The Unfolding Destiny of the British Bahai Community Part 47

26 February 1947

Dear Baha'i Friends,

Your communications dated Sept. 12, Oct. 4th and 17th, Nov. 19th, 18th and 21st and Dec. 29th 1946 have all been received together with their enclosures and our beloved Guardian has instructed me to answer you on his behalf....

He was very happy to see the marked success of your Summer School this past year and also to receive very encouraging reports of the Manchester Teaching Conference; a great change has come over the work in England during the past year and one which must certainly rejoice the hearts of the older Baha'is in particular as they compare the present state of the Cause with the decades that pa.s.sed when it had two or three spiritual a.s.semblies and seemed to be practically standing still! It seems, indeed, as if an important corner had been turned and that the Faith in the British Isles is at last showing its true stature and casting a portentous shadow of future events before it!

He is particularly happy to see the way the Baha'i young people are arising and serving in the pioneer field with such courage, determination and success.

Regarding the question you asked him about the sentence from the "Aqdas"

for the marriage certificate: he feels that the following is a suitable translation of this pa.s.sage: "Enter into wedlock, O people, that ye may bring forth one who will make mention of me."

The very good news of Nottingham and Birmingham achieving a.s.sembly status was most welcome and he hopes the friends will redouble their efforts in connection with the remaining goal towns. Likewise the establishment of pioneers in both Eire and Scotland is of historic importance and they should receive every a.s.sistance from the National Teaching Committee and from your a.s.sembly.

Now that the British believers see tangible results of their labours and perseverance taking shape, they should feel encouraged to make new sacrifices; a little effort on our part is so richly blessed by Baha'u'llah-we can only wonder what the rewards would be for a great, concerted, truly inspired effort by all members of the community.

He a.s.sures you all of his most loving prayers for your guidance and the success of your historic enterprises....

P.S. Shoghi Effendi would like your a.s.sembly to make every effort to help Dr. Lotfullah Hakim to come to England from Persia; he wishes to continue his study of ma.s.sage etc. and he could be of great help in the teaching work as he is a devoted and fine Baha'i. Shoghi Effendi suggested he might investigate the possibility of carrying out his studies in Edinburgh or some other goal town and thus help with the Six Year Plan at the same time.

[From the Guardian:]

Dear and valued co-workers,

The present crucial year, now drawing to a close, may well be regarded as one of the most memorable in the annals of British Baha'i history. The magnificent, spontaneous and collective response of almost the entire community of the English believers to the imperative call of teaching; the support lent by individuals, groups and a.s.semblies to the Plan set in motion by its national elected representatives; the success attending the Teaching Conference; the multiplication of Baha'i centres in England; the initial steps taken to establish the structure of the Administrative Order of the Faith, in Ireland, Scotland and Wales-all these have combined to raise the stature of the community, and to prepare it for the still greater tasks that must be faced by its members after the successful prosecution of the present Plan.

The Baha'is of the British Isles are now, slowly, laboriously and in strict accordance with the principles of a steadily expanding, divinely appointed Administrative Order, building up the essential and primary inst.i.tutions which are destined to act as the chief and most powerful instruments for the proclamation of the Faith to the ma.s.ses of their countrymen, at a subsequent stage in the development of the Faith in their land. As these inst.i.tutions expand and are consolidated, the community will find itself equipped, not only to carry the Message of the New Day to the mult.i.tudes throughout the length and breadth of its homeland, but prepared and fortified to initiate teaching campaigns beyond the sh.o.r.es of its native land, and in distant territories and various parts of the Empire of which that land is the heart and centre.

Theirs is the duty, during these coming years, to lay patiently, a.s.siduously and unitedly the foundation on which the structure of their future international services to their beloved Faith can be firmly and una.s.sailably established. Upon the success of the Plan they are now so diligently and devotedly prosecuting, must depend the scope and effectiveness of their two-fold task of proclaiming the verities of their Faith to their fellow countrymen at home, and of implanting its banner abroad amidst the peoples and races of a far-flung Empire.

That they may carry out, in a befitting manner and by the appointed time, the preliminary steps so essential for the fulfilment of their high destiny is my dearest wish and constant prayer.

Shoghi

Letter of 20 March 1947 (To First Regional Youth Conference)

20 March 1947 (To First Regional Youth Conference)

PROFOUNDLY APPRECIATE MESSAGE CONFERENCE URGE CONCENTRATE NEEDS PLAN PRAYING GREAT VICTORIES.

SHOGHI

Letter of 21 March 1947

21 March 1947

OVERJOYED PROSPECTS PRAYING ARDENTLY CONSUMMATION CHERISHED HOPES APPEAL ENTIRE COMMUNITY EXERT SUPREME EFFORT ENSURE TOTAL SUCCESS MIGHTY ENTERPRISE DEEPEST LOVING APPRECIATION ABIDING GRAt.i.tUDE.

SHOGHI

Letter of 28 March 1947

28 March 1947

ADVISE APPORTION DELEGATES COMING CONVENTION IN STRICT ACCORDANCE NUMBER BELIEVERS ACTUALLY RESIDING IN FOUR COMMUNITIES MENTIONED LETTER FEBRUARY 24TH.

SHOGHI

Letter of 7 April 1947

7 April 1947

National Youth Committee

Dear Baha'i Friends,

Your letters dated August 10th (from the secretary) and December 19th and March 18th (from the Business Manager of the Editorial Committee) were received, and as our beloved Guardian is greatly overburdened by his steadily expanding correspondence, he has instructed me to answer these communications all in one.

He was very pleased to receive copies of "Youth Bulletin," which he thinks is starting out in the right direction; he would like to receive this publication regularly.

The work you are doing is very important, and the British Baha'i Youth should feel very encouraged to see the way some of their members have arisen and gone forth to pioneer. He hopes others will follow this example in order to ensure the success of the Six Year Plan.

You may be sure his loving prayers are offered for you all in the Holy Shrines....

[From the Guardian:]

May the Spirit of Baha'u'llah sustain, bless and guide you in your notable, meritorious, and deeply appreciated activities, aid you to extend the range of your services, and lend a great impetus to the progress of the Plan which the English believers are so devotedly and a.s.siduously prosecuting.

Your true and grateful brother, Shoghi