very encouraged to see the efforts the friends are making in the U.S. Zone
and to hear of the good results they are achieving. But the primary
responsibility for this great work rests on your assembly, and you must
devise as many ways and means as possible for prosecuting your teaching
plans on a wide scale and covering a wide field. Now that your country is
in such a state of despair, and the people have suffered so deeply, their
hearts are more receptive, as you pointed out in your letter, and
therefore at this time they must be approached with the Divine Message
before internal integration and new problems or new possibilities arise to
sidetrack their attention. He hopes that you will continually urge the
friends to arise and teach, that you will devise ways and means (such as
the summer-school and various conferences, committees, etc.) of training
more of them--particularly the youth--as public speakers and teachers and,
in short, leave no stone unturned in prosecuting this major task.
Hand in hand with this intensification of the teaching work must go the
multiplication of groups and their development into Spiritual assemblies.
Another important matter to which he wishes to draw your special attention
is that of the Nat. Baha'i Headquarters in Frankfurt. He fully realizes
the obstacles which must be overcome in order to carry out this historic
project, but feels sure that Baha'u'llah will help and guide you to find a
suitable spot and make preliminary arrangements. Ten thousand pounds is
now reposing in the special fund he has established in Tihran for the
rehabilitation of the Faith in Germany and the relief of the dear friends
there. A considerable part of this he himself has contributed to this
community which both the Master and he love so dearly--so you see the means
to help you carry out the many great tasks confronting you are there. He
is most anxious that this money should reach you, and hopes ways can soon
be found of sending it to your assembly; you should constantly bear this
in mind, and let him know of any possible means you find of transmitting
this sum.
I need not assure you of how dear your work is to the heart of our
Guardian, of how eagerly he receives news of your activities, of how much
he appreciates your many self-sacrificing and exhausting labours for the
promotion of our beloved Cause! You are very often remembered in his
prayers, and he feels sure that the Master is extending you His own aid in
serving His Faith in that country He loved so much....
[From the Guardian:]
Dearly-beloved co-workers:
It is such a joy, mingled with feelings of deep thankfulness to
Baha'u'llah, to be able to resume direct correspondence with the elected
national representatives of a community that has achieved so much in the
past for our Faith, that has been so dearly loved by 'Abdu'l-Baha, and is
destined to spread, as He foretold, the light of God's sacred Revelation
not only in the heart of Europe but throughout that dark, war-devastated
spiritually famished continent. Now that the shackles imposed upon that
community have been removed, and its chief and central administrative
institution is again vigorously functioning, a concerted, sustained and
systematic effort must be made, not only by its members, but by the rank
and file of its supporters throughout that land, to expand, multiply and
consolidate the community's nascent institutions, widen, considerably and
rapidly, the range of its literature, establish, firmly and definitely, in
however rudimentary a form its national headquarters in Frankfurt situated
in the heart of that country, reinforce and develop the work assigned to
its national committees, revitalize its summer-schools and other
subsidiary institutions, maintain and develop its contact, through
correspondence, with national and local administrative bodies throughout
the Baha'i world, devise effective measures for the proclamation, boldly
and determinedly, of the message to the masses, fortify and enrich its
corporate life and lay an unassailable foundation for its future
development. The task is immense, the opportunities are priceless and
manifold, the hour is critical and challenging, the promises given by
'Abdu'l-Baha are clear, unmistakable, and soul-refreshing, His assistance
ready and unfailing. All that is required, in thanksgiving for the
protection vouchsafed to this community by Baha'u'llah is to arise with
courage, high resolve and clear vision, to carry out the immediate task in
its entirety, and thus prepare the way for the opening of a new and still
more glorious chapter in the history of the evolution of the Faith in that
land. I pray from all my heart for the speedy and complete realization of
the high hopes I cherish for that dearly-beloved, long-suffering, richly
blessed community.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 18 FEBRUARY 1947 (SUMMER SCHOOL)
18 February 1947 (Summer School)
Dear Baha'i Friends:
Your letter sent to our beloved Guardian from the Esslingen Baha'i Summer
School session of August 1946, brought him great joy, and he has
instructed me to answer it on his behalf.
It is wonderful to see that the German believers are not only free at last
to meet and propagate the Faith of God, but that they are also receiving
public recognition from officials, and that their numbers are constantly
swelling!
All the sufferings the German believers have endured are not in vain; they
now see before them many, many of their fellow-countrymen ripe to receive
the Message of Baha'u'llah, which, some of them, in the past, would never
have listened to for a moment.
Now is the time to teach the Cause of God in Germany as never before; in
spite of the hardships you are all undergoing, you must be active in
building up new Baha'i Assemblies while the people are still seeking some
spiritual food. We do not know what their spiritual condition will be like
in the future when their physical lives are once again more stable and
secure--so we must seize this golden opportunity, and make every sacrifice
to rapidly spread the Divine Message in Germany now.
He will pray for you all, that God may bless, aid and guide you....
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers:
I was deeply touched by your message, and I greatly value the sentiments
you have expressed, and the efforts you exert for the promotion of our
beloved Faith. I will pray for your success from the depths of my heart.
Rest assured, and persevere in your high and meritorious endeavours.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 22 FEBRUARY 1947
22 February 1947
Dear Baha'i Friends:
Your letters dated Sept. 24th, Oct. 1st and Nov. 12th, 1946, have all been
received, as well as the interesting reports you enclosed with them, and
our beloved Guardian has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.
He was delighted to see that such large study classes are being held in
Esslingen, and that so many people are becoming students of the Faith. The
German believers must concentrate all their efforts on teaching the Cause,
as at the present time there are many truth-seekers; in the future it may
be more difficult to reach the people.
The Summer School was also a great success this year, and our Guardian was
very happy to see so many attended and that the activities of the Baha'is
are now receiving public approval, after so many years of persecution!
You may be sure his loving prayers are offered for the success of your
devoted services to the Cause of God....
[From the Guardian:]
May the Spirit of Baha'u'llah sustain, guide and bless your meritorious
efforts, aid you to render notable services to our beloved Cause, and
consolidate its new-born and God-given institutions,
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 26 FEBRUARY 1947
26 February 1947
Dear Baha'i Friends:
Your letter to our beloved Guardian, dated Sept. 25th, 1946, was received,
as well as the minutes of your meeting of Nov. 2nd and 3rd., and he has
instructed me to answer you on his behalf.
Regarding the question of Herr Joern: Smoking is not forbidden by
'Abdu'l-Baha; He advises against it for reasons of health, but we have no
right to prevent anyone from smoking. But drinking and the use of drugs
are strictly forbidden and the Baha'is should obey this command.
The Guardian has received a number of letters from the Baha'is of ..., and
in the interest of promoting unity among the friends in Germany he is
going to write them instructing them to cooperate with and obey your
Assembly; he feels that you should send capable Baha'is there to teach
them and strengthen them in the Faith, and to make sure no political
elements are allowed to enter into their discussions or be a part of their
group.
He has recently had fifteen hundred dollars sent from the Relief Fund in
Tihran to America for the immediate purchase of food parcels for the
German and Austrian Baha'is, and hopes these will soon reach them. It is
very distressing that so much money over ten thousand pounds (L10.000)
should be held in the name of the German friends, and yet no way of
sending it be found. He hopes your Assembly will make every effort to
arrange for this money to be received in Germany.
He is also very anxious to receive news of exactly what is happening about
the National Baha'i Headquarters in Frankfurt; he gathers from your
minutes that negotiations are in progress for a building in that city? He
attaches great importance to this undertaking, and urges you to press the
matter constantly.
The reports he received of the young peoples' Summer School and the Summer
School at Esslingen were most encouraging, and he is delighted to see that
in spite of so many handicaps the friends are so devoted and active! He
was also very happy to note that new spiritual assemblies are in the
process of formation, and hopes you will concentrate on their
establishment and the formation of many new groups. In spite of the
conditions in Germany it is of the utmost importance to teach the Cause as
widely as possible, especially to the youth, now that through suffering
and disillusionment the hearts of the people are more receptive.
You may be sure that his ardent and loving prayers are offered for each
and every one of you, and for the success of your devoted labours for the
Cause of God....
[From the Guardian:]
Dearly-beloved friends:
The revival and rapid consolidation of the German Baha'i community after
the prolonged and terrible ordeals to which it has been subjected is a
striking evidence of the irresistible power of the Faith of Baha'u'llah,
as well as a magnificent testimony to the vitality of the faith of the
German believers. I feel proud and profoundly thankful for the loyalty,
the perseverance, the resolution, the unity, the zeal and the devotion
which characterize their collective efforts and corporate life in the
service of this glorious Cause. The prompt establishment of the national
Haziratu'l-Quds in the city of Frankfurt; the rapid translation,
publication and dissemination of Baha'i literature; the multiplication of
Baha'i centers, whether groups or assemblies; the consolidation of the
institution of the Summer School; the initiation of effective measures
aimed at a close collaboration with the American European Teaching
committee; the proclamation of the teachings of the Faith to the
spiritually famished, the disillusioned and longsuffering masses--these
stand out as the primary and urgent tasks that demand the immediate, the
earnest and undivided attention of your assembly. I will pray for your
success from the depths of my heart and feel confident that the
dearly-beloved heroic German believers will arise, as one man and despite
the obstacles confronting them, to achieve these immediate tasks that
constitute only a prelude to the tremendous enterprises which it is their
destiny to accomplish in the years to come.
Your true brother,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 4 JUNE 1947 (CONVENTION)
4 June 1947 (Convention)
Dear Baha'i Friends:
It was with great joy that our beloved Guardian received your loving
message dated April 26th, and signed by so many of the dear believers. He
has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.
The re-florescence of the Holy and beloved Faith in Germany, after so many
bitter years of suppression and suffering, has brought great happiness to
not only his heart but to the hearts of the Baha'is all over the world.
That you should be able, in relatively so short a period of time, and in
the face of so many obstacles, to reconstitute your assemblies and
National Assembly, be in a position to elect new assemblies, and to hold
your Summer School and various conferences, all point the way to a
brilliant future for the German followers of the Cause of God.
He urges you individually and collectively to teach the Faith constantly
to your spiritually starved countrymen, to support and assist your
National Assembly in carrying out its heavy responsibilities and to do all
in your power to hasten the day when a befitting National Headquarters,
situated in Frankfurt a.M., will have been purchased and established, one
that will be commensurate with the importance of the German Baha'i
Community, the strongest and largest on the Continent of Europe.
You may rest assured that his loving and ardent prayers are offered for
your progress and success in the Holy Shrines....
[From the Guardian:]
Dearly beloved friends and co-workers:
I was deeply touched by your message, and I greatly value the sentiments
you have expressed, the zeal and unity you demonstrate, the deeds you
accomplish, the plans you have conceived, and above all the spirit you so
powerfully manifest in your diligent labours for the spread and
consolidation of our beloved Faith in your promising country. The German
Baha'i community, emerging triumphantly from one of the severest ordeals
that have afflicted any of its sister-communities in East or West, now
stands on the threshold of a new era in its development. Great tasks
confront it. The establishment of a befitting administrative centre in the
heart of that country, the multiplication of groups and assemblies, the
dissemination of Baha'i literature and the proclamation of the Faith to
the masses are among the most urgent, the most vital and outstanding of
these tasks. The entire community, however difficult the present
circumstances, must arise and carry them out. Its future as prophecied by
'Abdu'l-Baha is glorious. Its spirit is magnificent. Its members are
distinguished among the followers of the Faith throughout the world by
their tenacity, their thoroughness, their great capacity and
resourcefulness. Our beloved Master, who watches over them, has greatly
praised them, loves them dearly, is ready to bless their labours and
reinforce their exertions. Its members must rise to the height of their
present and priceless opportunity. They will, I feel confident, prove
themselves worthy of the great blessings showered upon them in the past by
their Lord and Master.
Affectionately,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 19 JUNE 1947
19 June 1947
Dear Baha'i Friends:
Your loving message, sent to our beloved Guardian on the occasion of the
celebration of his twenty-five years of Guardianship, reached him and
touched him very much indeed.
He feels a special affection for the Esslingen Community, as it is not
only one of the oldest ones in Germany but he associates it with the
important Summer School held in its neighbourhood.
Your love for and devotion to our glorious Faith are greatly appreciated,
and the many services that members of your Community have rendered, and
are rendering it, deeply valued.
He assures you all he will pray for the success of your labours in the
Holy Shrines, and that Baha'u'llah may increase your numbers and richly
bless you all....
[From the Guardian:]
May the Beloved bless your efforts, guide your steps, remove every
obstacle that impedes the growth of your Community, and assist you to
proclaim the truths of His Faith and consolidate its institutions,
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
LETTER OF 24 JUNE 1947
24 June 1947
Dear Baha'i Friends:
Your letter, dated June 16th, has been received, and our beloved Guardian
has instructed me to answer it on his behalf.
He can quite well understand that after so many years of isolation from
the rest of the Baha'i world it came as a surprise to some of you to hear
that we, as Baha'is, must not have any affiliations with churches or
political parties. But he feels certain that when you meditate on this
matter you yourselves will see the wisdom of it. We, as Baha'is, can never
be known as hypocrites or as people insincere in their protestations and
because of this we cannot subscribe to both the Faith of Baha'u'llah and
ordinary church dogma. The churches are waiting for the coming of Jesus
Christ; we believe He has come again in the Glory of the Father. The
churches teach doctrines--various ones in various creeds--which we as
Baha'is do not accept; such as the bodily Resurrection, confession, or, in
some creeds, the denial of the Immaculate Conception. In other words there
is no Christian church today whose dogmas we, as Baha'is can truthfully
say we accept in their entirety--therefore to remain a member of the Church
is not proper for us, for we do so under false pretences. We should,
therefore, withdraw from our churches but continue to associate, if we
wish to, with the church members and ministers.
Our belief in Christ, as Baha'is, is so firm, so unshakable and so exalted
in nature that very few Christians are to be found nowadays who love Him
and reverence Him and have the faith in Him that we have. It is only from
the dogmas and creeds of the churches that we dissociate ourselves; not
from the spirit of Christianity.
Very much the same reasons motivate us in withdrawing from all political
movements, however close some of their ideals may be to ours. We Baha'is
are one the world-over, we are seeking to build up a New World Order,
Divine in origin. How can we do this if every Baha'i is a member of a
different political party--some of them diametrically opposed to each
other? Where is our unity then? We would be divided because of politics,
against ourselves, and this is the opposite of our purpose. Obviously if
one Baha'i in Austria, is given freedom to choose a political party and
join it, however good its aims may be, another Baha'i in Japan, or America
or India, has the right to do the same thing, and he might belong to a
party the very opposite in principle to that which the Austrian Baha'i
belongs to. Where would be the unity of the Faith then? These two
spiritual brothers would be working against each other, because of their
political affiliations (as the Christians of Europe have been doing in so
many fratricidal wars).
The best way for a Baha'i to serve his country and the world is to work
for the establishment of Baha'u'llah's World Order, which will gradually
unite all men and do away with divisive political systems and religious
creeds.
He does not force you to do this at once; but urges you all to decide to
withdraw from your churches and political groups within, say, a year, and
then to help each other to do this. You will find your spiritual strength
greater for taking this step.
Please assure dear Mrs. Schwarz of his loving prayers on her behalf.
He will also pray for you all in the Holy Shrines, and urges you to
persevere in your services to our beloved Faith....
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers:
I was so pleased to receive your message and so thankful for the evidences
of devotion, of determination and love it contained. The Austrian
believers are dear and near to my heart, and I deeply sympathize with them
in the ordeal and tribulations which they have suffered, and which have
demonstrated the quality of their faith and the depth of their devotion.
The funds accumulated for their relief and for the development of the
Faith in their land will, I trust, be soon forwarded to them, and will no
doubt greatly contribute to the rehabilitation and growth of their beloved
community. Persevere in your meritorious labours, and rest assured that
you are often in my thoughts and prayers, and that I will continue to
supplicate for you all the Master's richest blessings.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
P.S. He feels that the German and Austrian believers are one in language
and that the Austrian friends should consider the N.G.R. as their National
Assembly, the same as before the war. We are Baha'is and have no
nationalistic feelings in such matters. Our ties are purely spiritual. But
you can consult the European Teaching Committee if the NGR is too
difficult at present. The Guardian wishes you to know that as soon as
there are a sufficient number of Baha'i assemblies in Austria she will
naturally have her own NGR.
LETTER OF 27 SEPTEMBER 1947 (SUMMER SCHOOL)
27 September 1947 (Summer School)
Dear Baha'i Friends:
Your letters to our beloved Guardian reached him through Mr. ..., and he
was delighted to see that so many believers had been able to attend the
school at Esslingen this summer.
It shows the vitality of the German Baha'is and their intense desire to
further the interests of our glorious Faith in Germany, and build up its
institutions.
He urges you all, in your work for the Cause in your local Communities, to
stress the need for the greatest love and unity amongst the Baha'is
themselves. It is this love and spiritual solidarity that is so sadly
lacking in the world today, and for which its people are starving. When
they see within the Baha'i Community the true spirit of brotherhood
exemplified, they will turn to Baha'u'llah and embrace His Message.
He also urges you to exert yourselves ceaselessly in the teaching field,
and build up new Baha'i centers, establish new spiritual assemblies, and
convert the existing groups into assemblies by April of next year.
The Cause, we know, has a great future in Germany, and he assures you all
he is constantly praying for the success of your devoted labours....
[From the Guardian:]
Dear co-workers:
Your messages, eloquently testifying to the dynamic faith which inspires
and sustains the German Baha'i Community, now triumphantly emerging from
its long and severe ordeal, rejoiced my heart, and served to deepen my
feelings of affection and admiration for its members. You who now stand on
the threshold of a new era, have great tasks ahead of you and a glorious
mission to fulfil. The institutions you are now initiating and developing
will no doubt enable you to achieve speedily and effectively your goal.
The Beloved is watching over you. His love surrounds you, and His spirit
sustains and guides you. Persevere in your glorious task. Rest assured
that my prayers will continue to be offered on your behalf, and be
confident that Baha'u'llah will aid you to achieve ultimate victory.
Shoghi
LETTER OF 24 OCTOBER 1947
24 October 1947
Dear Baha'i Friends:
Your letters to our beloved Guardian, dated Dec. 4th, 1946, Jan. 6th,
March 19th, June 15th, Aug. 27th and Sept. 28th, 1947, have all been
received, and he has instructed me to answer you on his behalf. He has
also received a letter, on behalf of your secretary, written by Dr.
Koeller-Jager, and enclosing an English translation of your minutes. This
was dated March 13th.
In regard to the various matters you have raised in these letters:
He noted the report of Mrs Grossmann about her meeting with the grandchild
of Subh-i-Azal. He feels that the friends should as much as possible avoid
her, as it is very unlikely she has anything but prejudice against
Baha'u'llah, in view of her background.
He deeply appreciated the message of love and loyalty you sent him on the
occasion of the celebration of twenty-five years of Guardianship.
He is extremely pleased to see the way the Cause is spreading in Germany,
and the steady growth in the number of the assemblies there. This would be
a remarkable achievement under normal circumstances, but in view of the
weakened state of the health of the Baha'is and the hardships they and
their countrymen are undergoing, it is little short of heroic. The Baha'is
everywhere are watching the labours of their German brothers and sisters
with deep admiration.