that it is of an extreme simplicity, consisting as it does of a
congregational prayer which has not yet been translated into any western
language but which Shoghi Effendi is planning to have it translated and
circulated among the friends. The friends and relatives of the deceased
who are unwilling to attend the service should not be forced to do so.
In closing may I extend to you the loving greetings of the Guardian....
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-worker:
This is to assure you how glad and gratified I feel to learn that the
German believers are taking so active a part in the international
activities of the Cause. Their thoroughness, ability, patience and
open-mindedness highly qualify them to assume such responsibilities and
undertake so great a task. I trust that the letters you will soon be
sending to the British High Commissioner for Palestine will be a prelude
to the brilliant services you are destined to render to the Cause of
Baha'u'llah.
Your true brother,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 9 AUGUST 1933
9 August 1933
Dear Dr. Muehlschlegel:
I am directed by Shoghi Effendi to inform you of the receipt of your
letter dated July 13th, 1933, together with the enclosed copy of the
petition addressed by the German Baha'i National Assembly to the British
High Commissioner in Jerusalem and the report of the Baha'i activities in
Stuttgart, all of which he has read with great care and deepest interest
and for which he has asked me to offer you his heartfelt thanks.
Your petition, though short is, nevertheless, strongly worded and very
substantial. It is hoped that it will impress the authorities in Palestine
and will enable them to realize the gravity and the urgency of our case.
Assuring you of his best wishes and of his ardent prayers for the success
of your work,...
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and prized co-worker:
Your prompt and able response to my request has greatly touched me, and I
wish to express again my lovely appreciation and abiding gratitude. I
cherish great hopes for your future contributions to the spread and
consolidation of the Faith in that land, and will continue to pray for
your success from the depths of my heart.
Your true and affectionate brother,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 1 OCTOBER 1933 (SUMMER SCHOOL)
1 October 1933 (Summer School)
Dear Baha'i co-workers,
The Guardian has just received your beautiful message of Sep. 3rd, 33,
written through the kindness of Miss Jack, and he has directed me to thank
you all for the success that has attended your summer school classes at
Esslingen. The importance and significance of such annual gatherings are
immense, since they offer each and every one of you a unique opportunity
to come and discuss together the ways and means whereby the Faith can
extend and develop throughout Germany. By the collective spirit, the unity
and the enthusiasm they create, these meetings serve to strengthen the
bonds of amity and cooperation among the friends and to give them a new
vision of the Cause, of its imperative needs and requirements in these
days of political agitation and strife. The social and political
conditions in your land are, indeed, very distressing, and if they remain
unchanged for a long time, may hamper the progress of the Faith. It is now
that you should work in utmost unity and in the spirit of an unflinching
devotion to the ideals and teachings of the Cause.
Shoghi Effendi hopes that your summer school will increasingly develop and
will become an important center for the spread of the Message. You should
try to raise its intellectual as well as its spiritual standard and to
pave the way for its future development into one of the foremost Baha'i
universities in the West. Much stress should be laid on the thorough study
of the history and of the teachings of the Cause, and particularly of the
nature, basis and outstanding features of the Administration. The severe
tests and trials through which our German brethren have passed during the
last few years clearly demonstrate how much they are in need of a full
comprehension of the administrative basis of the Cause. It is hoped that
in the coming years much progress will be achieved in this respect.
Assuring you all of our Guardian's best wishes and of his ardent prayers
on your behalf....
[From the Guardian:]
Dear co-workers:
It is such a joy to learn that you have had the pleasure and benefit of
the companionship of our dear and distinguished Baha'i sister, Miss Jack,
whose recent and exemplary services we all deeply appreciate. I will
remember you all in my prayers at the holy shrines, and will supplicate
for you the Beloved's richest blessings. May He guide your steps and cheer
your hearts in the service of His glorious and sacred Faith,
Your true brother,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 11 FEBRUARY 1934
11 February 1934
Dear Baha'i Brother,
I am charged by the Guardian to thank you for your letter of Jan. 30th as
well as for the enclosed pamphlet containing the address delivered by Herr
Hitler on Oct. 14th, 1933, on the subject of Germany's attitude towards
peace, all of which he read with deepest care and sustained interest. He
wishes me to convey to you and to all the members of your German National
Assembly and through them to all the followers of the Faith in Germany his
views on the present conditions in that land, and particularly in their
relation to the nature and scope of the Baha'i activities of our German
believers.
At the outset it should be made indubitably clear that the Baha'i Cause
being essentially a religious movement of a spiritual character stands
above every political party or group, and thus cannot and should not act
in contravention to the principles, laws, and doctrines of any government.
Obedience to the regulations and orders of the state is indeed, the sacred
obligation of every true and loyal Baha'i. Both Baha'u'llah and
'Abdu'l-Baha have urged us all to be submissive and loyal to the political
authorities of our respective countries. It follows, therefore, that our
German friends are under the sacred obligation to whole-heartedly obey the
existing political regime, whatever be their personal views and criticisms
of its actual working. There is nothing more contrary to the spirit of the
Cause than open rebellion against the governmental authorities of a
country, specially if they do not interfere in and do not oppose the inner
and sacred beliefs and religious convictions of the individual. And there
is every reason to believe that the present regime in Germany which has
thus far refused to trample upon the domain of individual conscience in
all matters pertaining to religion will never encroach upon it in the near
future, unless some unforeseen and unexpected changes take place. And this
seems to be doubtful at present.
For whereas the friends should obey the government under which they live,
even at the risk of sacrificing all their administrative affairs and
interests, they should under no circumstances suffer their inner religious
beliefs and convictions to be violated and transgressed by any authority
whatever. A distinction of a fundamental importance must, therefore, be
made between spiritual and administrative matters. Whereas the former are
sacred and inviolable, and hence cannot be subject to compromise, the
latter are secondary and can consequently be given up and even sacrificed
for the sake of obedience to the laws and regulations of the government.
Obedience to the state is so vital a principle of the Cause that should
the authorities in Germany decide to-day to prevent the Baha'is from
holding any meeting or publishing any literature they should obey and be
as submissive as our Russian believers have thus far been under the Soviet
regime. But, as already pointed out, such an allegiance is confined merely
to administrative matters which if checked can only retard the progress of
the Faith for some time. In matters of belief, however, no compromise
whatever should be allowed, even though the outcome of it be death or
expulsion.
There is one more point to be emphasized in this connection. The principle
of obedience to government does not place any Baha'i under the obligation
of identifying the teachings of his Faith with the political program
enforced by the government. For such an identification, besides being
erroneous and contrary to both the spirit as well as the form of the
Baha'i message, would necessarily create a conflict within the conscience
of every loyal believer.
For reasons which are only too obvious the Baha'i philosophy of social and
political organization cannot be fully reconciled with the political
doctrines and conceptions that are current and much in vogue to-day. The
wave of nationalism, so aggressive and so contagious in its effects, which
has swept not only over Europe but over a large part of mankind is,
indeed, the very negation of the gospel of peace and of brotherhood
proclaimed by Baha'u'llah. The actual trend in the political world is,
indeed, far from being in the direction of the Baha'i teachings. The world
is drawing nearer and nearer to a universal catastrophe which will mark
the end of a bankrupt and of a fundamentally defective civilization.
From such considerations we can well conclude that we as Baha'is can in no
wise identify the teachings of Baha'u'llah with man-made creeds and
conceptions, which by their very nature are impotent to save the world
from the dangers with which it is being so fiercely and so increasingly
assailed.
The Guardian hopes that these brief explanations will be sufficient to
guide our German National Assembly in their efforts to safeguard and
promote the interests of the Faith, and that through them they will be
given a new vision of the Cause and a fresh determination to carry forward
its message to the world at large.
With greetings and best wishes to you and to all the friends in
Germany,...
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-worker:
I wish to add a few words in loving appreciation of your strenuous, your
intelligent and devoted efforts for the spread and consolidation of our
beloved Faith. May the Almighty bless your endeavours, deepen your
understanding of the essentials and requirements of our beloved Cause, and
enable you in these difficult and challenging days to promote its
interests and consolidate its institutions,
Your true brother,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 21 FEBRUARY 1934
21 February 1934
Dear Dr. Muehlschlegel:
At the instructions of the Guardian I am writing these few lines,
requesting you to contribute an article in German for publication in the
forthcoming issue of the "Baha'i World".
In view of the fact that the Biennial is an international Baha'i organ,
Shoghi Effendi feels that it would be appropriate and in full consonance
with its nature and purpose to further widen its scope by publishing in
it, from time to time, articles in various important languages which are
of sufficient use among the friends. This would greatly enhance the nature
and render effective the circulation of the "Baha'i World" by enabling
non-English speaking believers to better acquaint themselves with some of
its major contents.
Two articles in French have already been contributed to this end. One of
them is from the pen of a newly-converted and capable believer from Paris,
a Princess, and the other is from a certain professor connected with the
Sofia University. Though not officially recognized as a Baha'i, yet he is
very sympathetic to the Cause.
The Guardian hopes, therefore, that you will be kind enough to respond to
his request. He feels certain that our German believers will greatly
appreciate your contribution, and will be glad to witness that one of
their members is taking such an active part in representing them in the
preparation of this international Baha'i record. You need not write too
detailed an article, and you can choose any subject you wish, provided it
agrees on every point with the spirit as well as with the form of the
Teachings of the Faith....
P.S. The Guardian can wait till the end of April for your article. Will
you please send it directly to his address and not to America?
LETTER OF 8 MAY 1934
8 May 1934
Dear Dr. Muehlschlegel:
I am directed by the Guardian to thank you for your letter dated Apr.
29th, as well as for the enclosed article and poems in German from your
pen which you have kindly contributed to the "Baha'i World". He is
planning to have them published in the forthcoming issue of the Biennial.
The German believers will, it is hoped, greatly enjoy reading them, and
will be certainly encouraged to contribute more frequently in the future
towards the publication of so important and so significant a record.
With the renewed assurance of the Guardian's good wishes and of his
supplications for the expansion of your Baha'i activities...
[From the Guardian:]
With the assurance of my deepfelt appreciation of your prompt response,
and of my continued prayers for your welfare and success,
your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 30 JULY 1934
30 July 1934
Dear Baha'i Friends,
Your letter of June 19th written on your behalf by Miss Koestlin has been
received, and its contents as well as the accompanying documents and notes
have been carefully read by the Guardian. He wishes me to thank you for
them all, and to convey to you his deepfelt appreciation of your
painstaking labours for the consolidation of the administration in your
community. It gives him real pleasure to learn of the spirit with which
you are toiling for the attainment of this supreme objective, and he is
fervently praying for your guidance and assistance that you may speedily
and effectively attain the goal of your heart's desire.
In view of the fact that there are no competent and fully reliable persons
here to undertake for him any translations from German, the Guardian would
prefer that henceforth you should send him a translation of the minutes of
your meetings into English, so that he may be in a position to read them
without any difficulty. He fully realizes the difficulties which such a
rendering would entail, and for this he wishes to assure you of his
abiding appreciation and of his deepfelt gratitude.
In closing may I also express his hope for the success of your next summer
school. From various communications and reports recently received from the
friends, he gathers that a large number of believers both from Germany and
abroad are planning to attend the summer classes. May such a gathering
prove to be the right medium for bringing the German believers closer than
ever, and for fostering among them the spirit of initiative, of service
and of selfless and wholehearted cooperation in the path of service to the
Faith....
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and precious co-workers:
The message you have sent me is indeed most welcome. It has filled my
heart with joy and thanksgiving. I am continually urging the friends and
pilgrims to visit the German Baha'i centres and particularly the Esslingen
Summer School, as I attach the greatest importance to this vital national
institution. I will continue to pray for your success from the depths of
my heart.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 8 SEPTEMBER 1934 (SUMMER SCHOOL)
8 September 1934 (Summer School)
Dear Friends and co-workers,
On behalf of the Guardian I wish to thank you for your deeply-appreciated
message of August 11th which conveyed the gratifying news of the
successful conclusion of the meetings and classes held at the annual
Baha'i summer school at Esslingen. He was deeply impressed by the large
number of the believers who have attended these gatherings, and
particularly by the fact that they were representative of so many
different communities both in Germany and abroad. It is his
deeply-cherished and long-wished hope that these annual meetings will in
the next few years develop into an important center for the teaching and
training of Baha'i teachers, and that through them the knowledge of the
Cause will gain an increasing ground throughout Germany and in the
neighbouring countries and regions. He would urge each and every one of
you to make an effort to attend as regularly and as whole-heartedly as you
can the future classes and meetings at Esslingen, and to advise your
friends to do the same, so that through the collective and continued
labours of you all these annual gatherings may develop both in their scope
and in their influence.
The Guardian is ardently supplicating on behalf of you all, and is praying
that Baha'u'llah may continue to bless, enrich and widen the scope of your
labours for the promotion and consolidation of the Faith in your
respective communities. With his warmest greetings to you all...
[From the Guardian:]
Dearly-beloved co-workers:
Your message, which I regard as a compelling evidence of the regenerative
power and irresistible march of the Cause of God has brought immense joy
to my heart. The convocation of such a representative gathering at such a
historic spot, and on the morrow of the unprecedented trials which,
through the mysterious dispensations of Providence have so severely
afflicted the German believers, is indeed a historic event that every
well-wisher of the Cause should heartily and joyously welcome. A splendid
beginning has been made. I pray that as a result of the unshakable faith
and the persistent endeavours of the German believers this institution may
grow in effectiveness and scope and lend a mighty impetus to the spread of
the Cause in your promising country.
Your true brother,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 25 SEPTEMBER 1934
25 September 1934
Dear Dr. Muehlschlegel,
I am directed by the Guardian to acknowledge the receipt of your letter
dated August 29th, and to express his appreciation of your highly-valued
efforts for the translation of the "Kitab-i-'Ahd" into German. He hopes
that copies of this precious tablet will soon be made available to all the
friends, and that through its study their knowledge of the Teachings will
be deepened, and their zeal for their spread stimulated and sustained.
The term "afnan" means literally small branch, and refers to the relatives
of the Bab, both men and women. As the Bab's only son died while in
infancy, the former had no direct descendants. The "afnan" are, therefore,
all indirectly related to the Bab.
As to "a_gh_san", it also means branch. But it is a bigger branch than
"afnan". It refers to Baha'u'llah's descendants.
The "Kitab-i-'Ahd" is, as you know, Baha'u'llah's "Book of Covenant". It
is entirely written in His own handwriting. And in the light of the
objections raised by some of the believers concerning the Will and
Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha, it is highly significant to note that this Book
of Covenant of Baha'u'llah bears neither signature, nor seal, nor any
date. It was shown to the believers, and was read in their presence nine
days after Baha'u'llah's ascension. The manuscript was in the possession
of 'Abdu'l-Baha all through His ministry, and after His passing it was
found enclosed in His own will. These two precious documents, namely the
book of Covenant of Baha'u'llah and the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha
have both been carefully preserved and are now in the possession of the
Guardian....
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-worker:
I greatly value these fresh evidences of your continued, your intelligent
and most helpful labours for a better understanding and a wider diffusion
of the essentials and fundamentals of our beloved Faith.
You are indeed a pillar of the Administrative Order, which, despite the
storms and tests of recent years, is rearing its head in the heart of your
beloved and promising country. Persevere, be happy and confident. I will
continue to pray for you from the depths of my heart.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 3 NOVEMBER 1934
3 November 1934
Dear Dr. Muehlschlegel,
The Guardian has received and deeply appreciated your message dated
October 8th, and he has directed me to thank you for it.
He is, indeed, gratified to learn of your projected visit to the Holy
Land, and wishes me to hasten in extending to Mrs. Muehlschlegel and
yourself a most hearty welcome.
It is his sincere and much-cherished hope that this pilgrimage will, in
addition to its manifold spiritual blessings, give you a full opportunity
to discuss with him in detail about the conditions of the Cause in
Germany, and particularly as to the ways and means whereby the friends can
best extend and consolidate the foundations of the Administration
throughout that country. You will be welcome anytime in February or
March--which time seems to be the best for visiting Palestine.
With the renewed assurance of Shoghi Effendi's best wishes and of his
prayers on your behalf, and with his hearty greetings to you and
family,...
[From the Guardian:]
With the renewed assurance of my love, my admiration and prayers for you
and extending to you both a warm welcome,
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 5 NOVEMBER 1934
5 November 1934
Dear Baha'i Friends,
Your message of October 20th addressed to the Guardian is just at hand. He
has read it with deep interest, and was profoundly touched by the
expressions of love and devotion which it contained. He wishes me to thank
you for it, and to reciprocate, fully and to each and every one of you,
the warm greetings and good wishes which you have been moved to extend to
him on the occasion to the celebration of the birthday of the Bab.
He wishes me also to take this opportunity for conveying to you all his
deepfelt appreciation of your labours for the study and the spread of the
Cause in Esslingen. He hopes and prays that your community may, in the
years to come, play an increasingly vital role in promoting the Message
throughout Germany, and particularly in strengthening the foundations of
the Administration in that land. Your centre is one of the oldest and best
we have in Germany, and has tremendous possibilities. You should,
therefore, feel confident and to strenuously toil, so that your community
may develop both in number, in strength and in influence.
With the renewed assurance of the Guardian's best wishes and of his
supplications on behalf of you all,...
[From the Guardian:]
Dearly-beloved co-workers:
I am deeply grateful to you for the many and repeated evidences of your
splendid devotion and firm determination to serve the best interests of
our glorious Faith. The work in which you are engaged is dear and near to
my heart. My prayers are always with you. Persevere in your labours and
never feel discouraged, however great the obstacles that may stand in your
way. The Beloved is surely watching over you. Be happy and confident.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 10 JANUARY 1935
10 January 1935
Dear Dr. Muehlschlegel,
The Guardian has received your letter of the first instant and he wishes
me to thank you for it.
In regard to your visit to the Holy Shrines, he is sorry indeed that your
coming has been delayed but hopes nevertheless that it will materialize
very soon, and that the obstacles standing at present in your way will be
completely removed, enabling you thereby to carry out your plan in its
entirety. He is fervently praying for your assistance and success in this
connection.