The Unfolding Destiny of the British Bahai Community Part 50

Letter of 9 October 1947

9 October 1947

a.s.sembly Development Committee Dear Baha'i Friends,

Your letter to our beloved Guardian dated Aug. 4th, has been received and he has instructed me to answer it on his behalf.

He is very pleased to see the work your Committee is undertaking and feel that it is of the greatest importance. The unity, love, harmony and proper understanding of the administration of the Cause which exists in a community are the measure of its progress, and on them depend directly the expansion of the Faith.

He wishes you every success, and a.s.sures you of his prayers in support of your labours....

P.S. He has received your bi-monthly news letter and thinks it is very well written and excellent in every way.

[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty bless continually your valued activities, aid you to overcome all obstacles in your path, promote effectively the vital interests of our beloved Faith, and contribute, in a notable manner, to the multiplication of its nascent inst.i.tutions.

Your true and grateful brother, Shoghi

Letter of 9 October 1947

9 October 1947

Child Education Committee

Dear Baha'i Friends,

Your letter to our beloved Guardian, dated Sept. 1st, has been received by him, and he has instructed me to answer it on his behalf.

He was very pleased to see the enthusiasm and devotion with which you have entered into this important branch of Baha'i activity, and he hopes your labours will be richly rewarded with success.

He would suggest that wherever cla.s.ses for Baha'i children are held, liberal minded parents be invited to send their children too, so that their minds may receive the broad, basic and tolerant doctrines of our glorious Faith.

He a.s.sures you of his loving prayers for the success of your activities.

With warmest greetings,

[From the Guardian:]

May the Spirit of Baha'u'llah guide and sustain you in your highly important and vital undertaking, enable you to extend continually the range of your meritorious activities, and lend a great impetus to the consolidation of the inst.i.tutions of our glorious Faith.

Your true brother, Shoghi

Letter of 10 October 1947

10 October 1947

HIGHLY APPROVE ARRANGE MARION HOFMAN RESUME SECRETARYs.h.i.+P TEACHING COMMITTEE URGE ENTIRE COMMUNITY PERSEVERE UNITED STRENUOUS EFFORTS ENSURE TRIUMPHANT TERMINATION PRESENT PHASE PLAN STATUS NEWLY FORMED a.s.sEMBLIES MUST BE MAINTAINED AT ALL COSTS ATTENTION SHOULD MOREOVER BE FOCUSED ESTABLISHMENT FIRM FOUNDATION HISTORIC a.s.sEMBLIES SCOTLAND WALES EIRE ERE TERMINATION CURRENT YEAR CABLING FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS a.s.sIST a.s.sEMBLY VIGOROUS PROSECUTION MIGHTY ENTERPRISES CONFERRING IMPERISHABLE l.u.s.tRE DIVINELY SUSTAINED VICTORIOUSLY ADVANCING DEARLY BELOVED BRITISH BAHa'i COMMUNITY.

SHOGHI

Letter of 16 October 1947

16 October 1947

DELIGHTED EVIDENCES PROGRESS EDINBURGH DUBLIN BLACKPOOL HEARTFELT ABIDING APPRECIATION.

SHOGHI

Letter of 24 October 1947

24 October 1947

Dear Baha'i Brother,

Your letters to our beloved Guardian, dated May 18th and 27th; June 4th, 9th and 16th; July 5th, 8th (two of this date), 12th and 14th; August 9th and September 15th, 20th and 29th; and October 6th and 13th, have all been received, as well as their enclosures, and he has instructed me to answer you on his behalf....

He received a letter direct from the World Congress of Faiths, and wrote them offering full Baha'i co-operation, and informing them he was ready to appoint a Baha'i representative to attend any conference they may hold.

The discovery of the Master's letter to Andrew Carnegie is very interesting, in spite of the very poor translation of this Tablet, and he will be very pleased to receive a photostat of the original, or at least a faithful copy of the text in Persian.

He would be pleased to continue receiving the reports of the a.s.sembly Development Committee.

Regarding the question you asked him: he feels that in the case of a believer who will be 21 years old on April 22nd, there is no objection, at this time, when the work of the Cause is so urgent and the workers so few, in permitting him to vote on April 21st.

The conduct of ... is an excellent example of why he, (and 'Abdu'l-Baha before him), feels it so necessary to be very strict about the admission of Orientals into the communities of the Western world. The British people, being shrewd by nature and having had considerable experience with Orientals and peoples of all races, are far less vulnerable to the insidious influence of the insincere than are the more naive and less experienced Americans. People such as this young man, Baha'i in name whenever it suits their convenience to be so, caring really nothing about the Faith at heart, and ready to abandon it at a moment's notice if the pleasures to be gained outweigh the humiliation of ostracism, are a real menace to the Cause, especially to the faith of young and untried believers. It is to protect the Cause against such individuals that the Guardian is at present so strict about not permitting Persians to visit America at this time.

In regard to your question about qualifications of delegates and a.s.sembly members: the qualifications which he outlined are really applicable to anyone we elect to a Baha'i office, whatever its nature. But those are only an indication, they do not mean people who don't fulfil them cannot be elected to office. We must aim as high as we can. He does not feel the friends should attach so much importance to limitations-such as people perhaps not being able to attend a.s.sembly or convention meetings, because if they do, then the fundamental concept of everyone being willing to do Baha'i service on administrative bodies will be weakened, and the friends may be tempted to vote for those who, because of independent means or circ.u.mstances in their lives, are freer to come and go but less qualified to serve.

Regarding "'Abdu'l-Baha in London". Nothing can be considered scripture for which we do not have an original text. A verbatim record in Persian of His talks would of course be more reliable than one in English because He was not always accurately interpreted. However such a book is of value, and certainly has its place in our literature.

He a.s.sures you all of the deep appreciation of your valiant labours and his loving prayers on your behalf....