The Unfolding Destiny of the British Bahai Community Part 111

What the Faith needs, even more than teachers, is books that expound the true significance of its principles in the light of modern thought and social problems.

Letter of 29 May 1933

29 May 1933

He was deeply touched by the strong attachment of the friends to one who, besides being the beloved daughter of Baha'u'llah, exemplified perhaps more than any one the true spirit that animates His Teachings. His (the Guardian's) sincere hope is that your love for our departed Greatest Holy Leaf will attain such depth and intensity as to enable you to follow in her footsteps and to carry out with increasing devotion and vigour all that she cherished so much during the entire course of her earthly life.

The memory of her saintly life will undoubtedly sustain and feed your energies and will provide you with that spiritual potency of which we are all in such a great need.

Letter of 17 October 1933

17 October 1933

How much the Faith is in need of able and devoted souls like you who are ready to suffer every possible deprivation for its sake. If every believer was ready to contribute his share, however humble and small, and through any means, whether intellectual or material, the Faith would have undoubtedly made a tremendous progress in the world....

Letter of 12 November 1933

12 November 1933

You use the expression "till time ends". This is misleading, for there is no end to time. The Guardian suggests that you should either use the term used in the iqan "till the end that has no end", or express it in such a manner that would give the idea that time has no end....

Jehovah is a t.i.tle of G.o.d, whereas Baha'u'llah is the t.i.tle of the Manifestation of G.o.d.

... you count the period of the Christian Dispensation as having lasted for 1844 years. As in the Baha'i teachings Mu?ammad is considered as an independent prophet of G.o.d, you have to consider His Dispensation as having begun in 622 A.D. The Christian Dispensation must, therefore, end in 622 A.D. and from that date till 1844 is the era of Mu?ammad. 1260 is the calculation based on the lunar system. In other words, it is the Hegira year or A.H. You should either specify this fact, or base your calculation on the solar year, in which case it will be less than 1260, as there is a difference of one year in every 33 years.

... you should point out that, only so far as it is recorded in the Gospel, Jesus gave two material ordinances only. Our knowledge of Jesus'

life and teachings is rather fragmentary and so it would be more correct if you specify that these ordinances are only those recorded in the Gospel, and they may not be the only ones. There may be other teachings and ordinances too, of which no record is left.

...Muhammadanism is not only the last of the world religions, but a fuller Revelation than any one preceding it. The Qur'an is not only more authoritative than any previous religious gospel, but it contains also much more; ordinances, teachings and precepts, which taken together const.i.tute a fuller Revelation of G.o.d's purpose and law to mankind than Christianity, Judaism or any other previous Dispensation. This view is in complete accord with the Baha'i philosophy of progressive revelation, and should be thoroughly accepted and taught by every loyal ... Baha'i.

Letter of 1 December 1933

1 December 1933

One more European is reported to have seen Baha'u'llah from a distance, but Professor Browne was the only Westerner who actually met Him.

Letter of 4 June 1934

4 June 1934

You should, nevertheless, persevere in your efforts until your immediate objective has been fully attained. G.o.d cannot, indeed, withdraw from so devoted and so capable a Baha'i like you all the guidance and a.s.sistance you need for the effective discharge of your responsibilities and obligations to the Cause. Be, therefore, confident in Baha'u'llah's help.

His Spirit will lead you, and will feed your soul with that spiritual sustenance whereby you will be able to overcome the obstacles which seem to so hopelessly beset your path.

Letter of 10 November 1934

10 November 1934

When you quote the Bab, or anyone of His disciples you should make it clear that the words attributed to them are by no means their exact words.

They const.i.tute the substance of their message, and thus are not as definite as the quoted words of Baha'u'llah or the Master. So, the Guardian suggests that you should either omit the quotation marks, or to specify that the pa.s.sages quoted are not the exact words used by the Bab and His disciples. In the future edition of Nabil's Narrative a similar explanation will have to be inserted in the "Dawn Breakers".

You state that the Christian Dispensation "was six hundred and twenty-two years old at the time of the Hegira". The Guardian suggests that the words "at the time of the Hegira" be omitted as they may give the impression that the Revelation of Christ extended beyond the date of the Hegira.

Letter of 8 February 1935

8 February 1935

Religious conservatism, particularly in England, const.i.tutes indeed a serious obstacle which the friends have to meet when spreading the Message, and not until such an obstacle has been completely removed can the Cause effectively spread and establish itself in the West. This religious conservatism is in many respects far more dangerous and more difficult to wipe out than the religious apathy which is so rapidly invading all cla.s.ses of society.

In view of that, it is, at least for the present, more advantageous to teach the Message in an indirect way, so as to gradually attract and confirm those who have the spiritual capacity of appreciating the Cause in its fullness.

Letter of 29 May 1935

29 May 1935

As to your question concerning the meaning of physical suffering and its relation to mental and spiritual healing. Physical pain is a necessary accompaniment of all human existence, and as such is unavoidable. As long as there will be life on earth, there will be also suffering, in various forms and degrees. But suffering, although an inescapable reality, can nevertheless be utilised as a means for the attainment of happiness. This is the interpretation given to it by all the prophets and saints who, in the midst of severe tests and trials, felt happy and joyous and experienced what is best and holiest in life. Suffering is both a reminder and a guide. It stimulates us better to adapt ourselves to our environmental conditions, and thus leads the way to self improvement. In every suffering one can find a meaning and a wisdom. But it is not always easy to find the secret of that wisdom. It is sometimes only when all our suffering has pa.s.sed that we become aware of its usefulness. What man considers to be evil turns often to be a cause of infinite blessings. And this is due to his desire to know more than he can. G.o.d's wisdom is, indeed, inscrutable to us all, and it is no use pus.h.i.+ng too far trying to discover that which shall always remain a mystery to our mind.

In connection with your question relative to the Baha'i solution of s.e.x problems. On the question of s.e.x the Baha'is are, in most of their fundamental views, in full agreement with the upholders of traditional morality. Baha'u'llah, like all the other Prophets and Messengers of G.o.d, preaches abstinence, and condemns, in vehement language, all forms of s.e.xual laxity, unbridled licence and l.u.s.t. The Baha'i standard of s.e.x morality is thus very high, but it is by no means unreasonably rigid.