirit upon your efforts for the spread and triumph of His
Cause.
As I was the other day studying various Baha'i documents I came across a
most inspiring and encouraging message from our Beloved written in his own
handwriting and bearing no date and sign as to the place and circumstances
in which it was revealed. I enclose a copy of its translation together
with various Baha'i prayers and Tablets all of which I trust will be of
great help and assistance to you in your work of service to the Cause. I
submit them all to the members of the National Spiritual Assembly for
translation into German and circulation among the friends.
I have asked a very experienced Persian teacher, by the name of
Jinab-i-Avarih, who is at present in England, to pay a special visit to
the various Baha'i centres in Germany and endeavour with the hearty
cooperation of every one of you to arouse deep and widespread interest in
the Movement throughout that land.
I am eagerly anxious to receive a copy of your Baha'i organ which I trust
you will be able to publish both in German and in English and which I hope
will truly and fully describe the great effort which is now being made in
those regions for the diffusion of the Baha'i principles and teachings.
With the introduction of an English section into your Baha'i Magazine the
number of its subscribers will I am sure greatly increase as the many
friends in America, Great Britain, France, India and Egypt would be most
pleased and grateful to gather from its columns the full news of the
onward march of the Cause throughout Central Europe.
It would be a great encouragement to the friends in America and India if
the German friends would through their respective assemblies subscribe to
the two leading Baha'i organs in the world, namely the Star of the West
and the Baha'i News, and contribute regularly reports of their own
activities and submit for publication carefully written articles,
sanctioned by the members of the National Spiritual Assembly, and bearing
upon spiritual matters in general, that the East and the West may be
closely linked together and the friends the world over may know of one
anothers activities and services to the Cause.
The time is sure to come and the signs are already apparent, when the
various and distant members of this great world community will find their
activities co-ordinated, their purpose unified, their efforts re-inforced
and the effect of their combined efforts manifest throughout the world.
May the Power of Baha'u'llah breathe the dynamic spirit of Life into the
combined and systematized efforts of the friends the world over and revive
through them the body of stricken humanity and give it the peace which it
yearns for and which the world cannot give.
Your devoted brother
LETTER OF 16 FEBRUARY 1923
16 February 1923
The beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful throughout
Germany,
Care of the members of the National Spiritual Assembly.
My dearest brethren and sisters in 'Abdu'l-Baha!
I have received with mixed feelings of sadness and gratitude your
longexpected letter, sent on behalf of the National Spiritual Assembly
(National Body), and written by our sincere and devoted brother Consul
Schwarz. It made me feel relieved and grateful at receiving at last the
news of your safety and the assurance of your unwavering determination to
serve with heart and soul and to the very end the Cause of Baha'u'llah;
and it filled me with sorrow to hear of the grievous calamity that has
befallen your land and the hardships that are afflicting your country.
Let me assure you, at the outset, of the deep sympathy of the Ladies of
the Household, of the friends the world over, and of myself, in your great
suffering, and our unfailing prayers to 'Abdu'l-Baha, that He may
dissipate these gathering clouds of animosity and strife, and relieve your
great and beloved country from its present state of uncertainty and peril.
Why fear and sorrow? Have we not the express promise of the Master,
uttered after the termination of the Great War, that Germany, now humbled
and weakened, will no doubt be freed from its fetters and will develop,
materially and spiritually, and shall one day emerge from this sad turmoil
strong, united and prosperous, ready to take her place in the great Family
of the advanced nations of the world?
I am enclosing for you all my translation of a number of selections from
the Master's soul-stirring and comforting words, revealed some twentyfive
years ago, and during the darkest days of his incarceration in the
prison-city of Akka. You will I hope translate them and publish them in
your Baha'i organ the "Sun of Truth", copies of which I shall be most
pleased to receive and share with my friends in the Holy Land.
I am enclosing also a copy of my last letter to you, wherein I have asked
you, among other things, to send me a detailed report of your activities,
and I sincerely hope that I shall soon be in receipt of a detailed answer
from you on all the points which I have raised in my last letter.
I am also enclosing my revised translation of the Hidden Words of
Baha'u'llah, both Arabic and Persian, and hope to send you more of His
Words and Teachings in future.
Awaiting your news, and wishing you the highest success in your glorious
work of service,
I am your devoted brother
LETTER OF 4 DECEMBER 1923
4 December 1923
To the dearly-beloved friends throughout Germany.
Care of the National Spiritual Assembly
My well-beloved friends:
What a joy to correspond with you again, and express, after a long and
unbroken silence, my warm sentiments of love and affection for those
tried, yet steadfast, lovers of 'Abdu'l-Baha! Your trials and sufferings
have been a constant source of anxiety and painful sorrow, not to me
alone, but to the Ladies of the Household as well as to the friends at
large.
True, humanity is to-day widely afflicted with unprecedented ills and
calamities, but you, the chosen and favoured children of 'Abdu'l-Baha,
have, by some wisdom inscrutable to us all, received the fullest measure
of this distress, and are carrying the burden of your cares with heroic
fortitude, unflinching faith, and undaunted courage worthy of the
admiration of even the most severely tried of your fellow-sufferers in
far-away Persia.
Your only consolation lies in the ever-living words of our departed
Master, who confidently declared that the days are not far distant when
Germany, will shake off her present humiliation, and will emerge, mighty,
united and glorious, not only to take her destined place in the councils
of nations, but to raise high the triumphant banner of the Cause in the
very heart of Europe.
Your ceaseless activities since His departure from our midst have been
steadily extended as your tribulations and anxieties have multiplied, and
I feel hopeful that ere long the true Faith of God will blaze worth in
that land, and will herald publicly the Message of Salvation to that
distracted continent.
I am so desirous to receive from the National Spiritual Assembly,
frequent, comprehensive and up-to-date reports on the present position of
the Cause throughout Germany, with an account of the activities of the
various Baha'i centers recently established throughout that land.
Your Baha'i Magazine, I have regularly received and read with deep
interest. I strongly urge you to devote a section of it, written both in
German and English, to an account of the current activities of the
Movement throughout the length and breadth of Germany, a step which I am
sure will rejoice the hearts of our spiritual brethren and sisters the
world over.
The members of the holy Family and myself have joined lately the resident
friends in the Holy Land in contributing towards the relief of the present
distress in Germany, and we trust our modest efforts will mitigate to some
extent the rigours of this coming winter in that afflicted country.
Hoping to hear from you, individually and collectively, and remembering
you always in my prayers,
I am your brother and co-worker
LETTER OF 28 DECEMBER 1923
28 December 1923
To the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful in Leipzig,
Germany,
Care of his honour, Mr. Herrigel.
My dearest brethren and sisters in 'Abdu'l-Baha:
I need not emphasize the deep and genuine pleasure I felt when I received
and read your most welcome letter dated November 11th. 1923. With what
pride and gratitude I learned from it that already, through the
ever-present and omnipotent spirit of our departed Master a fresh start
has been made and a promising center established in that beautiful city of
yours, one of the leading centres of thought in your beloved country.
True, your fatherland is now fallen a prey to chaotic conditions and
severe distress, yet in this hour of trial and suffering we should all
remember the inspired words of our Beloved who, more than once, declared
that out of this humiliating turmoil Germany is sure to rise again, united
and mighty, ready to render her services, spiritual as well as material,
to the cause of mankind.
Let these words cheer us, let them sustain us with hope and confidence,
and inspire us to serve His Cause and spread His Message, however trying
the conditions may be.
I await lovingly and eagerly your letters, individually as well as
collectively, and will be delighted to hear of the progress of your
activities, of the full account of your meetings, and of your plans for
the promotion of the Baha'i Movement.
May His spirit, amid these trying circumstances and vicissitudes of your
domestic life, sustain you and guide you in rendering distinct services to
our beloved Cause.
Assuring you of my earnest prayers on your behalf,
I am your brother in His love
LETTER OF 31 DECEMBER 1923
31 December 1923
The beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful in Hamburg,
Gera, Schwerin, Rostock and Waernemunde.
My dearly-beloved brethren and sisters in the love of God!
The letter of our beloved and highly-esteemed fellow-worker, Dr.
Grossmann, together with the enclosed Baha'i leaflets and reports, as well
as the most welcome and encouraging circular letters sent out by the
Hamburg and Gera Baha'i Assemblies, have all been received and read with
pride and gratitude. So unexpected were these messages that were conveyed
to us from those uttermost corners of Germany, and so beautiful their
spirit, that we all felt at once surprised, gladdened and inspired. How
wondrous, how all-conquering is the Spirit of our beloved Master which,
despite the terrible distress now reigning all over Germany, and
notwithstanding the confusion and the gross materialism in which mankind
is now sunk, is causing these vigorous, radiant and hopeful Baha'i centres
to be established, linked together and strengthened, in even the uttermost
regions of your great country.
I have shared all your news with the friends in the Holy Land, and will
forward them to all the Baha'i centres throughout the East, that the
friends of 'Abdu'l-Baha may realize more deeply than ever how His promise
is being fulfilled. The Haifa Spiritual Assembly will soon send you a
special message acknowledging the receipt of your circular letters and
will be glad to share your news with the friends throughout the East and
the West.
Germany is at present in the throes of unprecedented afflictions, and the
immediate future may seem still dark and disquieting, yet we, who follow
in the Master's footsteps will ever bear in mind His sure and emphatic
promise that your fatherland's present plight will erelong be turned into
a material prosperity and a spiritual regeneration more glorious than ever
before, and will offer to the eyes of the world a vast, rich, and ready
field for the propagation of the Baha'i principles.
Let us then take heart, and endeavour to deepen in spirit, to reinforce
our numbers, so that, however depressing and distracting the conditions
around us may be, we may persevere, with clear vision, steadfast hope, and
united effort to achieve the triumph of the Baha'i Revelation throughout
the world.
I am eagerly awaiting every news you may wish to send me, for I thirst
after the glad tidings of the progress of the Cause in your mighty and
promising land.
Your fellow-worker,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 27 NOVEMBER 1924
27 November 1924
To my dearly-beloved brothers and sisters in 'Abdu'l-Baha.
My most precious brothers and sisters in the love of God!
Your most welcome letter bearing the signatures of those who have attended
your Annual Baha'i Congress recently held in Stuttgart filled my heart
with a joy that I cannot express. As I read it over and over again I could
feel from every word, nay every syllable, of that soul-stirring message of
yours the promised quickening power of the Word of Baha'u'llah and the
love of 'Abdu'l-Baha which will, in time, I am certain, achieve the most
far-reaching transformation throughout Germany.
Your great and promising country, dear to you all, blest by 'Abdu'l-Baha's
sacred feet, and the object of the hope and affection of Baha'is in every
land, is in a most startling manner rising phoenix-like from the ashes of
humiliation and despair, determined now to raise aloft victoriously and
serene the Standard of Baha'u'llah and with His love set all the world
aflame.
From the reports of the marvellous progress of your work leading to the
establishment of an ever-increasing number of Baha'i Centres and
Assemblies in the North, South and Center of Germany I can well realize
how faithful and loyal you have been to the last wishes of our departed
Master, how the showers of His promised help have rained upon you, how
gloriously triumphant you must feel now that the hour of a re-awakened
Germany has struck. I should be so pleased to receive a general and
up-to-date report on the present activities, position, and strength of the
Cause in Germany together with a list of the various Baha'i centres
recently established.
Persevere in your task, redouble your efforts, spread on to the remotest
corners of your vast and mighty land, approach fearlessly both the high
and the low, infuse deeper and deeper the Baha'i Spirit into every heart,
and do not for a moment relax till all your land may from end to end throb
with the joy of the recognition of this Most Great Cause.
Behold what 'Abdu'l-Baha saith: "The triumphant hosts of the Celestial
Concourse, arrayed and marshalled in the Realms above, stand ready and
expectant to assist and assure victory to that valiant horseman who with
confidence spurs on his charger into the arena of service. Well is it with
that fearless warrior, who armed with the power of true knowledge hastens
unto the field, disperses the armies of ignorance, and scatters the hosts
of error, who holds aloft the Standard of Divine Guidance, and sounds the
Clarion of Victory..."
Be assured my dearest friends of my unfailing prayers. On this day when
with bleeding hearts we commemorate the passing of our beloved
'Abdu'l-Baha we remember you most tenderly, we pray for your success at
His Holy shrine, and feel confident that you will soon achieve the
greatest victory.
Awaiting eagerly your joyful news,
Your true brother
LETTER OF 2 FEBRUARY 1925
2 February 1925
To my well-beloved Baha'i brethren and sisters throughout Germany.
Care of the German National Spiritual Assembly.
Loyal and capable children of our beloved 'Abdu'l-Baha!
I have received with the greatest pleasure from the National Spiritual
Assembly, through our dearly-beloved Consul Schwarz, the report of your
activities that reflect so vividly the unquenchable spirit of love and
self-sacrifice which animates you in your service for the Beloved's Cause.
Your unremitting labours are worthy of the highest praise, the success you
have so far achieved is well deserved. The refreshing vitality of your
work, the unity of purpose and the concerted action attained recently by
your fast-growing community are resplendent features of your activity.
They continually remind us of the Master's intense love for you, His high
hopes in you, His often expressed admiration for the ardent devotion, the
unquestioned sincerity, the unrivalled capacity of His loved ones in
Germany. By what you have already accomplished, and by what you are
determined to achieve in times to come, you have merited His abundant
blessings and proved in the highest sense worthy of the unsurpassed
affection He had for you.
The signs of the promised revival of your sorely-tried Fatherland can now
be easily discerned. In material prosperity it is steadily advancing, its
power and worldly prestige are being fast regained, and above all the dawn
of a spiritual awakening, unparalleled in your history, seems at last to
have broken upon it. His sure and often repeated promise will erelong be
fulfilled.
Let your National Assembly, therefore, redouble its efforts, inaugurate a
fresh campaign of ever-expanding activity, and make a solemn determination
not to relax till their one aim is attained. Let them, with the full and
sustained support, moral as well as financial, of the vast company of the
believers throughout your land, send forth their teachers far and wide,
that they may scatter to the very confines of Germany and endeavour by
every intelligent and effective method to lend a fresh impetus to the
newly-established centres, add to their number, satisfy their needs and
coordinate their efforts.
Let him who desires to hasten the advent of the day when all Germany will
waken to the recognition of this one Message of Universal Salvation arise
to contribute his share to the work, so gloriously begun, so effectively
pursued. Let him by his written and spoken word, in private as well as in
public, in the course of his travels and in his association with all sorts
and conditions of men teach the Cause of God with purity of heart, with
unflinching determination and complete understanding.
I assure you, dear friends, we shall all remember you most tenderly, most
affectionately, whenever we visit the Three Holy Shrines. We will
supplicate for you the aid and assistance from on high. We will implore
Him Who loved you most dearly to bless you even more richly than before,
shield you from the malice of the ungodly, bind you closer one to the
other, deepen your faith, clarify your vision, widen the scope of your
activities, and reinforce your noble endeavours.
We all love you, we all pray for you, we all await the joyful tidings of
your land.
Your true brother
LETTER OF 7 MARCH 1925
7 March 1925
To the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful in Vienna.
My dearly-beloved brothers and sisters in 'Abdu'l-Baha!
Your joint letter dated February 13th. 1925 has rejoiced my heart and has
served to deepen my admiration for the splendid efforts displayed by your
spiritual teacher, our never to be forgotten Baha'i brother Mr. Herrigel.
As I read the full list of your beloved names, I could not but feel a
thrill of joy and gratitude for the manifold blessings of our departed
Master who has graciously called upon you and chosen you to carry on the
great work to which He dedicated His whole life. It is indeed a great
privilege for you all to be able to labour in this Divine Vineyard, and to
lay down the basis of the spiritual as well as the material development of
your ancient and beloved country.
I shall be so glad to receive frequent and detailed reports on the
progress of your activities individually and collectively, and assure you
of my ardent desire to help you in any way I can for the expansion and
advancement of your work.
Persevere in your task, endeavour by every means at your disposal to add
to your numbers, study profoundly the Writings of Baha'u'llah and
'Abdu'l-Baha, devote a special attention to the proper education of your
children, and arise to start and maintain constant correspondence with the
various Baha'i centres throughout the East and the West. Be assured of the
emphatic never-failing promise of our dear Master that whoso ariseth to
deliver this Message with purity of heart and sincerity of purpose the
hosts of the Supreme Concourse will enable him to achieve in a short
period of time what all the nations of the world combined can never
accomplish.
I will specially pray for you at the Three Holy Shrines that the
All-Bountiful may bless richly your efforts, that the seeds sown by our
Beloved in Vienna may germinate through your persevering efforts and usher
in the era of true felicity and peace for your sorely-tried and
illustrious fatherland.
Awaiting eagerly the glad-tidings of the progress of your work, and
assuring you of my brotherly love,
I am your true brother
LETTER OF 27 MAY 1925
27 May 1925
The beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful throughout
Germany.
My dearly-beloved friends:
Our well-beloved brother and fellow-worker Dr. Esslemont acting on medical
advice is proceeding to the Black Forest for treatment and recuperation.
He has been suffering of late from ill-health which has interfered with
the unique and most valuable work he has been doing in Haifa. His past
services, his selflessness and devotion, his book of unsurpassed
excellence, his noble character and great industry entitle him to the
highest esteem and warmest affection of every true Baha'i.
He has been advised to spend the hot summer months in a dry and cool
climate and to secure proper medical treatment in a quiet and restful
place. I am sure that the German friends who have already learned to love
and admire such a precious and capable servant of the Cause will do all in
their power to extend to him every facility and ensure his full and speedy
recovery.
He will be accompanied by our dear Baha'i sister, Mrs. Lowell, who is
returning to America via Germany and whom you will be glad to welcome in
your midst.
Assuring you of my affection and prayers,
I am your brother in His service
LETTER OF 26 OCTOBER 1925
26 October 1925
To the esteemed editor of the "La Nova Tago", the International Baha'i
Esperanto Gazette
My dear fellow-worker:
It has given me the greatest pleasure to receive the first issues of the
Baha'i Esperanto Gazette, and to learn of the splendid start you have made
along a path which I am certain will lead you ultimately to glorious and
abiding success.
I hail the inauguration of an international Baha'i Organ, so vitally
needed at the present stage of our work, and destined to render services
that are unique in their character to the component parts of the
ever-expanding Baha'i world.
Though limited in its sphere of influence, and modest in features, yet it
shall, due to the vital position it fulfills, grow from strength to
strength and vindicate its claim as the one medium of international Baha'i
intercourse. That it may achieve this purpose, it is incumbent upon those
who are responsible for its publication and development to devise ways and
means for the establishment and maintenance of regular and frequent
communications with the various Baha'i National Spiritual Assemblies, that
in time this promising Magazine may faithfully portray with force and
beauty the diverse achievements of Baha'i communities throughout the
world.
I assure you of my deepest interest in this fresh field of Baha'i
enterprise, and of my great desire to promote in such parts of the Baha'i
world as present circumstances permit the study of an international
language which is of such an obvious and practical utility to our steadily
advancing Cause.
May 'Abdu'l-Baha bless richly your efforts,
Your brother and fellow-worker
LETTER OF 5 NOVEMBER 1925
5 November 1925
To my dearly-beloved brothers and sisters in 'Abdu'l-Baha the members of
the National Spiritual Assembly,
Care of the Secretary, Mrs. Consul Schwarz, Stuttgart, Germany.
My dear fellow-workers:
It is always a great pleasure to us all to receive from the German
National Spiritual Assembly, in whose members we have the greatest hopes,
detailed and frequent reports regarding the work entrusted to their
charge. I shall always welcome with the greatest joy and satisfaction any
suggestions you may wish to offer, would be gratified to share in the
study of your plans, in the consideration of your manifold difficulties
and problems as well as in the joy of your individual as well as
collective accomplishments. I therefore earnestly request you to inform me
as regularly and as frequently as possible of the various features of your
work, of the plans and schemes which you have in mind, of the various
obstacles in your path, and of whatever is needed to ensure the peaceful
and steady progress of your work and the consolidation of your devoted
labours.
An active, united, and harmonious National Spiritual Assembly, properly
and conscientiously elected, vigorously functioning, alert and conscious
of its many and pressing responsibilities, in close and continuous contact
with the international center in the Holy Land, and keenly watchful of
every development throughout the length and breadth of its ever-expanding
field of work--is surely in this day of urgent necessity and paramount
importance, for it is the corner-stone on which the edifice of Divine
administration must ultimately rest. It is my hope and prayer that the
ever-watchful Spirit of 'Abdu'l-Baha will guide, reinforce, and bless your
unceasing and unsparing efforts, and crown with brilliant success the
services which His well-beloved and loyal German friends are rendering to
His Cause.
I am enclosing a general letter of appeal addressed to the declared
believers throughout the Baha'i world, acquainting them with the present
situation of the land in close proximity to the Shrines of Mount Carmel
and urging them to do all in their power to safeguard for the future the
surroundings of this cherished and sacred Spot.
I am also enclosing a copy of the list of transliterated terms commonly
used in Baha'i Literature, and ask you to distribute them throughout the
various Baha'i centres in Germany and Austria, that the friends the world
over may adopt in their writings one common, authoritative, and uniform
system of spelling and thus avoid inevitable confusion in future.
I have already acquainted you by cable of the sad and grave situation in
Ba_gh_dad in connection with the House of Baha'u'llah, wherein He passed
the greater part of His sojourn in 'Iraq, which He explicitly designated
as sacred, object of Baha'i veneration and pilgrimage, and of the future
of which He spoke and wrote with glowing praise and majestic confidence. I
am certain that every true believer in Germany and Austria, conscious of
the gravity of the present situation, will after due consultation and
deliberation, do all in his power to safeguard such an infinitely precious
and sacred edifice.
The publication of "La Nova Tago" the first International Esperanto
Gazette, has given me genuine and deep satisfaction and I trust that this
promising Magazine, properly directed and nurtured, will achieve great
things for the Cause in future. I strongly urge you to support it, guide
it and direct it along the most profitable channels, and make of it in
time a true mirror reflecting the world-wide activities of the Baha'i
Cause. May it achieve its great and laudable purpose!
In my hours of prayer and meditation at the three holy Shrines, I
particularly and most tenderly remember my unforgettable German friends,
in whose ability, ardour, thoroughness, sagacity and constancy our Beloved
had the greatest belief and confidence, of whose land He spoke so highly,
and on whom He lavished His lovingkindness and blessings. We follow your
present activities with no less admiration and affection, and feel certain
that you are destined to play your part in securing the ultimate and
universal recognition of the Baha'i Faith.
Awaiting eagerly your individual and collective letters, and assuring you
of my undiminished affection,
I am your true brother and fellow-worker
LETTER OF 3 DECEMBER 1925
3 December 1925
The beloved of God and the handmaids of the Merciful in Dresden. c/o Mr.
Herrigel.
My Dearly-beloved friends:
I have learned with feelings of gratitude and satisfaction, the welcome
news conveyed in Mr. Herrigel's letter regarding the establishment of a
Baha'i centre in Dresden. I hasten to offer you in the name of all Baha'is
the expression of our warmest welcome, and our best wishes for the
expansion, and the consolidation of your newly-established centre.
The efforts of our indefatigable and self-sacrificing brother, Mr.
Herrigel, have at last yielded the promised fruit, and we feel confident,
that by the unfailing assistance of the power of Baha'u'llah, and the
fostering care of our dear brother, your numbers will increase, your
knowledge of this Most Great Cause deepen, and your opportunities for the
service of mankind in accordance with the Sublime principles of
Baha'u'llah multiply.
I assure you, one and all, of my keen interest in your work, your plans
and hopes for the future and of my fervent prayers for your happiness,
success and welfare whenever I visit the Holy Shrines.
I trust and pray that some day we shall meet face to face in Haifa, and
visit together the various historic sites, that have been hallowed by
footsteps of Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha.
I urge you to take up earnestly the study of the Baha'i history and
teachings, and to read most carefully such parts of Dr. Esselmont's book
as have been already translated into German.
Wishing you success from all my heart, and assuring you again of our
hearty welcome to the Abha fold,
I am your brother and well-wisher
Shoghi
LETTER OF 1 APRIL 1926
1 April 1926
Dear spiritual brothers and sisters:
Shoghi Effendi wishes me to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated
Baha, 1, 83. He always looks with great expectation to the news of the
progress of the Cause in Germany. That country together with the other
states of central Europe have come out of the war, and the later
developments of the political conditions almost ruined. They all feel the
need for some new spirit which will pull the world out of the morass it is
in. If the teachings of the Cause be properly set forth, if its solution
of the social problems be clearly expounded, the people will undoubtedly
grasp its significance and further its progress.
Shoghi Effendi prays to God that you may all be guided in your services so
that the hopes of the Master may be realized in Germany even before it was
expected.
There is no especial news here in Haifa. Pilgrims are coming and going,
taking with them the beautiful spirit they obtain at the Blessed Shrines.
All the members of the family are well and eagerly await the news of your
success....
[From the Guardian:]
My dear co-workers:
Your letter has greatly encouraged me in my work. I have great hopes in
your future work and am deeply grateful for what you have already
achieved. I will remember you in my prayers at the Beloved's Shrine and
will supplicate for you that you may attract many a soul to this mighty
and wondrous Revelation.
Your brother and well-wisher,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 28 JUNE 1926
28 June 1926
Dear Spiritual brothers and sisters:
Shoghi Effendi wishes me to acknowledge the receipt of those few kind
words of love you all signed and sent. The picture which your secretary
sent under a separate cover was also received. He hopes that more of such
congresses will be held in that land and the youth awakened to the duty
that has been laid upon them. Unless they are aroused, unless they begin
to feel their responsibility, unless they rise to active and effective
service, the Cause will not really spread and quickly attain its desired
aim.
The geographical position of Germany has given her a unique position in
the spread of the Cause in Europe. She stands actually in the center of
that continent and from it can branch out tentacles which will gradually
unite the whole Europe. The signs that she can undertake such a task are
clear. We see there the largest number of the European Baha'is most active
and promising. The only thing is, that the more united they are, the more
devoted and steadfast in their faith they become, the sooner they will
attain their goal and bring their task to a successful and glorious
ending.
Shoghi Effendi wishes me to assure you of his prayers. He hopes that the
German friends will leave a memorable record on the annals of the Cause
and fully justify the expectations the Master had in their spiritual
future....
[From the Guardian:]
My dear fellow-workers:
Your most welcome letter has rejoiced my heart. Your magnificent
endeavours, your tenacity of purpose, your firmness of faith, the ardour
of your love and your grasp of the Divine Teachings are assets which I
greatly prize and value. My hope and prayer is that Baha'u'llah may shower
upon you His infinite blessings that the promise of our dear Master may
erelong be fulfilled and that Germany may arise with one voice and one
mind to champion the Cause of God and in the spiritual realm direct the
nations of the earth to the path of true Brotherhood and Peace. Yours is a
great privilege and a noble mission; may He enable you to achieve your
heart's desire.
Your true brother,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 8 APRIL 1927
8 April 1927
Dear Baha'i brothers and sisters,
The beloved Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, thanks you for your good Naw-Ruz
letter to him, dated 1 Baha 84.
He is very pleased that you have good hopes for the future and he will
pray at the Holy Shrines for you, that you may be abundantly blessed--and
that you may be enabled to draw many souls to the light of these Divine
Teachings.
He is very interested to hear of your plan to build a wooden house on your
new piece of land, to be a home for the young and the aged--and also that
is to be used as a home for poor children, to give them a change and rest
during the summer. It will be a very good and excellent work to build this
house--and Shoghi Effendi hopes that you will have great success with it,
and that you will find it of the utmost use and benefit for those who are
poor in the world's goods....
[From the Guardian:]
My dear co-workers:
Your sweet and touching message of loyalty and love has greatly cheered
and encouraged me. I rejoice to learn of your steadfast love and devotion
to our beloved Cause. I am greatly heartened by the thought of your
constancy in service and your splendid achievements. I am deeply thankful
for your aid and assistance in safeguarding and promoting the interests of
the Cause. I will continue to pray for you, one and all, from the depths
of my heart, that the Beloved may deepen your understanding, broaden your
vision, remove obstacles from your way, and enable you to become the
purest mirrors reflecting the beauty and radiance of the Divine
Revelation.