Title: The Light of Divine Guidance (Volume 2)
Author: Shoghi Effendi, 1897-1957
Language: English
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The Light of Divine Guidance (Volume 2)


by Shoghi Effendi



Edition 1, (September 2006)



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                                 CONTENTS


Baha’i Terms of Use
Letter of 27 February (1922)
Letter of 5 January 1923
Letter of 18 December 1925
Letter of 15 February 1926
Letter of 4 November 1926
Letter of 9 November 1926
Letter of 6 April 1928
Letter of 11 April 1929
Letter of 11 April 1929
Letter of 8 June 1929
Letter of 9 June 1929
Letter of 20 November 1929
Letter of 30 April 1930
Letter of 14 December 1930
Letter of 8 April 1931
Letter of 10 September 1931
Letter of 17 September 1931
Letter of 14 January 1932
Letter of 6 December 1932
Letter of 11 December 1932
Letter of 2 January 1933
Letter of 16 April 1933
Letter of 25 April 1934
Letter of 25 April 1934
Letter of 25 September 1934
Letter of 20 November 1934
Letter of 20 November 1934
Letter of 7 December 1934
Letter of 13 December 1934
Letter of 13 January 1935
Letter of 15 April 1935
Letter of 21 May 1935
Letter of 17 June 1935
Letter of 5 July 1935
Letter of 3 August 1935
Letter of 24 December 1935
Letter of 25 January 1936
Letter of 26 January 1936
Letter of 31 March 1936
Letter of 19 October 1936
Letter of 25 October 1936
Letter of 3 March 1937
Letter of 23 June 1937
Letter of 20 October 1937
Letter of 7 January 1938
Letter of 18 January 1938
Letter of 1 February 1938
Letter of 20 March 1938
Letter of 29 March 1938
Letter of 7 May 1939
Letter of 26 May 1946
Letter of 3 July 1946
Letter of 11 July 1946
Letter of 12 July 1946
Letter of 25 July 1946
Letter of 29 July 1946
Letter of 30 July 1946
Letter of 29 December 1946
Letter of 18 January 1947
Letter of 9 February 1947
Letter of 18 February 1947
Letter of 18 February 1947
Letter of 18 February 1947
Letter of 22 February 1947
Letter of 30 March 1947
Letter of 1 April 1947
Letter of 4 April 1947
Letter of 4 April 1947
Letter of 12 April 1947
Letter of 3 May 1947
Letter of 13 June 1947
Letter of 4 July 1947
Letter of 19 July 1947
Letter of 27 September 1947
Letter of 14 November 1947
Letter of 21 November 1947
Letter of 21 November 1947
Letter of 25 November 1947
Letter of 27 November 1947
Letter of 8 December 1947
Letter of 18 December 1947
Letter of 30 January 1948
Letter of 2 June 1948
Letter of 10 June 1948
Letter of 10 June 1948
Letter of 11 June 1948
Letter of 3 July 1948
Letter of 3 December 1948
Letter of 13 December 1948
Letter of 8 February 1949
Letter of 2 March 1949
Letter of 11 March 1949
Letter of 20 March 1949
Letter of 24 March 1949
Letter of 31 March 1949
Letter of 11 April 1949
Letter of 15 April 1949
Letter of 27 May 1949
Letter of 30 May 1949
Letter of 5 June 1949
Letter of 30 September 1949
Letter of 20 October 1949
Letter of 22 October 1949
Letter of 22 October 1949
Letter of 30 October 1949
Letter of 12 November (1949?)
Letter of 18 December 1949
Letter of 28 March 1950
Letter of 30 September 1950
Letter of 2 October 1950
Letter of 6 October 1950
Letter of 26 October 1950
Letter of 26 October 1950
Letter of 10 February 1951
Letter of 10 February 1951
Letter of 5 April 1951
Letter of 22 April 1951
Letter of 31 May 1951
Letter of 19 September 1951
Letter of 30 October 1951
Letter of 6 December 1951
Letter of 20 January 1952
Letter of 14 March 1952
Letter of 12 April 1952
Letter of 7 May 1952
Letter of 23 May 1952
Letter of 25 May 1952
Letter of 30 August 1952
Letter of 29 November 1952
Letter of 13 March 1953
Letter of 13 May 1953
Letter of 16 March 1953
Letter of 16 March 1953
Letter of 19 April 1953
Letter of 7 May 1953
Letter of 16 May 1953
Letter of 1 November 1953
Letter of 8 February 1954
Letter of 11 May 1954
Letter of 2 June 1954
Letter of 5 September 1954
Letter of 4 October 1954
Letter of 12 December 1954
Letter of 30 September 1955
Facsimile of a letter found on page 118
Letter of 13 January 1956
Letter of 26 March 1956
Letter of 3 May 1956
Letter of 26 August 1956
Letter of 16 September 1956
Letter of 28 September 1956
Letter of 15 November 1956
Letter of 17 November 1956
Letter of 30 November 1956
Letter of 6 December 1956
Letter of 6 December 1956
Letter of 15 December 1956
Letter of 2 February 1957
Letter of 17 March 1957
Letter of 25 March 1957
Letter of 28 March 1957
Letter of 28 April 1957
Letter of 14 May 1957
Letter of 28 May 1957
Letter of 31 May 1957
Letter of 4 June 1957
Letter of 4 June 1957
Letter of 22 July 1957
Letter of 7 August 1957
Letter of 24 October 1957



LETTER OF 27 FEBRUARY (1922)(1)


27 February (1922)

Honoured Sir:

It is with regret and sorrow that I enclose at last the long-protracted
translations of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s answer to your letter. His sudden passing
to the Great Beyond has plunged us all in profound grief and added heavily
to our preoccupations and responsibilities. Happily, however, the full
answer to your epistle, had been written, and signed by him many days
before his passing and were it not for the desire to have it adequately
rendered into English and French, it would have reached you far sooner
than now. As I am not certain of your address at the present moment, I am
enclosing a copy of the original text which bears his signature, hoping to
forward the text as soon as I am assured of your true address.

I am sending, too, a copy of the English version to Mr. A. Iṣfáhání, a
Bahá’í friend of ours who, I understand, has had the pleasure and
privilege of meeting you on more than one occasion, and who I am sure will
submit it to you, should this letter fail to reach its destination.

The Bahá’ís the world over will be delighted to have copies of
‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s answer to your letter circulated amongst them, as it is
unique in many respects and much appreciated in its nature and
comprehensiveness. I have refrained from giving them copies until I hear
of your desire to do so.

Being a personal letter I thought it incumbent upon me to inform you and
request you on this point.

My very best wishes and kind regards and hoping to hear from you soon,

I am yours very sincerely
Shoghi Rabbani
(grandson of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá)



LETTER OF 5 JANUARY 1923


5 January 1923

The beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful throughout Great
Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland. The glory of the
All-Glorious rest upon them! Beloved brethren and sisters in ‘Abdu’l-Bahá!

His honor, Jináb-i ‘Abdu’l-Ḥusayn-í Avárih, fired with the spirit of
service and teaching which the passing of our beloved Master has kindled
in every heart, is proceeding to Europe and will visit every Bahá’í centre
in that great continent, that he may with the aid of the many friends in
those regions raise the Call of Yá-Bahá’u’l-Abhá and stimulate interest in
the Cause of God. He is indeed qualified for such an eminent noble task
and I am confident that by the Grace of God and with the whole-hearted
assistance of the loved ones of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, he may be enabled to promote
far and wide the universal Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh.

His wide experience and familiarity with the various aspects of the
Movement, his profound and extensive knowledge of its history; his
association with some of the early believers, the pioneers and martyrs of
the Cause will I am sure to appeal to every one of you and will serve to
acquaint you still further with the more intimate and tragic side of this
remarkable Movement.

May his sojourn in your country lend a fresh impetus to the onward march
of the Cause in the West and arouse widespread interest in the history as
well as the principles of the Bahá’í Movement!



LETTER OF 18 DECEMBER 1925(2)


18 December 1925

An die lieben Bahá’í Geschwister in Esslingen Meine geliebten Bahá’í
Geschwister,

Euren schönen Brief vom 9. Kaul hat unser geliebter Hüter, Shoghi Effendi
erhalten und grosse Freude dadurch bekommen. Damit strömt die Liebe Gottes
und der süsse Duft Eurer Harmonie, Einigkeit, Aufrichtigkeit und
Ergebenheit der Wohlfahrt der heiligen Sache.

Unser geliebter Hüter hat mich beauftragt, diese Zeilen an Euch zu
schreiben und seine Liebe und herzliche Grússe euch zu übersenden. Er
versichert Euch, dass er fúr Euch am heiligen Grabe Unsers Geliebten,
‘Abdu’l-Bahás mit ganzem Herzen betet. Er erwartet immer gute Nachrichten
von Eurem Wohlsein und von dem Fortschritte der heiligen Sache in Eurem
Land.

Liebe Geschwister, die Angelegenheiten in meiner Heimat haben mich
gezwungen, eine Reise nach Persien zu machen. Der geliebte Hüter hat mir
Urlaub dáfúr bewilligt. Ich verlasse Haifa binnen drei oder vier Tagen. Da
während meiner Abwesenheit von Haifa niemand hier ist, der Deutsch kann,
sollen alle die Briefe und Nachrichten, die dem lieben Shoghi Effendi
geschickt werden werden, auf Englisch geschrieben werden. Die heilige
Familie lassen Euch auch herzliche Grússe.

Mit treuer Liebe, verbleibe ich immer, Euer ergebener Bruder in Seinem
heiligen Namen und Dienste unsers geliebten Hüter

[From the Guardian:]

My dearest friends:

This is to assure you personally of my continued and earnest prayers for
your happiness, welfare and spiritual advancement. The Esslingen friends
are near and dear to my heart. I have great admiration for their
steadfastness, their love and devotion and cherish great hopes for their
future. They are destined to achieve great things for our beloved Cause.

Always your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 15 FEBRUARY 1926


15 February 1926

With regard to your first question on alcohol and drinking Bahá’u’lláh
fully aware of the great misery that it brings about, prohibits it as He
expressly states that everything that takes away the mind or in other
words makes one drunk is forbidden. The Master has promoted the same idea.

In connection with spiritualism, although the Master says that there is
some element of truth in what some teach under the subject of
auto-suggestion and others, spiritualism as such is not taught by the
Bahá’í religion. Our Master has said that religion and true science must
go together and most of these things have not been proved by science.

As to your third question Shoghi Effendi would like you to understand that
when one believes in one to be divinely inspired and when one is convinced
that he has a great mission to the world in his teachings, he must very
naturally be ready to accept all that that world-teacher that
divinely-inspired man says. It is with this view that he feels that a real
Bahá’í would be one who is convinced that Bahá’u’lláh was a world-teacher
and a Messenger of God bearing to mankind a great Message, and would
therefore be ready to accept all that Bahá’u’lláh has said and the same is
true of the Master whom we believe to have been the great propounder of
the Bahá’í teachings and the one through whom the Covenant of God was
firmly established in the world.

With regard to the differentiation between Bahá’í and Bahá’í friend. This
differentiation was not one which Bahá’u’lláh and the Master firmly
established but because there are so many people who are attracted to the
Bahá’í Cause just as they are attracted to some society and people who
have not developed spiritually to look at the world and the spiritual
elements of life in the proper light that a Bahá’í would look at it, it
has become a habit of differentiating between what you might call
beginners in the Bahá’í Movement and those who have studied the Movement
thoroughly and who know its teachings exactly and who understand the real
spirit that is back of it all. You should not think, however, that a
Bahá’í is one who is superior to a Bahá’í friend, but only that he has
studied the Movement better and realizes well the great and divine spirit
that is at the root of all Bahá’í teachings.

I hope that in spite of the briefness that has been necessary in answering
your interesting questions, I have been able to explain to you properly
the meaning of each answer. It is always through questioning and mature
thought that we can arrive at the root of everything and in the teachings
of Bahá’u’lláh there are so many things which though at present seemingly
unnecessary will be of great necessity in the future development of
mankind.



LETTER OF 4 NOVEMBER 1926


4 November 1926

The wine mentioned in the Tablets has undoubtedly a spiritual meaning for
in the book of Aqdas we are definitely forbidden to take not only wine,
but every thing that deranges the mind. In poetry as a whole wine is taken
to have a different connotation than the ordinary intoxicating liquid. We
see it thus used by the Persian Poets such as Sa’dí and Umar _Kh_ayám and
Háfiz to mean that element which nears man to his divine beloved, which
makes him forget his material self so as better to seek his spiritual
desires. It is very necessary to tell the children what this wine means so
that they may not confuse it with the ordinary wine.

The books of laws or Aqdas has not yet been properly translated because as
you mentioned we do not have any competent person for the work. When the
Cause was first introduced to west one of the Arab friends made such an
attempt but it was so misleading and confusing that the Master forbade any
individual to make another trial. He said that it is the work of a group
of competent translators and not of one person. Most of the important
subjects mentioned there are, however, quite familiar to the friends
through other tablets and there is no pressing need for such a work at
present.

[From the Guardian:]

Your welcome letter, indicative of your perseverance in service, despite
the great loss you have sustained, was a source of great comfort and
strength to me. I hope and pray that your dear children will grow in
spiritual understanding, wisdom and virtue and by their life, their
conduct and future services to the Cause make the soul of their departed
father radiant and joyous and prove a solace to your heart. Rest assured
that you all occupy a warm and abiding place in my heart and are the
object of my constant and fervent prayers at the holy Shrines.



LETTER OF 9 NOVEMBER 1926


9 November 1926

He has great hopes for Germany. That country forms the center of a
politically and socially troubled country; many an individual are weary of
mere palliative measures. They desire a complete reform beginning with the
heart and branching into all the different branches of activity.

[From the Guardian:]

This is just a word that I wish to add in person, assuring you and the
dear friends in Esslingen of my great love for you and my continued
prayers for your welfare and spiritual advancement. I will tenderly
remember you at the three holy Shrines and will supplicate for each of you
Divine Guidance and Strength.



LETTER OF 6 APRIL 1928


6 April 1928

To the Friends gathered at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Renftle(3)

Dear Friends,

He thanks you very much for your kind Naw-Rúz greetings and he is highly
pleased to receive such a sweet message from his friends in Karlsruhe. He
hopes and prays that the new Bahá’í year may be full of happiness and
prosperity for you all, and may witness a great progress in the spread of
the Bahá’í teachings in Karlsruhe.

You will surely make your best effort in that connection and Shoghi
Effendi will pray that our dear and departed Master may help you and
strengthen you. He will be always glad to hear from you and of your doings
there and you should be happy to hold your meetings in such a beautiful
home, the photograph of which you had sent....

[From the Guardian:]

My dear co-workers:

I wish to add a few words in person and assure you of my keen pleasure in
receiving your most welcome message, as well as of my prayers for your
success and spiritual advancement. I trust that you may each grow to
become a radiant star in the firmament of the Cause and exemplify in your
life and conduct the radiant spirit that animates the Faith.

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 11 APRIL 1929


11 April 1929

To the Bahá’ís in Karlsruhe.

Dear Bahá’í brothers and sisters:

Your kind words of New Year greetings to Shoghi Effendi has been received
and it gave him much pleasure. He hopes that this coming year will bring
to the Cause many spiritual victories, especially in Germany which stands
as the heart of the present troubled Europe. If the banner of peace should
not be raised in that continent, only God can foresee what will ensue,
what calamities another war will bring, and what will happen to our
present civilization.

Shoghi Effendi will remember you all in his prayers and ask for you divine
guidance and help....

[From the Guardian:]

Dearly-beloved friends:

I am deeply touched by your message and I wish to add these words in
person as a token of my affection and prayers for you. The beloved of the
Lord in Karlsruhe are dear and near to my heart. I long to hear from them,
and to learn of the progress of their activities. May the Almighty guide
their steps, cheer their hearts, deepen their understanding and enable
them to fulfil their heart’s desire.

Your true and loving brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 11 APRIL 1929


11 April 1929

He hopes that your number may daily increase and include people of
capacity and spiritual insight. It is true that the Cause in Germany has
some difficult problems to solve and some differences to overcome, but
these should merely arouse as to greater activity. The Cause ever since
its inception has been confronting problems, but these have frozen to be a
factor in strengthening our faith and adding to our energy.

It is very necessary that we should endeavour to strengthen the National
Assembly. Without it no unity and cooperation could be obtained throughout
the country.

As you say in your letter private, informal gatherings held in homes where
different friendly individuals are invited often give better result for
only those who are really interested are attracted and then once attracted
they could be traced and kept in touch.



LETTER OF 8 JUNE 1929


8 June 1929

The beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful throughout
Europe.

Dearly-beloved friends:

Dr. Yúnís _Kh_án Afrú_kh_tih, an outstanding figure in the teaching and
administrative activities of the believers in Persia, is proceeding to
Europe in order to visit the Bahá’í centres and reinforce the bonds of
Bahá’í fellowship that unite the East with the West. His mature
experience, his wide knowledge of the state of affairs in Persia, his
exemplary loyalty and devotion to the Cause, his ability and character
eminently qualify him to undertake such a noble task, and I feel confident
that his prolonged stay amongst you will prove of the utmost benefit to
the interests of our beloved Cause.

I urge every individual believer, and particularly every local Assembly,
to endeavour to get into close touch with him, to obtain an insight into
the material and spiritual conditions now prevailing in Persia and to seek
a clearer understanding of the animating purpose, the distinguishing
features and the moving history of the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh.

May his deliberations and intimate companionship with you serve to draw
closer the ties that bind the Eastern and Western sections of the Bahá’í
World and prepare the way for the ultimate formation of that international
body that must guard the unity, and reinforce the strength of the Bahá’í
Faith.

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 9 JUNE 1929


9 June 1929

Shoghi Effendi wishes me to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated
January 23rd 1929 and the enclosed photos of the friends in Rostock.
Though your number is still very small yet we hope that through the
Master’s help and confirmation it will increase until it can in its turn
radiate its light to regions around.

Shoghi Effendi will remember you in his prayers and ask for you divine
guidance.

Yesterday one of our prominent Persian friends, Dr. Yúnís _Kh_án left for
Europe. His main purpose is to visit the different centers in Germany and
meet the friends. Through such travellers we hope the East and the West
will become more closely united.

[From the Guardian:]

My dear co-worker:

I wish to assure you in person of my keen interest in your activities as
well as of my fervent prayers for you, that the Beloved may guide your
steps, cheer your heart and enable you to fulfil your most cherished
desire.

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 20 NOVEMBER 1929(4)


20 November 1929

Shoghi Effendi has been very glad to receive your letter of August and to
learn of the visit of Dr. Yúnís _Kh_án and Mr. Fred. Kline. He is also
very pleased to know that you have already chosen a plot of land for a
Bahá’í home.

The Guardian has always wished to see Esslingen a great and flourishing
Bahá’í center, just as our beloved Master always hoped that it may become.
Of course you realize that perseverance, enthusiasm and a firm faith in
the ultimate success of our Cause is necessary, and when we are assisted
by the Almighty there can be no doubt that all our endeavours will be
crowned with success.

Assuring you one and all of Shoghi Effendi’s warm regards and of his
prayers for you,

[From the Guardian:]

With the assurance of my deep affection and fervent prayers at the holy
Shrines for you,

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 30 APRIL 1930


30 April 1930

To the Friends gathered at Esslingen

At this season of the year when Bahá’ís throughout the world are
celebrating the Ridván festivities and are renewing their determination to
work and live under the banner of Bahá’u’lláh, Shoghi Effendi is very glad
indeed to receive your message.

He wishes me to take the opportunity and assure you of his affection and
also of his wish and prayers that you may strive unitedly for the progress
of the Faith and its establishment in your land. He hopes that you will
stand firm, unaffected by the dark forces around us, and that you will
help to carry the message of Bahá’u’lláh far and wide.

[From the Guardian:]

...I will continue to pray for you from the depths of my heart. The tests
and trials, through which you are passing, are for the good of our beloved
Cause. Be happy and hopeful. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá will bless you a hundredfold for
your perseverance and devoted efforts.

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 14 DECEMBER 1930


14 December 1930

Shoghi Effendi ... is extremely appreciative of your desire to serve the
Cause and help to spread its message of peace throughout the world, and
sincerely hopes that the time would come when you would realize this hope
and attain your heart’s desire.

We are, however, told and urged by the Master to consult with our friends,
especially the Assemblies, before we undertake any important decision in
our life especially when the subject pertains to any plan of service we
have in mind. There are always so many circumstances to take into
consideration. Personally Shoghi Effendi has no objection to any such plan
of service but would much prefer to have you consider, in consultation
with the friends, the subject from all its aspects, among others its
financial one.

Meanwhile, Shoghi Effendi hopes that you will devote all your free time to
the study of the Teachings, and at the same time help their spread in
Germany. Europe with all its menaces of war surely needs the principles of
the Cause that are the only foundations for a permanent establishment of
peace.



LETTER OF 8 APRIL 1931


8 April 1931

Shoghi Effendi wishes me to ... express his great pleasure for the service
you have been rendering the friends by visiting them and telling them of
your experiences in Haifa. Those who are privileged to visit the shrines
and obtain from it its life-giving spirit, should on their return home,
diffuse it among the friends, gladden their heart and thus draw them
nearer to the source of all blessing.

You mention in your letter that Mr. Herrigel is becoming conscious of the
mistake he has made. He surely ought to have studied the true situation
before taking sides and expressing his opinion. This is exactly what I
wrote to him on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, but he was blinded by Mrs.
White. Anyhow, Shoghi Effendi hopes that as time passes the truth that the
Master’s will encloses will more and more dawn upon him and make him
repent for his past deeds.

[From the Guardian:]

Convey to the friends in Berlin the expression of my loving appreciation
of their devoted endeavours for the promotion of our beloved Cause. May
the Beloved bless richly their efforts and enable them to fulfil their
heart’s desire.



LETTER OF 10 SEPTEMBER 1931(5)


10 September 1931

In regard to your father’s spiritual testament, which betrays on the part
of the author an inadequate knowledge of the Bahá’í Faith, the Guardian
feels that you should make it clear to all the inquirers that the late Dr.
Forel, as many other persons who have embraced the Cause, did not have a
complete understanding of the fundamentals of the Bahá’í religion. He was
particularly interested in the social aspect of the Movement and owing to
some psychological reasons he did not lay much emphasis on its doctrinal
side. This can be explained by the fact that our lamented doctor being
advanced in age at the time of his acquaintance with the Bahá’í teachings
was not able to devote all his time to a deep study of the tenets of the
Faith.

Shoghi Effendi, however, in his letter addressed personally to your father
explained to him that the Bahá’ís should firmly believe in the existence
of God and in the immortality of the soul and in many other fundamental
teachings which the Bahá’ís share with the adherents of many other
religions. Our lamented doctor may have most probably considered it unwise
to declare openly that he had rejected all his previous conceptions in
regard to the existence of God and such similar ideas and preferred to
express in an indirect way the many changes which the knowledge of the
Faith had brought in his mind by declaring that he had become a Bahá’í.

At any rate there is no doubt whatever that the well-known Tablet revealed
by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá for him had brought a tremendous change in his monistic
theories and induced him to accept the Message openly.

However great the contradictions in Dr. Forel’s testament in regard to his
attitude towards the Cause we cannot fail but to recognize him as a Bahá’í
who had but a partial glimpse of the Bahá’í Revelation. No one can claim
that his knowledge of this Revelation is adequate, especially at this time
when the Bahá’í Faith is still in the embryonic stage of its development.
Dr. Forel was sincere in his convictions but like every human being his
comprehension was limited and this was not in his power to change.

These are the ideas which came to Shoghi Effendi’s mind when he read a
‘résumé of Dr. Forel’s testament in one of the well-known Swiss journals
and he wishes you to share them with all those who are interested to know
of the Doctor’s attitude towards this Movement....

[From the Guardian:]

Dear and valued co-worker:

The passing of your distinguished father has indeed grieved me profoundly
and I wish to assure you of my heartfelt sympathy in your irreparable
loss. I would deeply appreciate a written account of his eventful life and
of the meritorious services he rendered humanity, either from your pen or
any other friend in Germany, for publication in the next issue of the
Bahá’í World. I feel that his reference to the Cause in the codicil of
this testament indicates the perceptible change in his mental outlook
since he penned the earlier passages of his will, for he must have known
from the Tablet he received as well as from the letters I wrote him and
from many other Bahá’í publications the fundamental and distinguishing
features of the Cause. That is why I feel that with your consent and
approval, the publication of his references to the Cause in his testament
could very well be published in the Bahá’í World. With my best wishes and
deepest sympathy,

Shoghi



LETTER OF 17 SEPTEMBER 1931(6)


17 September 1931

He was particularly gratified to learn of your interesting visits to the
different Bahá’í centres in Germany and he wishes me to assure you of
their great importance for the unity of the Cause in that land.

The German believers have undoubtedly experienced a very severe trial and
their faith has been tested in an unprecedented way. Their staunchness,
however, has been admirable and their sincerity deeply rooted. With the
exception of a few they have proven that their conversion to the Faith had
a solid foundation and that it withstood all the violent storms of recent
years.

Shoghi Effendi wishes you to persevere in your work and he fervently prays
that the Almighty may assist you and sustain your efforts and to enable
you to render great services to the Cause.

[From the Guardian:]

Dear and valued co-worker:

Your letter has indeed rejoiced my heart. I strongly feel that you should,
if convenient and feasible, concentrate your efforts on Germany and help
to consolidate the foundations of the Cause and increase the unity and
understanding of the friends. This, I feel, is your great and special
mission.



LETTER OF 14 JANUARY 1932


14 January 1932

Shoghi Effendi was very glad to learn that you devote a considerable
amount of your time to the study of the teachings. It is absolutely
essential for those who desire to spread the movement to be quite familiar
with the writings of Bahá’u’lláh and the Master. Without that knowledge we
may be spreading our own views and wrongly attributing to them things that
are the result of our imaginings.

Concerning cremation I have not seen anything in the writings. But as
Bahá’u’lláh in the book of Aqdas directs the friends to bury their dead,
he indirectly discourages cremation. Whether there is some basic reason
for such a preference he does not say, but we may try and find it.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá does often state that the medical science will much improve.
With the appearance of every Revelation a new insight is created in man
and this in turn expresses itself in the growth of science. This has
happened in past dispensations and we find its earliest fruits in our
present day. What we see however is only the beginning. With the spiritual
awakening of man this force will develop and marvelous results will become
manifest. Among other phases of human learning the medical science will
have a place. There is a Tablet of Medicine that Bahá’u’lláh has revealed
and which is translated into English. That does not contain much of
scientific informations but has some interesting advices for keeping
healthy.

Shoghi Effendi was very glad to hear that you are planning to study
Persian very seriously. Should you do it you will obtain ample reward for
your labours, for you will then be able to go straight to the writings
themselves.



LETTER OF 6 DECEMBER 1932


6 December 1932

To the Bahá’ís of Esslingen

Dear Bahá’í Brothers and Sisters:

Shoghi Effendi wishes me to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated
November 28th 1932 written on the occasion of the commemoration of the
passing away of our beloved Master ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.

The Guardian is very glad to see that at such celebrations the friends
come together and with a true spirit of service and devotion renew their
determination to consecrate their life to the service of the Faith. It is
only through such methods that the fire of enthusiasm can be kept burning
in our hearts, and that we can keep the goal of our very being upon this
earth ever present before our minds.

In his moments of prayer at the blessed Shrines, Shoghi Effendi will think
of you all and ask God to guide you and sustain your efforts. He trusts
that through your constant efforts and God’s infinite grace the Cause will
spread throughout that city and the neighbouring regions and your group
become a center of attraction for those sincere souls who seek the
spiritual life and desire the resuscitation of mankind....

[From the Guardian:]

Dear co-workers:

Your welcome message brought cheer and comfort to me in my great sorrow. I
value your sentiments, your collaboration, your assurances of undying
loyalty to the Cause of God. I will continue to supplicate for you all the
Beloved’s blessings.

Your true and affectionate brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 11 DECEMBER 1932


11 December 1932

It is surely very unfortunate that the material means do not permit you to
travel as much as you desire. But these days are exceptional. Better days
are sure to come, and you, as well as other souls who desire to serve,
will find the way open for them.

Meanwhile you can try and teach those you meet—people who are within easy
reach and who also need the spiritual enlightenment that the spirit and
teachings of the Cause provide.

The German people have true appreciation for spiritual matters and when
they are interested in a certain sphere they are not satisfied with a
shallow knowledge of it. They try to go deep in any subject they take up,
and once they are convinced of its truth are ready to devote all their
life to it. Such are the people that the Cause needs. Such should be the
souls that you should try and interest in the Faith.

[From the Guardian:]

I greatly value your past and present services, and cherish bright hopes
for your future contributions to the spread of our beloved Faith.
Persevere in your efforts, and, if possible, travel to different centres
in central and south-Eastern Europe, and do all you possibly can to
further the interests of the Faith. This work is highly meritorious. May
the Beloved inspire, sustain and bless you.

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 2 JANUARY 1933


2 January 1933

Through Dr. Grossmann Shoghi Effendi has come to learn of your activities
in serving the Cause of God and diffusing its divine spirit in Frankfurt.
He therefore wished me to write you this short note and express his deep
appreciation.

He sincerely hopes that through your persistent efforts and God’s infinite
guidance and blessings the Faith will be established in that city and many
earnest souls will cluster around its banner.

Consider what source of joy and gratification it should be to you to see
people, who have been for years seeking for the truth and craving to
obtain it, who look upon the prevailing conditions of the world with
distress and earnestly pray for salvation, find through you the object of
their quest and attain the peace, tranquillity and spiritual life which
they have longed for. The accomplishment of the task and the resulting
success will be an ample reward for all your strivings.



LETTER OF 16 APRIL 1933


16 April 1933

The Guardian sincerely hopes and prays that the study of the Dawn-Breakers
will inspire the friends to greater activity and more exerted energy in
serving the Cause and spreading its message in that town. The life of
those heroes of the Faith should teach us what true sacrifice is, and to
what extent we should forego our personal and worldly interests while
endeavouring to carry the divine message to the four corners of the earth.

Shoghi Effendi would advise the friends in Rostock to hold regular study
classes and read that book with great care, committing its salient facts
to memory, so that while teaching the Cause, they may be able to show the
motivating spirit of the Faith by referring to some incidents of those
early days.



LETTER OF 25 APRIL 1934


25 April 1934

The Bahá’ís of Esslingen

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

The Guardian has read with deep and sustained interest your beautiful
message of Ap. 15th, and he was greatly touched by the expressions of
hope, of devotion and of loyalty which it so faithfully conveyed, and by
the repeated assurances it gave of the united and continued efforts of
your community to extend and consolidate the foundations of the Faith in
your center. Such repeated evidences of your determination to spread the
Message and of your splendid cooperation in establishing the
administrative order of the Cause in Germany make him invariably think of
the promises the Master did so forcefully give in regard to the future
progress of the Movement in that country. May your endeavours contribute
an increasing share towards the gradual realization of these promises.

Shoghi Effendi was greatly impressed by the beautiful marriage ceremony
which you had organized in honour of Mr. and Mrs. Hugo Bender. He hopes
that through this union the bonds of cooperation and of fellowship will be
further strengthened between the members of your community. His prayers
for the success of your activities will continue to be offered to
Bahá’u’lláh, that you may each and all be enabled to assist in the
consummation of the great work He has summoned us to achieve in this Day.

[From the Guardian:]

Dearly-beloved co-workers:

Your joint and most welcome message brought infinite joy to my heart. I am
delighted to learn of your hopes, your plans and activities. The
summer-school is the object of my constant and fervent prayers. I cherish
great hopes for its expansion in the days to come. May it become a great
teaching center and may the light of this glorious Revelation radiate from
it to all parts of your great and promising country.

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 25 APRIL 1934


25 April 1934

The Guardian has deeply appreciated your kind words to him, as well as the
beautiful message addressed to him by the Esslingen friends, all of which
conveyed in a remarkable and touching way the intense devotion and the
unflinching loyalty of the German believers to the Cause. His hopes for
the future development of the Faith in your country are brighter and
firmer than ever. He is fervently supplicating to Bahá’u’lláh that you may
all be given a wider opportunity to carry into the field of action the
noble thoughts and the good and sincere wishes you so deeply cherish in
your hearts.

...please convey the Guardian’s warmest greetings to all the believers in
Esslingen and in Stuttgart, and also to our dear Mrs. Schweizer who seems
to be still living with us in Haifa. Let me also assure you of his prayers
on your behalf at the Holy Shrines.



LETTER OF 25 SEPTEMBER 1934(7)


25 September 1934

Dear Friends and co-workers,

On behalf of the Guardian I wish to acknowledge the receipt of your deeply
appreciated message of August 19th written through the care of dear Mr.
Schultheiss, and to thank you for it, as well as for the beautiful
photographs which you have been most kind in sending to him. From them all
he has gathered a very good impression about the conditions of the Cause
in your centre, and was much encouraged to witness the beautiful spirit of
fellowship and of service which is animating your group. He cherishes,
indeed, the brightest hopes for the future expansion of the Faith not only
in your two localities but throughout Germany as a whole. He is ardently
praying that the beloved Master’s promises to that effect may gradually
and by means of your painstaking and continued labours be completely
realized. In the meanwhile he wishes you to persevere in your efforts for
the study and the spread of the Teachings, and to confidently and quietly
toil for the future establishment of Bahá’u’lláh’s world order in your
country.

His prayers on behalf of each and every one of you will be continually
offered to God, that through His guidance and love you may individually
and collectively make a steady advancement in His Cause.

With hearty greetings and good wishes to you all,

[From the Guardian:]

Dearly-beloved co-workers:

I was so pleased to receive your most welcome message. Any letter bearing
such evidences of exemplary devotion to the Cause of God is a source of
immense joy to my heart. I will most assuredly pray for you all and
cherish the brightest hopes for your future contribution to the spread of
our glorious Faith. Persevere and never feel depressed or discouraged. May
the Almighty enable you to mirror forth the glory and splendour of this
stupendous Revelation.

Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 20 NOVEMBER 1934(8)


20 November 1934

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

Your welcome message dated November 4th is just at hand, and its perusal
has, as usual, greatly cheered our Guardian’s heart. He feels ever so
grateful to you for the remarkable spirit and manner in which you are
collaborating for the further consolidation of Bahá’í administration in
your locality. Your painstaking labours to this end are being surely
rewarded and guided by Bahá’u’lláh Who, as so often promised in His
writings, will sustain and bless all those who arise to promote His
message, and whom, no consideration whatever, deters from serving His
Cause.

Shoghi Effendi is specially pleased to realize that you are in such a
close touch with the friends in other parts of Germany, and in particular
with those two indefatigable and devoted servants of the Cause Mrs. A. M.
Schweizer and Miss A. Köstlin. Their frequent and warm visits to Gôppingen
are surely of an incalculable benefit to you all, and it is hoped that by
their means your centre will come to play an increasingly important role
in the spread of the Teachings, as well as in the general administration
of the Cause in Southern Germany...

[From the Guardian:]

Dearly-beloved co-workers:

Your most welcome letter rejoiced my heart and served to remind me of the
spirit of devotion, of determination and zeal that animate the believers
in that promising country. I will no doubt continue to pray for you from
the bottom of my heart, that you may each and all arise to diffuse far and
wide the fragrance of this wondrous Revelation and to establish its truths
in the hearts of your fellow countrymen.

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 20 NOVEMBER 1934


20 November 1934

He is, indeed, happy to realize the remarkable share you are having in the
promotion of the general interests of the Faith in Gôppingen. Your active
participation in all Bahá’í gatherings and meetings, and the zeal and
enthusiasm which you succeed in creating among the attendants are, indeed,
a real source of strength to the community of the believers in your
centre.

The Guardian hopes, therefore, that you will continue exercising this
highly-beneficial and much-needed influence among the friends, so that by
its means you may all work as unitedly and harmoniously as possible.

For what the Cause greatly needs in Germany at present is unity, both of
thought and action. Not until the believers succeed in putting the Bahá’í
principle of cooperation and fellowship into actual practice can they hope
to vindicate the truth of the Message. Unity, therefore, is vital, and
constitutes the main key to the success of your endeavours in every field
of Bahá’í activity.



LETTER OF 7 DECEMBER 1934(9)


7 December 1934

Dear Friends and co-workers:

Shoghi Effendi was deeply moved by your beautiful message dated November
27th, and he has directed me to convey to you on his behalf the expression
of his loving appreciation and gratitude for the sentiments of love,
devotion and loyalty which that message expressed.

He was, indeed, so pleased to learn that you had gathered at the home of
our dearly-beloved sister and co-worker Miss Johanna Hirsch, and that you
had heard from her the story of her pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

It is his hope that you may also one day have the privilege of undertaking
a similar journey and of visiting the Holy Shrines in Akká and Haifa.

Shoghi Effendi is continually praying on behalf of each and every one of
you, and is entreating Bahá’u’lláh that He may continue sending you His
blessings and guidance, that as a result your efforts for the promulgation
of His message may be crowned with success....

[From the Guardian:]

May the Beloved of our hearts guide and strengthen you, bless your
efforts, add to your numbers, remove every obstacle from your path, and
deepen your knowledge of the fundamentals of His Cause, and the
distinguishing features of His glorious Revelation.

Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 13 DECEMBER 1934(10)


13 December 1934

He has been deeply gratified and comforted, indeed, to learn that the
authorities have, as a result of your efforts and of those of Mrs. Bishop,
accepted to grant permission for the holding of Bahá’í meetings in Berlin.
For this, the friends must feel deeply grateful to the Government and
should strive, through both their words and actions, to win the full
confidence of the authorities, and to demonstrate that they are
law-abiding and faithful citizens.

The Guardian fervently hopes and prays that, now that the believers are
permitted to hold meetings, they will take full advantage of this
opportunity and will come together as frequently as possible, and will
thus resume their activities which had been abated for such a long
time....



LETTER OF 13 JANUARY 1935(11)


13 January 1935

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

The Guardian has duly received your letter of the fourth of this month,
and was delighted to learn, from your detailed report of Bahá’í activities
in Esslingen, of the growing spirit of devotion, of unity and of
cooperation that is animating you all in your labours for the promotion
and further establishment of the Cause in your centre.

He feels truly confident, indeed, that through the manifestation of this
same spirit and through its fuller embodiment in all your manifold
activities, whether teaching or administrative, the Faith in Esslingen
will acquire increasing strength, both in number and influence, and will
come to play an important and unique role in the administration of the
interests of the Cause throughout Germany.

His continued advice to you all is to persevere in your work, and to toil
confidently and with one accord for the speedy and complete attainment of
this objective....

[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty keep you under His shadow, bless your devoted, your
valued and ceaseless efforts, guide your steps, cheer your hearts, and
enable you to widen the range of your historic services.

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 15 APRIL 1935(12)


15 April 1935

Dear Bahá’í co-workers,

Your secretary’s message of the 21st of March last addressed on your
behalf to the Guardian has duly reached him, and its perusal has greatly
rejoiced his heart.

He has been particularly impressed by the warm sentiments you have been
moved to express to him on the occasion of the feast of Naw-Rúz, and
wishes me to fully reciprocate your greetings and good wishes. He
cherishes the hope that in this new Bahá’í year the friends in Esslingen
will be specially assisted in spreading the Cause in their center, and in
effectively helping their fellow-believers throughout Germany in their
stupendous and weighty task of extending and consolidating the foundations
of the Faith in that country.

He is continually praying on behalf of you all at the Holy Shrines that
your labours in this connection may be blessed and enriched, and that the
results achieved may be such as to stimulate you to redouble your efforts
for the wider penetration of the Cause and its firmer establishment in
your land.

With loving and sincere greetings to you all

[From the Guardian:]

Dear and valued friends:

Your message filled my heart with joy and gratitude and has served to
remind me of your constancy, your devotion, and unsparing efforts for the
spread of the Faith and the consolidation of its institutions. I will
continue to supplicate on your behalf that the Beloved whom you serve so
diligently and well may bless, sustain and guide you in your high
endeavours.

Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 21 MAY 1935(13)


21 May 1935

The increasing evidences of the new fervour, zeal and unity with which the
German friends, and particularly those living in Wärnemunde, Rostock,
Schwerin and other northern German centers, are toiling for the spread of
the Cause invariably serve to reinforce his faith in ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s
promises regarding the future of the Faith in Germany. These signs of the
new revival that has set in the conditions of the Cause in your country
are, indeed, remarkable and highly encouraging to the friends. You should,
therefore, persevere in your efforts and not feel discouraged if you
encounter some difficulties in your way. The essential thing now is
perseverance, courage and faith.

The Guardian has been also much gratified to learn of the steps you have
taken for the holding of a North German Bahá’í conference this year. He
thinks that Berlin, due to its central situation, is a suitable place for
the friends to come together. Besides, this may prove also to be a source
of great encouragement to the believers in that city, and may serve to
stimulate them to take a more active part in the organization of the Cause
throughout Northern Germany.

Shoghi Effendi is also hopeful that the study courses which your daughter
is preparing for this incoming Northern German Congress will prove to be
of an immense benefit to the believers. The subject matter is, no doubt,
highly important, and can be thoroughly grasped if it is clearly and
adequately presented to them.

With regard to the German translation of Mrs. Bedikian’s letters. The
Guardian approves of your Contact Committee’s suggestion that only
extracts from these letters be translated and published. This will, of
course, save much time, and will, in addition, make it easier and more
interesting for the friends to get acquainted with the full contents of
Mrs. Bedikian’s communications.

[From the Guardian:]

Dear and valued co-worker:

Your notable share in the revival and extension of Bahá’í activity in
northern Germany will be ever remembered with joy and gratitude. Your work
will no doubt attract the blessings of Bahá’u’lláh, and will serve as an
inspiring example to the generations that will arise to serve after you.
Persevere, and never feel disheartened.

Shoghi



LETTER OF 17 JUNE 1935(14)


17 June 1935

Dear Bahá’í co-workers,

Shoghi Effendi has read with much pleasure your welcome message of the
23rd of May last, and has learned with deep satisfaction of the success of
the meeting you have held on the occasion of the anniversary of Báb’s
Declaration. He feels, indeed, so happy to realize how unitedly and
harmoniously your community is discharging its activities, and is certain
that, as years go by, it will increasingly manifest a zeal and ardour that
will enable it to achieve accomplishments that will not only be unique but
which will have far-reaching effects upon the progress of the Cause
throughout Germany.

In his moments of meditation and prayers he will specially remember you,
and will ask Bahá’u’lláh to continue pouring His blessings upon you all,
that your community may daily grow in strength, unity and fervour.

With loving Bahá’í greetings and sincere good wishes...

[From the Guardian:]

Dearly-beloved co-workers:

I deeply appreciate your most welcome message, and wish to assure you of
my deepfelt gratitude for the constancy and zeal which characterize your
labours in the Divine Vineyard. I am following the progress of your
activities with the utmost interest and joy, and feel confident that the
blessings of the Beloved, whom you serve with such ardour, steadfastness
and loyalty will guide, enrich and reinforce your historic work for the
propagation of His glorious and invincible Faith. Persevere in your high
endeavours and rest confident.

Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 5 JULY 1935


5 July 1935

He is very happy to learn of the beautiful meeting you have had in the
home of Mr. and Mrs. Lehne, and of the visit paid to the friends in Berlin
by some of the believers from various parts of Northern Germany. He trusts
that these warm and frequent contacts between these Northern Bahá’í
centers will be maintained and that as a result greater cooperation will
prevail among them. He is praying from the very depth of his heart on
behalf of you all, that your efforts for the promulgation of the Message
may be continually enriched, guided and blessed through Divine
confirmations.

In closing please convey the Guardian’s loving greetings to all the
believers in Berlin, and particularly to dear Mr. and Mrs. Lehne who are
contributing such a conspicuous share to the advancement of the Faith in
their centre.



LETTER OF 3 AUGUST 1935


3 August 1935

He wishes me particularly to convey to you his most genuine appreciation
of your services in connection with the publication of “La Nova Tago”
which he hopes will, through your efforts and those of the
Esperanto-speaking Bahá’ís both in Germany and abroad, develop gradually
into a leading Esperanto review, and thus become an effective medium for
the spread of Teachings in Esperantist circles throughout the world. It is
in view of the far-reaching possibilities which this publication can have
as a teaching organ, that he has urged the German N.S.A. to resume its
publication when, a few months ago, they had almost decided to discontinue
printing it.

With regard to your request for a special article from the Guardian which
you wish to have published in the forthcoming issue of your magazine. He
would suggest that you should translate his general letter addressed to
the friends a few years ago, entitled “The Goal of a New World Order”, as
this, he feels, is a very suitable material for publication in that
review, and is by far better than anything he can write at present.

As to your suggestion regarding a more widespread use of the Esperanto
among the Bahá’ís as a medium of correspondence. Shoghi Effendi, as you
know, has been invariably encouraging the believers, both in the East and
in the West, to make an intensive study of that language, and to consider
it as an important medium for the spread of the Cause in international
circles. He has been specially urging the friends to have the Cause well
represented in all Esperanto Congresses and associations, and by this
means cultivate greater friendship and cooperation between them and the
Esperantists.

But in this connection, he feels, he must make it clear that although the
Cause views with much sympathy and appreciation the activities which the
Esperantists are increasingly initiating for the spread of their language,
yet it considers that the adoption of the Esperanto by the entire world is
by no means an inevitable fact. Neither Bahá’u’lláh, nor even
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, ever stated that Esperanto will be the international
auxiliary language. The Master simply expressed the hope that it may,
provided certain conditions were fulfilled, develop into such a medium.



LETTER OF 24 DECEMBER 1935


24 December 1935

...Bahá’í Summer School at Esslingen. He is rejoiced to learn of the
unprecedented success that has attended this meeting, and hopes that the
next few years will witness still greater progress in that direction. The
enthusiasm and devotion of the attendants constitute, undoubtedly, a most
remarkable asset which will ensure the steady development of the school
into one of the leading Bahá’í educational institutions throughout the
world.



LETTER OF 25 JANUARY 1936(15)


25 January 1936

Shoghi Effendi ... is very pleased that you have at last found the
opportunity of visiting the Holy Shrines. He wishes me therefore to extend
to you, and also to Mrs. Mühlschlegel, a most cordial welcome, and to
express the hope that through this visit you will receive a fresh and
added stimulus and a wider vision in your labours for the Cause in
Germany....

It is hoped that more friends will be encouraged to undertake a similar
journey to the Holy Land in the near future....

[From the Guardian:]

Assuring you both of a hearty welcome, and wishing you always success in
the service of our beloved Faith,

Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 26 JANUARY 1936


26 January 1936

The Esslingen Bahá’í Assembly

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

On behalf of the Guardian I wish to acknowledge with deepest thanks and
appreciation the receipt of your welcome message of the 18th instant.

He is, indeed, very happy to learn of the news of the progress of the
Cause in Esslingen, and of the recent accomplishments of your Assembly in
that center. The improvements that you have made in the Bahá’í Home will,
undoubtedly, rejoice all the friends in Germany and will greatly encourage
them to attend the next Summer School. He hopes that the believers outside
Germany will also be attracted to your centre, and will thus contribute to
the further growth and consolidation of your community.

The Guardian is continually supplicating on your behalf at the Holy
Shrines, that Divine confirmations may strengthen and guide your Assembly
in the discharge of its heavy duties and responsibilities.

He will also remember all the other friends in Esslingen, and will ask the
Almighty to bless and inspire them all in the service of His Cause.

With most loving greetings and best wishes for a happy and prosperous
season...

[From the Guardian:]

Dearly-beloved friends:

Your message brought joy and imparted strength and hope to my heart. I
deeply value your constancy, your devotion, your unremitting labours, your
notable services to our beloved Faith. I will continue to pray that your
numbers may increase, your influence may deepen, and your hopes may be
fuller and speedily realized. Persevere and never lose heart,

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 31 MARCH 1936


31 March 1936

Der Geistige Rat der Bahá’í in Esslingen

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

Heartiest thanks from the Guardian for your very kind message dated March
21st. He feels so deeply touched by your kind words, and is specially
moved at the Naw-Rúz greetings which you have conveyed to him so
beautifully, and all of which he fully reciprocates. He sincerely hopes
that this New Bahá’í Year we have just entered will bring upon the entire
Esslingen community untold blessings, and that through them you will all
be filled with a renewed determination to carry on your labours for the
spread of the Cause.

The Guardian feels also very thankful and happy to learn that three new
believers have recently joined your group. He is praying fervently to
Bahá’u’lláh that these new members may increasingly gain in spiritual
power and insight, and thus become valuable helpers to your assembly.

With his renewed greetings and best wishes...

[From the Guardian:]

Dearly-beloved friends:

Your New-Year greetings rejoiced my heart and filled it with loving
gratitude. I prize the assurance you give me, and feel deeply thankful for
it. I will, from the depths of my heart, pray for you that the Almighty
may rain His blessings upon you, may fulfil your highest hopes, and assist
you to advance the best interests of His glorious and sacred Faith,

Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 19 OCTOBER 1936


19 October 1936

The Guardian has received the letter you had written him on behalf of the
Esslingen Assembly and dated September 27th, and wishes you to convey to
your fellow-members in that body his thanks and appreciation, and his
gratitude for the sentiments they had expressed to him through you. He
very deeply values the assurances of love, loyalty and devotion you have
given him, and is ardently praying that Bahá’u’lláh may abundantly reward
you for all these evidences of your undying attachment to His Cause.

The Guardian wishes me also to extend his grateful thanks and his hearty
congratulations to your Assembly and to the community of believers in
Esslingen for the unprecedented success that has crowned your efforts in
connection with the organization of this year’s session of the German
Bahá’í Summer School. He is praying from the bottom of his heart for your
continued guidance throughout the succeeding years...

[From the Guardian:]

Dear co-workers:

I am deeply moved by the remarkable evidences of zeal and of activity
manifested by the believers of Esslingen. My heart is filled with
unspeakable gratitude. Persevere in your efforts and rest assured.

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 25 OCTOBER 1936


25 October 1936

Your kind letter of the fifth instant enclosing photostatic reproductions
of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Tablets revealed to you and to your dear mother have all
duly reached our beloved Guardian and have been read with profoundest
interest and appreciation by him.

He wishes me to thank you for so kindly sending him copies of these
Tablets of the Master which he will keep as a gift from you in the
International Bahá’í Archives on Mt. Carmel. Needless to say how deeply he
appreciates this gift, and how much he considers it of value to this first
Archives of the Cause in the Holy Land.

In closing may I express his admiration and gratitude for the services you
are so devotedly rendering our beloved Cause in Esslingen. The Esslingen
community owes you indeed a great debt, and can never be too grateful for
the manifold accomplishments you have, steadily and splendidly,
contributed towards its development, ever since the early days of the
Cause in Germany.

The Guardian wishes you also to convey his thanks and appreciation to dear
Mrs. Schweizer. He is grieved to learn of her indisposition, but hopes and
fervently prays that by the time this letter reaches you she will have
been completely cured and restored to full health.

With renewed greetings to you both, and also to the community of believers
in Esslingen,

[From the Guardian:]

Dear and prized co-worker:

I am deeply touched by your splendid and highly valued gift. I will
continue to pray for your good-health, your happiness and the
uninterrupted extension of your historic activities and achievements.
Please assure dear Mrs. Schweizer of my special and fervent prayers for
her speedy recovery. Her health is so precious to us all.

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 3 MARCH 1937


3 March 1937

I am instructed by our beloved Guardian to inform you of the receipt of
your letter of February 21st written on behalf of the Bahá’í Assembly of
Rostock, and to ask you to convey to them, and also to our dear friend Mr.
Lorenzen, his grateful thanks for the enlarged copy of the photograph of
the North German Bahá’í Congress which they have been so kind in sending
him. It is indeed a most beautiful and impressive picture, and will be
placed very soon in the Mansion of Bahá’u’lláh at Bahjí, where it will be
seen by both the Bahá’í and non-Bahá’í visitors. Please, thank very warmly
your fellow-members in the Rostock Assembly for this gift, and express to
them the Guardian’s hope that, through them, as well as through the united
and combined efforts of all North German Bahá’í centers, this year’s
conference will be even more successful than the one held last summer, and
that the outcome of it will be to open new fields of teaching for the
Cause in Northern Germany.



LETTER OF 23 JUNE 1937


23 June 1937

The Guardian has been most deeply touched by your message of the third
inst., and wishes me to assure you both of his profound appreciation of
the sentiments you have expressed to him on the occasion of his marriage.
It was most kind and thoughtful of you to have written him in such moving
terms, and to have given him such firm assurances of your undying loyalty
and devotion to the Cause. He is ardently praying on your behalf that the
spirit which is animating you may ever grow deeper, and may translate
itself into sustained and whole-hearted service to the Faith in the
beloved land of Germany. He is specially entreating the Beloved that the
difficulties which you and your beloved co-workers in that land are so
unexpectedly encountering may be gradually removed, and that you may be
again set free to assist in spreading the Teachings among your
fellow-countrymen.



LETTER OF 20 OCTOBER 1937(16)


20 October 1937

Ihre andere Frage, Feuerbestattung: Bahá’u’lláh hat in Seinem Gesetz-Buch,
dem “Aqdas”, bestimmte Gesetze fúr Begrabung geoffenbart. Und ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
sagte, dass der menschliche Körper langsam durch einen Prozess
zusammengestellt worden ist. So auch sollte er durch Natur auseinander
gehen.

Wegen Ihrer Frage um die Esperanto-Zeitschrift in Holland, der Hüter
glaubt, dass jetzt ist keine Zeit, um etwas in dieser Beziehung
anzufangen. FRúher hat sie unbedingt viel fúr die Verbreitung der Sache
getan, aber jetzt ist es unmöglich und auch nicht beratbar (advisable).
Wie Sie vielleicht schon wissen, Lydia arbeitet in Amerika jetzt.



LETTER OF 7 JANUARY 1938


7 January 1938

Our welcome guest Th. Emeric Salas has duly presented to our beloved
Guardian your letter of December 19th which you had written him on behalf
of the Vienna Bahá’í Assembly. He has read it, together with the
accompanying letter addressed to your Assembly by Dr. Ziemand, with the
utmost care and deepest appreciation, and wishes you to assure your
fellow-members of his gratitude for the efforts they are so devotedly
exerting for the further promotion of the Faith throughout Austria.

He welcomes indeed Dr. Ziemand’s offer to undertake some Bahá’í
translations into German, specially as the German believers are no longer
able to arrange for the translation and publication of any Bahá’í book. He
also hopes that this will serve as a means for deepening Dr. Ziemand’s
interest in the Teachings, and to inspire him to eventually join actively
the Cause.

He would recommend the “Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh” as the
most important work to be translated into German at present.

As regards the hundred dollars which have been anonymously donated to your
Assembly for the publication fund; the Guardian would advise, that part of
this sum be expended on the printing of the pamphlet on “World Religion”,
and that written by Dr. Esslemont “What is the Bahá’í Movement?”, and the
rest put aside for use in the future.

With the renewed expression of his abiding appreciation of your services,
and with loving greetings to all the friends in Vienna...

[From the Guardian:]

Dear and valued co-worker:

I wish to assure you and your dearly-beloved co-workers in Vienna of my
constant prayers for your success in the magnificent efforts you are all
exerting for the spread and protection of this sacred and precious Cause.
You are often in my thoughts and I will continue to supplicate ardently
and affectionately on your behalf. Rest assured and persevere.

Shoghi



LETTER OF 18 JANUARY 1938


18 January 1938

To the Friends in Esslingen. Beloved co-workers,

Shoghi Effendi has been deeply touched by your very cordial message of the
31st December, and is moved to write to you again and to assure you of his
best wishes, and of his continued prayers for your protection and guidance
in those hard and trying times.

His thoughts often turn to you and to our well-beloved German brethren in
dear remembrance and loving appreciation of your services to the Cause. He
is daily supplicating the Beloved to cheer and comfort your hearts,
strengthen and guide your steps, and keep you ever steadfast and loyal in
His path.

On the occasion of this New Year which we have just entered he further
wishes me to convey to you his warmest greetings, and to reciprocate
heartily the good wishes you have so kindly expressed...

[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty bless and protect you, guide you in your devoted and
continued endeavours and fulfil your highest hopes and dearest wishes,

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 1 FEBRUARY 1938


1 February 1938

The Guardian was pleased to receive your letter of the 22nd January which
you had written him on behalf of the Vienna Assembly regarding the method
of Bahá’í elections.

He wishes you to kindly inform your fellow-members that this question of
Bahá’í electoral procedure has been explained and elucidated by him in one
of his communications to the American N.S.A. which you will find
reproduced in the book “Bahá’í Administration”, a copy of which is being
mailed to you for presentation to your Assembly.

As you will notice from that letter the method of assembly elections is
exceedingly simple, and the Guardian wishes the friends to desist from
adding any more regulations to those few ones which he has felt it his
duty to lay down for the conduct of the believers.

In closing kindly convey to the friends in Vienna, and in particular to
your fellow-workers in the Assembly, the assurances of his prayers for the
success of their elections, and for the promotion and guidance of their
community...

[From the Guardian:]

May the all-conquering, all-embracing Spirit of Bahá’u’lláh overshadow you
and your dearly-loved co-workers at all times and under all circumstances,
and enable you to raise the Call of God throughout the length and breadth
of your country, and establish firmly the basis of the administrative
order of the Faith.

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 20 MARCH 1938(17)


20 March 1938

...it made Shoghi Effendi truly happy to know that our dear friend Mrs.
... will be soon coming to Haifa. Much as he regrets that her stay will be
of such an exceptionally short duration he hopes nevertheless that through
contact with these Holy Spots she will be so refreshed and strengthened
spiritually as to be able to impart fresh hope and vigour to the hearts of
the friends when she returns home.

Needless to tell you what a great pleasure it is for the Guardian to meet
again this year, and so unexpectedly, one of our German friends, as his
heart is longing to hear of your news, and to share the experiences you
have been passing through during all these months.



LETTER OF 29 MARCH 1938


29 March 1938

Shoghi Effendi has just received your very kind message of the 20th ins.
conveying to him your greetings and good wishes on the occasion of the
feast of Naw-Rúz. He values beyond words your sentiments, and wishes me to
assure you of his prayers at the Shrines on your behalf, that this New
Year we have just entered may bring to you and your fellow-brethren
throughout Germany every blessing, and happiness, and the highest success
in both your spiritual and material pursuits.

It was a matter of profound grief to Shoghi Effendi to hear of the sad
news of the passing away of our friend Mr. Emil Lips. Kindly convey to the
bereaved members of his family his heartfelt condolences, and the
expression of his profound and deepfelt sympathy in this grievous loss
they have sustained.



LETTER OF 7 MAY 1939


7 May 1939

He too wishes me to extend to you his deep love and good wishes on this
happy and blessed occasion, and to assure you, and our dear friends in
Esslingen, of his prayers for your protection and guidance in these days
of widespread gloom and distress, that your hearts may be strengthened and
assured, and that you may emerge from your present-day tests and trials
more united, and firmer than ever in your love and loyalty towards the
Faith.

However gloomy the immediate future may seem to appear, the prospect which
the distant future has in store for the community of German believers is
of such immeasurable brightness as it cannot but afford the deepest
comfort and encouragement to you in your moments of uttermost sorrow and
distress.

More than ever to-day the Guardian’s thoughts turn towards you, and our
sore-tried brethren in your land, in admiration for the courage and
fortitude you have so well displayed in the midst of your afflictive
trials, and in thanksgiving to the almighty God for having sustained and
blessed you so repeatedly through His unfailing grace and mighty
confirmations.

May His spirit continue to aid and guide your Community in the distressing
days yet to come...

[From the Guardian:]

Dear co-workers:

It was such a joy to hear from you. You, as well as the other German
believers, are often in my thoughts and prayers. I will continue to pray
for the realization of your highest hopes. Be not despaired, nay be
assured that a glorious future awaits you all, more brilliant than any you
can imagine.

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 26 MAY 1946


26 May 1946

Miss Edith Horn and the dear Bahá’ís of Frankfurt

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

Your letter of April 21st reached the beloved Guardian—the first direct
mail from Germany!—and he was rejoiced to see you are all so devoted and
active in the service of our precious Faith.

He hopes the Frankfurt Bahá’ís, now that they have a Spiritual Assembly
and are free to conduct their affairs publicly, will succeed in teaching
many new souls this life-giving message.

The need in Europe to hear of the Cause is more desperate than ever
before, and the responsibility of the German friends very great, being as
they are the largest Bahá’í Community in Europe.

You may be sure he will pray for your labours to promote the Cause, in the
Holy Shrines, and he assures you that you and your work are very dear to
him...

[From the Guardian:]

Dear and valued co-worker:

My heart was filled with joy, pride and gratitude when I perused your most
welcome message, as I regard it as a remarkable evidence of the unfailing
providence and power of Bahá’u’lláh, who has watched over you, preserved
and sustained you, and has now enabled you to resume your historic work
for His Cause. You have often been in my thoughts and prayers and I
rejoice that your city is to become the administrative centre of our
beloved Faith and the national focus of its spiritual and humanitarian
activities. Persevere in your great task and rest assured and be happy.

Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 3 JULY 1946


3 July 1946

I need not try and convey to you in words how the Guardian has deplored,
and suffered over, all the tragic happenings of the last few years! He was
particularly sorry to hear such a dear Bahá’í as Paul Köhler, of Dresden,
had died, as well as his wife and children. We can only be grateful that
so many of the German friends have survived such terrible years!

He is very anxious to have the German Bahá’ís resume their activities on a
larger scale than ever before—particularly as they are now free for the
first time in so many years. He fully realizes how great your problems
are, and that you are still suffering from many shortages and
restrictions; but knowing you all—and what our beloved Master foresaw your
future would be—the Guardian is confident the Faith will spread as never
before in Germany, and that the believers of that country will aid in
establishing the institutions of Bahá’u’lláh all over Europe.



LETTER OF 11 JULY 1946


11 July 1946

The Bahá’í Community, Esslingen

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

Your letter dated May 23rd has reached our beloved Guardian, and he has
instructed me to answer you on his behalf, and to thank you for the loving
greetings you sent him.

He hopes that now the believers in Germany are at last free to work for
the Cause they will strive together—as the Master desired—as one soul in
many bodies and show forth such an example of love and unity within the
Bahá’í Community that the hearts of the people will be attracted to them.
The world is longing for example more than for anything else, for on all
sides we hear good advice but see no sincerity and no practicing of what
people are preaching!

He assures you all his loving prayers are offered on your behalf and for
the success of your Bahá’í work...

[From the Guardian:]

Dear and valued co-workers:

I was so pleased to hear from you and to receive such expressions of
devotion and determination in the service of our beloved Faith. Your
centre is near and dear to my heart, and you are, I assure you, often in
my thoughts. I will pray for your success, for the extension of your
activities, and the speedy realization of the hopes you cherish for the
advancement of our glorious Faith,

Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 12 JULY 1946(18)


12 July 1946

Dear Bahá’í Brother and Bahá’í Friends:

The Post Card you sent our beloved Guardian on June 3rd reached him, and
he was very happy to receive news from you direct and from your dear
family and all the Bahá’í friends who were gathered together with you on
that day in Neckärgemund.

He hopes you (Dr. Grossmann) received the long letter he forwarded to you
(in answer to yours) through Mr. Holley?

The news of the devotion, enthusiasm, and renewed activity of the dear
German Bahá’ís is a source of joy to him, and he hopes that the N.S.A. is
able to meet often and conduct the affairs of the Faith in that country,
where for so long it was banned and persecuted.

You may be sure his loving prayers are often offered on your behalf, for
the success of your labours to promote the Faith, and for your protection
and welfare...

P.S. The Guardian is very anxious to receive reports of the work of the
N.S.A. He considers it advisable that during the course of this year any
groups which attain nine members should be allowed to form an Assembly at
once without waiting until April 21st. in order to encourage the friends
after so many years of suppression and suffering.

[From the Guardian:]

May the Spirit of Bahá’u’lláh sustain, guide and bless you in your truly
exemplary and meritorious services, aid you to overcome all obstacles in
your path, to extend the range of your activities, to proclaim the truths
of this glorious Faith to the suffering masses, and to multiply and
consolidate its God-given institutions,

Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 25 JULY 1946(19)


25 July 1946

He was delighted at the good news you conveyed to him; for some time now
he has been anxiously awaiting news of the activities of the N.S.A.—if it
is feasible, please send him reports of that body.

He feels that, in view of all the German believers have passed through,
their long period of persecution and suppression, that it is all right
during this year to permit the formation of local assemblies, as soon as 9
or more believers are available, in order to encourage the friends and
stimulate their work in the teaching field.



LETTER OF 29 JULY 1946


29 July 1946

He feels that the subject of the Bahá’í work in Esperanto in Germany is a
matter for you to take up with the National Spiritual Assembly; we Bahá’ís
do not claim Esperanto will be the auxiliary language of the future—but,
as we firmly believe in the necessity of an auxiliary language we are glad
to support this work by publishing books in Esperanto and encouraging the
Bahá’ís to learn it, if they wish to. Cooperation with this society is an
excellent means of spreading the Cause, as Martha Root demonstrated in her
travels. However, all details in this matter must be decided by the N.S.A.
You can contact Bahá’í Esperantists in England and the U.S.A. through
their respective N.S.As.



LETTER OF 30 JULY 1946(20)


30 July 1946

He was so very happy to hear the wonderful news you conveyed of the
receptivity you find among the German people, and especially the youth, to
the Teachings.

He considers the work of the Cause in Germany of primary importance; the
German believers not only have the fertile field of their own people’s
minds to cultivate, but must, eventually, do a large part of the teaching
work to be carried out in the future in Central and Eastern Europe. So he
is very anxious to have your affairs running on a smooth administrative
basis, and to also have you receive the necessary literature or means of
printing it.

He was also delighted to hear the Sun of Truth is again being printed, and
that you have been able, in spite of so many handicaps, to distribute
thousands of pamphlets and hold so many important public meetings.

Now is certainly the time to carry on the work on an ever-increasing
scale; the hearts have suffered much, and the minds are grasping for a
solution to the terrible problems facing them. The Cause can surely, in
this golden hour of opportunity, make greater headway than ever before in
its history in Europe, and you may be sure he will do all in his power to
assist you in your labours.

He assures you his loving and ardent prayers will be offered on your
behalf and for the success of the work you and the other friends are
carrying on at present...

P.S. The Guardian was very pleased to hear that the former adherents of
Ruth White and Mr. Herrigel’s ideas have expressed the desire to be
enrolled in the Faith, and to work according to the administrative Order.
He recommends that the National Assembly, by all means, accept them, and
assist them to fully grasp the fundamentals of the Will and Testament.

[From the Guardian:]

Dear and valued co-worker,

I am so glad and grateful to learn of the progress of your activities and
of the success attending your efforts in the service of our beloved Faith.
I feel confident that you will, in the days to come, add fresh laurels to
the crown you have already won in the service of our beloved Faith.
Persevere, and rest assured that I will continue to pray for you from the
depths of my heart.

Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 29 DECEMBER 1946


29 December 1946

The sufferings which the German Bahá’ís have passed through have grieved
his heart very much—but he is very proud of their loyal and devoted
spirit, and the way their faith in Bahá’u’lláh has come out of the fire of
these war years pure and unstained and stronger than ever! They have a
great future, promised them by the beloved Master...

As you may perhaps have heard, our Guardian does not like to give pictures
of himself to the believers—he prefers that they should keep in their
homes photographs of the Master Who is our inspiration and Exemplar.

He hopes very much that you will be able to teach other young Germans the
Cause there. The youth in particular need desperately to be given the
Message, for it is their lives that have suffered the greatest ruin
through this cruel war. Teaching them should be your first duty...



LETTER OF 18 JANUARY 1947(21)


18 January 1947

Your welcome letters ... were received, together with the poems you
enclosed in them...

He wishes me to assure you he will include some of the poems in the next
volume of “Bahá’í World”; it is, unfortunately, too late to get them into
the latest number which is now being printed in America.

It seems now absolutely certain that our dear Bahá’í sister, Lydia
Zamenhof, lost her life in a gas-chamber during the war! It is a great
loss, as she could have rendered the Faith many services in Europe in
these past-war days! But her services to the Cause and her memory are
imperishable!

He would be very pleased to receive an article from you about her for the
next volume of Bahá’í World, but not for the “In Memoriam” section. Also
he regrets he will not be able to publish in the Bahá’í World the In
Memoriam article you sent about your dear parents. Only those people who
have died in the period covered by each volume receive mention in that
volume, and the next one will be for 1946–48!...

P.S. He is very happy to hear dear Mr. Zabih is meeting the friends there;
you may be sure he will pray that the way may open for him to help you all
in Germany at the present time and serve the Faith in England later on.

The Guardian assures you he is delighted to hear of the translations you
have already made and are at present engaged upon; the German literature
of the Faith is of the utmost importance, both because of the great future
the Cause has there, and the fact that so many other Europeans read
German. He hopes “Gleanings” and the “Dispensation” can soon be printed.
These matters you should refer to your Nat. Spiritual Assembly.

[From the Guardian:]

My dear and valued co-worker:

I am so glad and grateful to learn of the activity and perseverance of the
dear German believers, and of your own valued and constant services to our
beloved Faith. You are, I assure you, often in my thoughts and prayers,
and I prize the spirit that animates you in His service. I cherish the
brightest hopes for the future of your historic work for the promotion of
the Faith, and wish you to persevere and rest assured that the Beloved
will continue to guide and sustain you, and will reward you abundantly for
your high endeavours.

Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 9 FEBRUARY 1947(22)


9 February 1947

He realizes that every effort the friends make in Germany these days is
made in the face of great obstacles and at the cost of real sacrifice. But
they must ever keep their goals in sight, and persevere for the sake of
the Cause and for the sake of their fellow-countrymen who now, in their
greatest hour of need, have the right to hear of Bahá’u’lláh Who alone can
save the world and lead it to peace and happiness.

He will certainly pray that all obstacles may be soon overcome, and the
printing work go ahead. He also hopes, and will pray, that the N.S.A. will
make every effort to arrange its affairs so as to meet in Frankfurt. These
things cannot be done over night, he fully realizes, but the believers
must strive to accomplish them constantly.

The services which you and your dear family are so constantly rendering
the Faith are very, very deeply appreciated by him. Be happy that God has
enabled you to do so much for His Faith!

His loving prayers are with you all...

[From the Guardian:]

Assuring you of my abiding gratitude for your constant and splendid
services to our beloved Faith, and of my ardent prayers for your welfare
and the realization of every hope you cherish for the advancement and
consolidation of its new-born institutions,

Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 18 FEBRUARY 1947


18 February 1947

The Bahá’í Community of Plochingen.

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

Your letter dated Nov. 15th, 1946, written by your secretary, Mrs. Vio
Henseler, was received by our beloved Guardian, and he has instructed me
to answer it on his behalf.

He was very happy to see that so many of you are now active in the Holy
Faith in Plochingen and holding your Feasts and meetings regularly in such
a spirit of dedication and Bahá’í love. This love and unity among the
friends cannot but attract the blessings of Bahá’u’lláh upon your work for
His Cause.

Now is the time to teach the hungry, war-disillusioned people of Germany
the Message of God for this day. He urges you to redouble your efforts to
attract and confirm new souls, and to teach them not only the spiritual
aspects of the Faith but its World Order as well—for this Divine solution
to the ills of mankind is what the people need to hear of.

He remembers the visit of Mrs. Henseler and Mrs. Victoria B. von Sigsfeld
to Haifa, and is happy to hear both have been ceaselessly active in the
Cause, the one until her death and the other up until the present day! To
serve is indeed a blessed privilege!

You may be sure his loving prayers will be offered for you all and for the
success of the work there...

[From the Guardian:]

May the Beloved bless your efforts, guide your steps in the path of
service, and aid you to promote, effectively and at all times, the best
interests of His Faith and its institutions,

Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 18 FEBRUARY 1947


18 February 1947

To the Bahá’ís of Rostock, Wärnemunde and Schwerin.

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

Your letter, dated Rostock Sept. 22nd and Schwerin Sept. 28th, 1946, was
received, and it brought great joy to our Guardian’s heart to see the
names of so many of the dear friends who are now united and actively
serving the Faith in far northern towns! He has instructed me to answer
you on his behalf.

Now that it is once more possible for you all to meet, he urges you to do
so often, and to exert your utmost in spreading the Message of Bahá’u’lláh
to those who are seeking the Truth—and there are many of them these days!
Likewise, he hopes you will be able to soon have three flourishing
Spiritual Assemblies in those towns.

He will pray that this may speedily come about; he will also pray for you
all, for your protection and success in all you do for the beloved
Faith...

[From the Guardian:]

May the Beloved bless your efforts, guide you in your devoted labours, aid
you to increase your numbers, multiply your institutions, consolidate your
accomplishments, and fulfil every desire you cherish for the promotion of
His Faith,

Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 18 FEBRUARY 1947


18 February 1947

Regarding the time to hold the 19 Day Feasts: any time most convenient for
all the believers is permissible, as long as it is between sunset and
sunset of the calendar day on which the feast falls, as our Bahá’í days
begin and end at sunset. The feasts are really for the believers only, but
if a non-Bahá’í happens to come, we should not ask him to leave and hurt
the person’s feelings.



LETTER OF 22 FEBRUARY 1947


22 February 1947

The Bahá’ís of Plochingen

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

Your loving greeting sent to our beloved Guardian on Nov. 11th, 1946,
reached him, and he has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.

He was very happy to see the names of so many friends gathered in
Plochingen, and feels sure that your efforts to spread the Message of
Bahá’u’lláh there are meeting with success. Now is the time to teach and
to lead the hungry souls of mankind to the heavenly banquet of this Mighty
Revelation.

He assures you one and all of his most loving prayers for the success of
your services to the Faith...

[From the Guardian:]

May the Beloved bless your efforts, guide your steps, remove all obstacles
from your path, and enable you to promote, effectively and at all times,
the vital interests of His Faith and its institutions,

Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 30 MARCH 1947


30 March 1947

Bahá’í Gemeinde Plochingen—Gôppingen

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

Your joint letter to our beloved Guardian, dated Jan. 19th, and announcing
the formation of your joint Assembly, reached him, and he has instructed
me to answer you on his behalf and congratulate you on this great step
forward you have taken.

He hopes that in the near future your numbers will grow sufficiently to
enable you to form two separate Spiritual Assemblies, and he assures you
all that he will pray in the Holy Shrines that this objective may speedily
be achieved.

Your services, in these days of toil and trouble for your native land, are
of the utmost importance and upon them depends the future course of events
in its spiritual unfoldment...

[From the Guardian:]

May the Beloved of our hearts bless, guide and sustain you in your devoted
endeavours and continued services to His Cause, aid you to extend the
range of your activities, and enable you to win mighty victories for His
Faith,

Your true brother,
Shoghi March 1947

Bahá’u’lláh has given His wonderful teachings and His New World Order to
all men; it is up to each individual to accept this Divine Message and
promote its healing laws and principles for himself. No one can decide for
you what you must do. Your own heart must tell you that your place is
serving this struggling new Faith in the days when it is still, for the
most part, unrecognized by the masses. In the future, when it has won more
adherents, and its true stature becomes obvious to all, it will not
require the courage to sponsor it which it does today!

We must always remember that the administrative Order is a means to an
end, an instrument to co-ordinate and unify the efforts of the Bahá’ís. It
is still imperfectly understood by them, but very great progress has been
made already. Now, through this administration, it is becoming possible to
at last bring the knowledge of Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings to the masses, and
this is a field you could render great services in. Your fire, your love
for your fellow men, are qualities much needed in our work, and Shoghi
Effendi hopes you will feel the urge to plunge yourself into the service
of this glorious Cause.

In Germany there is such a demand for the teachings that the German
Bahá’ís, exhausted from the war and hampered by restrictions on travel,
etc., find it almost impossible to meet the call on their teaching
abilities. They are a very devoted, well organized Community, but could
surely use all the extra help they can get. If you could see your way
clear to go to Germany and aid them in the teaching work, it would be
rendering that suffering land a great spiritual service.



LETTER OF 1 APRIL 1947


1 April 1947

The Germans, and the German Bahá’ís, have suffered terribly during these
long years of war and suppression of all freedom and spiritual life; now,
it seems, from reports reaching him, there is a revival of the spirit, and
the people are longing for a plan, a way out of this moral chaos and
darkness, a belief to hold to. This is therefore the time for the Bahá’ís
to teach the Cause as never before, especially to the young people, and
spread the glad tidings that a solution to the world’s problems exists!

The German National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís is now doing all it
can to get more Bahá’í books printed; it also has many new and important
translations of our books already made, and we hope very soon these will
be printed and distributed.

I am enclosing a little booklet which will give you an idea of how great
the progress and spread of the Cause has been, and daily it is growing all
over the world.

Shoghi Effendi hopes some-day, when Palestine is calmer, that you will be
able to visit here.



LETTER OF 4 APRIL 1947


4 April 1947

He fully realizes the great handicaps you are all labouring under, and
admires the wonderful spirit of devotion to the Cause of God which keeps
you going. You must never feel discouraged, but persevere in your labours,
knowing Bahá’u’lláh will bless them.

Regarding the question you asked about the advisability of Dr.
Mühlschlegel moving to Frankfurt: he has no objection to this, but feels
it is a matter for the National Spiritual Assembly to decide upon.



LETTER OF 4 APRIL 1947


4 April 1947

The Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Stuttgart.

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

The letter you wrote our beloved Guardian, dated Jan. 11th, 1947, was
received, as well as the report you enclosed of the meetings held in
Stuttgart, and he has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.

He was very pleased to see that there are now as many as 95 believers
there, and he hopes this number will steadily and rapidly increase. All
the Bahá’ís, new and old alike, should devote themselves as much as
possible to teaching the Faith; they should also realize that the
atmosphere of true love and unity which they manifest within the Bahá’í
Community will directly affect the public, and be the greatest magnet for
attracting people to the Faith and confirming them.

In considering purchasing the Schwarz home as a future headquarters for
the Stuttgart Bahá’ís, (a plan which he fully approves of) he urges you
to, at the same time, bear in mind the responsibility of all the
Bahá’ís—in Stuttgart and elsewhere—towards the purchase and maintenance of
a National Headquarters; this is of the utmost importance, and when such a
headquarters is established it will greatly stimulate the work all over
Germany, Stuttgart included. It takes precedence over local Community
activities.

He assures you all, and all the Stuttgart believers, of his most loving
prayers for the advancement of your Bahá’í labours...

P.S. He was delighted to see you are doing teaching work in neighbouring
towns; this is a very important service to the Cause.

[From the Guardian:]

May the Beloved bless your meritorious efforts, guide and sustain you in
your activities, aid you to extend the range of your deeply appreciated
services, and enable you to proclaim the verities of His Faith, and help
in the consolidation of its nascent and God-given institutions,

Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 12 APRIL 1947


12 April 1947

The Bahá’ís of Esslingen

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

Your loving Naw-Rúz greeting was received, and our beloved Guardian has
instructed me to answer it on his behalf.

He assures you all he will pray in the Holy Shrines for you, for the
growth of your Community and the success of your services to our glorious
Faith. You are all dear to him!

[From the Guardian:]

May the Beloved bless, guide and sustain you at all times, enable you to
extend the scope of your activities, and win great and memorable victories
for the institutions of our beloved Faith,

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 3 MAY 1947(23)


3 May 1947

Your letters to our beloved Guardian, dated Feb. 7th and 11th, as well as
the manuscript of “Hidden Words” have been received, and he has instructed
me to answer them on his behalf.

He is very happy to have this opportunity of communicating with you
personally, and assuring you of how much he appreciates your devoted
services in the path of our glorious Faith.

Regarding the questions you have asked him:

There is no correspondence or connection between the Hidden Word (Arabic)
no. 1 and the last Arabic Hidden Word, or between these and any passage of
the Seven Valleys.

The Cairo edition of the Hidden Words, approved by the Master, is the one
you must refer to for accuracy, and disregard all other texts. This
answers the questions connected with Hidden Words number 18 and 39 and 1
(two) and 35 (two).

Hidden Word no. 70: this is not addressed to any person but is a mystical
expression and an allusion to the Manifestation of God.

No marginal notes should be added except any of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Himself or
the notes of the Cairo edition.

The whole question of translation from the original text is very
important. He has just written on this subject, at some length, to
Baroness von Werthern, explaining to her that he considers now is not the
time to translate the teachings into German from Persian and Arabic. No
Persian with a sufficient expert knowledge of German is available to help
in this matter; he does not feel, therefore, that such works as “Some
Answered Questions”, “Seven Valleys”, etc. should be embarked upon at all.
People who have not spent years steeped in the atmosphere and language and
literature of the East cannot possibly grasp the subtleties of oriental
usage. A good example of this very point is that Prof. Süssheim has not
grasped what Bahá’u’lláh means by the word “[Arabic script]“. He is using
it in a loose and colloquial sense which means “a passing thing”, a small
amount, and not literally associating it with food.

He feels you should continue your study of the teachings in the original
and, from time to time, if you desire to, translate material from the
original in short excerpts; but not at present important books and
Tablets. These you can better translate from good English editions.

There is so much teaching work, and administrative work, to be done in
Germany at present that he urges you to concentrate on this form of
service. The public need to receive the Message on a large scale, to have
available literature at once, to read articles on the Bahá’í Faith; and in
all these ways your services can be of great help.

P.S. “Tur” and “Sinai” should not be taken literally; the first is an
allusion to Mt. Sinai, which in this case means the Manifestation of God;
the second, “Sinai”, represents the human heart.

[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty bless, sustain and guide you, at all times and under all
conditions, assist you to proclaim the verities of His Faith, and lend a
tremendous impetus to the advancement and consolidation of its new-born
and God-given institutions,

Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 13 JUNE 1947(24)


13 June 1947

He was happy to hear the message had been broadcast over the Radio
Frankfurt, and hopes this teaching method can often be used, as it reaches
the people in their homes and many of them would not attend public
meetings.

The very encouraging report you sent him of the work in Germany was most
welcome, and he wishes that the National Teaching Committee or the N.S.A.
would send him a statement showing how many Spiritual Assemblies there
are, how many groups and how many isolated Bahá’ís, and in which cities
and towns they are to be found, respectively.

Generally speaking his instructions to the American Bahá’ís and their
N.S.A. are, whenever they concern administrative principles and procedure
and general statements about and interpretations of the Faith, binding for
all Bahá’ís everywhere. Naturally specific instructions to the American
Bahá’ís are not applicable to other communities. “Bahá’í Procedure”, as
Mr. Holley pointed out, is not binding on other National Assemblies, as
many things in it are purely secondary rulings made by the American N.S.A.
to facilitate the work of the Cause under its jurisdiction.

The believers should certainly, under no circumstances, drink any
alcoholic beverages as this has been forbidden in the Aqdas. Not all of
its laws and precepts can be practiced at present; but those he has, in
his instructions to America, laid down as applicable at present should be
followed.



LETTER OF 4 JULY 1947


4 July 1947

Bahá’í Gemeinde, Karlsruhe

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

Your letter dated May 23rd was received by our beloved Guardian, and he
wishes me to tell you all how very happy he was to hear that you now have
a Spiritual Assembly there. This is the beginning of your work—not the end
of it!—and you may be sure his ardent and loving prayers will be offered
for your success, and expansion, in the Holy Shrines.

He also takes this opportunity of thanking Mrs. Brauns-Forel for her
letter and assures her of his prayers...

[From the Guardian:]

Assuring you of my loving prayers for your success, for the extension o f
your valued activities, and the realization of your dearest hopes in the
service of the Faith and its divinely appointed institutions,

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 19 JULY 1947


19 July 1947

The Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Stuttgart

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

Your letter of March 10th was received, and as our beloved Guardian was
very busy he could not reply to you sooner. However, he has now instructed
me to answer you on his behalf.

He has no objection to the Stuttgart Bahá’ís arranging to have a center of
their own on Mrs. Schwarz’ land. As this was a spot visited by the beloved
Master, it is all the more appropriate as a center for the Cause there.

He hopes that the Stuttgart friends will so arrange their affairs that
this new undertaking will not prevent them from assisting the national
interests of the Cause and spending them their full support.

His loving prayers are offered for you all, and for the success of the
work you are doing there, which is so sacred and so vitally important...

[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty bless, guide and sustain you in your meritorious and
constant services to His glorious Faith, aid you to extend the range of
your activities, to proclaim the truths of His Faith, multiply its
institutions, and consolidate its foundations,

Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 27 SEPTEMBER 1947


27 September 1947

He was very distressed to learn of the conditions in Germany which you say
are getting steadily worse. Both the beloved Guardian and the Persian
N.S.A. have remitted sums to America for Care packages for the believers
in Germany, and he hopes these will soon reach you.

In view of the great hardships the friends must endure he marvels at all
that they are able to do for the Faith. He greatly admires their devotion,
and prays ardently for the conditions they are living under to improve.



LETTER OF 14 NOVEMBER 1947


14 November 1947

He feels that, if your health is now sufficiently good for you to endure
the rigours of life in Germany at the present time, it would certainly be
rendering the Faith a great service for you to return to Berlin and
inspire the believers there, and teach the Cause. In connection with the
question you asked him about the advisability of putting on your house a
name plate saying “Bahá’í Búro”, this is something you must get permission
for either from the Spiritual Assembly of Berlin (if it is functioning by
the time you return) or the National Assembly.

He was very happy to hear Herr Lehne is now so active in serving the Cause
in Berlin and planning a large public meeting. When you write to him
please assure him of the Guardian’s appreciation and his prayers on his
behalf.



LETTER OF 21 NOVEMBER 1947


21 November 1947

He is so very happy to hear that there(25) are now 36 believers there and
new souls coming into the Faith all the time!

He was also delighted to learn that at last the National Hazírá is
secured. This is a most important step forwards, and will greatly enhance
the prestige of the Faith in Germany.

You must never become discouraged; your services are both needed and
appreciated, and the Guardian deeply values them.

He was pleased to hear Mrs Davison is helping you so much there with the
work in Frankfurt, and he hopes she will be able to stay there another
year.



LETTER OF 21 NOVEMBER 1947


21 November 1947

Regarding your questions: by holiness in our Bahá’í teachings is meant
attachment to God, His Precepts and His Will. We are not ascetics in any
sense of the word. On the contrary, Bahá’u’lláh says God has created all
the good things in the world for us to enjoy and partake of. But we must
not become attached to them and put them before the spiritual things.
Chastity in the strict sense means not to have sexual intercourse, or
sexual intimacies, before marriage. In the general sense it means not to
be licentious. This does not mean we Bahá’ís believe sexual relations to
be impure or wrong. On the contrary they are natural and should be
considered one of God’s many blessings. He does not know anything about
whether albumen and delicious food affect sex; this is a medical question.
Sex is a very individual matter, some people are more passionate by nature
than others, and might consequently suffer more if forced to be continent.
But when the world becomes more spiritual there will not be such an
exaggerated emphasis on sex, as there is today, and consequently it will
be easier for young people to be chaste and control their passions. A man
of noble character and strong willpower, could certainly remain faithful
to his wife during a long absence!

Any good orientalist could probably refer you to commentaries on the
Qur’án and on the Buddhist Scriptures. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá has stated that all
references of Muḥammad to fighting refer to defensive war, not to
aggression.



LETTER OF 25 NOVEMBER 1947


25 November 1947

He is very happy to see that you are all studying the Bahá’í Teachings,
and preparing yourselves to be worthy servants of Bahá’u’lláh, and of
humanity, when you grow older.

You may be sure he will pray for you all in the Holy Shrines, and that you
may attract other children and young people to the Bahá’í Cause. No one is
ever too young to teach this Message to others.



LETTER OF 27 NOVEMBER 1947


27 November 1947

He was very happy to hear of the progress being made spiritually there(26)
, and that now there are 9 Bahá’ís in all. He hopes this will enable you
to form a Spiritual Assembly. You may be sure he will pray that this may
come about.

[From the Guardian:]

Assuring you of my loving prayers for your success in the service of our
beloved Faith and its God-given institutions,

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 8 DECEMBER 1947


8 December 1947

Bahá’í Gemeinde Esslingen

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

Your loving greeting to our beloved Guardian, dated Nov. 12th, 1947, was
received and he has instructed me to write you on his behalf and thank you
for it.

He assures you all that your devotion to the Cause of God is very deeply
appreciated, and the perseverance you show in its service greatly valued
by him.

He will pray for you all in the Holy Tombs, that Bahá’u’lláh may bless,
guide and protect you in your service to His Faith...

[From the Guardian:]

May the Spirit of Bahá’u’lláh guide, sustain and protect you in your
deeply valued endeavours for the propagation of our glorious Faith, aid
you to add to your numbers, to deepen your understanding of its
fundamental truths, and promote its vital interests.

Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 18 DECEMBER 1947


18 December 1947

...although he is very overburdened with work he wishes me to drop you a
little line and assure you of how happy he is to hear that the relief
packages your Com.(27) receives from America and other countries do so
much good.

He admires the steadfast devotion of the German assemblies and of the
German friends which keeps them busy serving the Cause in spite of every
hardship and obstacle.



LETTER OF 30 JANUARY 1948


30 January 1948

To the Bahá’í Friends in Schwerin

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

Your loving message of greeting, signed by so many names, reached our
beloved Guardian, and he was very happy to see so many are active in the
Faith there.

He hopes in April circumstances will permit the formation of a Spiritual
Assembly there, which will greatly assist you all in your devoted services
to the Cause of God.

You may be sure in his visits to the Holy Shrines here he will remember
you all in his prayers and pray for your welfare and success...

[From the Guardian:]

May the Spirit of Bahá’u’lláh sustain, guide and bless you, at all times
and under all conditions, graciously assist you to enlarge the limits of
the Faith, add to your numbers, deepen your understanding of its verities,
and proclaim its principles far and wide.

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 2 JUNE 1948


2 June 1948

To the Bahá’ís of Esslingen who were present at the Naw-Rúz Feast, 105
B.E.

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

Your loving Naw-Rúz greeting only reached our beloved Guardian on May
31st, but he was very pleased to receive it, and to see that so many of
the dear believers had gathered together to celebrate that happy Feast
day.

In spite of the gloom which man’s disobedience to the Divine Laws is
creating throughout the world, the Bahá’ís must be courageous, joyous and
ever-active in spreading the Message of Bahá’u’lláh, for in the end it
will triumph and dispel the evil and sadness engulfing mankind.

He assures you all he will pray for the success of your Bahá’í labours in
the Holy Shrines...

[From the Guardian:]

May the Spirit of Bahá’u’lláh sustain, guide and protect you under all
circumstances, cheer your hearts, enable you to extend continually the
range of your activities, and aid you to win memorable victories for His
Faith and its institutions,

Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 10 JUNE 1948(28)


10 June 1948

Your letters to our beloved Guardian ... were received, as well as the
report of the persecution of the German Bahá’ís, and the greetings from
the Teaching conference, and he has instructed me to answer you on his
behalf.

He was very pleased to receive all the good news you conveyed to him, and
the love and devotion with which you and your dear husband and family
serve the Cause of God is a source of great comfort to him.

He would have answered you before, but pressure of work, and the recent
very disturbed state of the country, has held up his correspondence. He
hopes this letter will reach you safely.

The progress being made by the Faith in Germany is excellent. It is if at
last the Cause were let out of the cage and can spread its wings there and
fly—and the hearts of the German people are a very rich field in which to
sow the Divine Seeds. He has always foreseen for Germany a great future in
the Bahá’í world...

He was particularly glad to hear the working people, the backbone of every
nation, are receptive to the Cause and being taught.



LETTER OF 10 JUNE 1948(29)


10 June 1948

Unfortunately conditions here in Palestine were so disturbed and
disorganized that the Guardian could not send a message as you requested,
to the Esperanto Congress in Munich in May. He has been, and is, as you
can well imagine, very concerned over the state of the Holy Land. But so
far all has gone well, the Shrines have been protected, and the Bahá’í
Community respected here and assisted, by the new authorities.

It seems as if some time must elapse before pilgrims from anywhere can
again visit here. But he hopes, at a future date, your heart’s desire will
be granted and you will be able to come to Haifa.

Unfortunately the American National Spiritual Assembly has such a very
heavy program to carry out at present, in the teaching field and in the
decoration of the Temple, that many other projects must wait until more
money is available. Printing Bahá’í Literature is one of them. But he
hopes in the near future some new editions can be gotten out.



LETTER OF 11 JUNE 1948


11 June 1948

Bahá’í Jugend Esslingen

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

Your loving message to our beloved Guardian, dated Mulk 9th, 104, was
received, and very much appreciated, and he was delighted to learn you had
been able to hold such a large meeting for the Youth Symposium day.

He has been very busy lately, due to conditions here and the great amount
of work there is to do, but nevertheless he wishes to answer your letter
and assure you he will pray for your success, and that he is proud of your
spirit and your devotion to the Faith...

[From the Guardian:]

May the Beloved of our hearts guide every step you take in the path of
service, aid you to deepen your understanding of the essentials of His
Faith, and promote, at all times, the best interests of its institutions,

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 3 JULY 1948


3 July 1948

He does not think that we can yet go so far as to write commentaries and
lengthy treatises on the relation of the Bahá’í teachings to Education,
Economics, etc, as the world knows these subjects at present. We have our
basic principles, but ... (unreadable) We cannot say in detail what the
“Bahá’í” system will be. It has yet to grow and mature. However, articles
on these matters, where our general ideas are correlated to present
knowledge and usage, and compared, would be good because not too much
detail could be gone into.



LETTER OF 3 DECEMBER 1948


3 December 1948

It will make you all happy to hear that the columns for the Báb’s Shrine,
and the capitals and many stones—the first shipment—have now reached
Haifa, and are being transported to the Shrine gardens. Soon the Guardian
hopes the actual building work can be begun.



LETTER OF 13 DECEMBER 1948(30)


13 December 1948

He has, as a result of your letter, just cabled you via Geneva asking you
to please get from Mrs ... the letter Hussein wrote her and forward it to
him, as he wishes to see it.

I cannot tell you how much and how bitterly our beloved Guardian has
suffered from the disloyalty and dishonourable conduct of the members of
the Master’s Family, and now his own family. They have not only disobeyed
him, and flouted his advice and instructions, but done things which are so
shameful he is unable to mention them. In view of this, he was forced in
1944, to expel Hussein—but not until he had of his own accord left the
Master’s house gone to the Covenant-Breakers, and refused warnings and
advice alike. His heart is unrepentant, and his character greatly changed,
which is surely a great tragedy.

He was very pleased to hear you were able to visit the Bahá’í convention
in Hamburg, and that you found the believers there so enthusiastic and
devoted. There is a tremendous amount of work to be done everywhere, and
such active and tireless workers, as you and your dear family, are needed
urgently in every direction!

He most deeply values your loyalty, your devotion and your services. You
may be sure he will pray for you in the Holy Shrines and for your family
and dear Mrs Benke....

[From the Guardian:]

Dear and valued co-worker:

I deeply and increasingly appreciate the spirit that animates you, and
wish to assure you of my abiding appreciation of your exemplary loyalty,
your perseverance and splendid services to our glorious Faith. Persevere
in your manifold and meritorious activities, and rest assured that the
Beloved is well pleased with the standard of your accomplishments,

Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 8 FEBRUARY 1949


8 February 1949

He sees no objection to the Bahá’ís taking part in the movement for
“World-Citizenship”, as this is marking towards one of our most cherished
goals—the unification of the human race under some form of International
government. As long as this movement takes no political sides of any
nature and keeps quite clear of all forms of politics, the Bahá’ís may
support it.

He thinks it was a fine gesture for the National Assembly to invite Mr.
Garry Davis to be present on Bahá’í-World-Youth-Day and he hopes, this
courageous and independent man will be able to accept the invitation.



LETTER OF 2 MARCH 1949


2 March 1949

You, as devoted and experienced believers, must do all in your power to
urge the friends to unite in order to protect the Faith. The Hamburg
difficulty is not insurmountable, as long as the friends all make up their
minds that no sacrifice of personal feeling or opinion in this matter is
too great to make in order to maintain the unity of the administrative
order there and the unity of the believers. The more friends take sides,
the more difficult it will be to solve this problem.

He urges you both to encourage your son and brother to look upon the
perfection of the Faith and not upon the imperfections of the
believers—for we are all imperfect.



LETTER OF 11 MARCH 1949


11 March 1949

The National Youth Committee

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

Our beloved Guardian wishes me to thank you on his behalf for your
greetings and the report of Bahá’í World Youth Day.

He was very pleased indeed to learn you held such successful meetings on
this occasion, and to see with what fervour and devotion you are assuming
your responsibilities as young Bahá’ís who, in the not distant future,
will be called upon to carry forward so much of the important work of the
Faith as adult members of the Community.



LETTER OF 20 MARCH 1949(31)


20 March 1949

Regarding your book: he feels that this can only come under the heading,
judging by the outline you gave him, of a romance woven about a historical
episode: the Báb and the events following His Martyr(dom); we do not know
enough concrete facts about the relation of the Russian Court, the Russian
consul, and what exact part he played in the events of those days to fill
a large paragraph! He feels, therefore, that your book should be presented
as such a romance, and not in any way as a historical narrative.

There were many factors at work in releasing Bahá’u’lláh from the Síyáh
_Ch_ál, not the last of which was the intervention of His own sister who
presented very valuable gifts to the _Sh_áh himself while she interceded
for her Brother’s life. So you see your information—not merely yours, any
Bahá’ís at the present time—is far too scanty to permit of a really
historical account being written. This does not mean you cannot get your
book out as a romance. He certainly would not want you to destroy your
manuscript!



LETTER OF 24 MARCH 1949


24 March 1949

He was also very pleased to see the contact with the Esperantists is being
maintained. This friendly cooperation with them, and attendance at their
Congresses, is very good, and will no doubt bring the Bahá’í Cause to many
of their member’s attention. Also, he hopes, it will lead to many of them
becoming Bahá’ís in the future.



LETTER OF 31 MARCH 1949


31 March 1949

First, let me say that one of the reasons God has given us the institution
of Guardianship is to prevent men from crystallizing the Cause of God into
a rigid system. Your questions are mostly along the line of trying to lay
down a fixed pattern for future society, long before the time for such a
pattern is ripe. Remember that Bahá’u’lláh says what is not already
revealed, the International House of Justice must in the future legislate,
and it can make, and abrogate if necessary, its own laws. This means not
fixity in guiding society, but fluidity!

No. 1 Bahá’u’lláh and the Master mention only Local, National and an
International House of Justice. There is no provision for divisional ones.
Each city will have its own Spiritual Assembly, not a number of district
ones. Naturally, district 19 Day Feasts can be held where there are very
many Bahá’ís in one city.

No. 2 The Hands of the Cause will have executive authority in so far as
they carry out the work of the Guardian.

No. 3 Spiritual Assembly is the name at present for the body which in
future will be called “House of Justice”.

No. 4 The Badí Calendar will be used generally. The Bahá’í week has seven
days.

No. 5 There is nothing about “ground organization”. These details are left
for future legislation.

No. 6 No. Such things are for the consideration of the legislative bodies
in future.

No. 7 No. But ‘Abdu’l-Bahá stated there are other worlds than ours which
are inhabited by beings capable of knowing God.

No. 8 The Bahá’í Temple in America has been dragging on, uncompleted,
since 19..(figures unreadable); its completion is absolutely essential. We
are builders, we have confidence in the protection of God. We cannot give
up our work just because the atom bomb has been invented! This would be
cowardly! The United Nations disposes of millions and millions of dollars
and part of its work is to educate humanity towards peace and against war.
Our completion of the Bahá’í Temple will cost 3/4 of a million; what could
this sum do in comparison to the efforts of the United Nations?

The thing the German believers must do is to deepen themselves in the
Covenants of Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Mere intellectual understanding
of the teachings is not enough. Deep spirituality is essential, and the
foundation of true spirituality is steadfastness in the Covenant.



LETTER OF 11 APRIL 1949(32)


11 April 1949

He fully approves of Dr. Townshend being invited to speak in Germany, as
you propose, providing, of course, that the necessary funds for his trip
can be arranged for.

The contact with intellectuals is very important, but so far, like the
early days of Christianity, in the West, few of them have cared to
identify themselves with this young and struggling Faith of ours! Let us
hope, however, that the time is approaching when they will.

The Guardian has been considerably disturbed by the inharmony that has
arisen in Germany. He feels that what the German Bahá’ís need—and must
have—more than anything else in the world is a far deeper understanding of
the Covenants of both Bahá’u’lláh and the Master. This is the rock
foundation without which no sound super-structure can be built. Neither
the administration, nor the general teaching work of the Cause in Germany,
will progress, or be able to accomplish anything, unless the believers are
truly firm, deep, spiritually convinced Bahá’ís. An intellectual grasp of
the teachings is purely superficial; with the first real test such
believers are shaken from the bough! But once a Bahá’í has the profound
conviction of the authority from God, nested in the Prophet, passed on to
the Master, and by Him, to the Guardians, and which flows out through the
assemblies and creates order based on obedience—once a Bahá’í has this,
nothing can shake him. He, therefore, urges you, and the other members of
the N.G.R., to devote as much time as you possibly can, to educating the
believers in the Covenant.



LETTER OF 15 APRIL 1949(33)


15 April 1949

As he has cabled the N.S.A. a few days ago, he feels that the difficulties
which have arisen in Germany, and which called forth the letter you
rightly felt was likely to cause more harm than good, are mainly due to
the fact that the believers need to be deepened in their knowledge and
appreciation of the Covenants of both Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. This
is the stronghold of the Faith of every Bahá’í, and that which enables him
to withstand every test and the attacks of the enemies outside the Faith,
and the far more dangerous, insidious, lukewarm people inside the Faith
who have no real attachment to the Covenant, and consequently uphold the
intellectual aspect of the teachings while at the same time undermining
the spiritual foundation upon which the whole Cause of God rests.

He feels you and your dear family should do all you can to teach the
believers the Will and Testament to strengthen their understanding of its
important provisions; for all the authority of the administrative bodies,
as well as of the Guardian himself, is mainly derived from this tremendous
document.



LETTER OF 27 MAY 1949


27 May 1949

The Guardian, in spite of the fact that there is a larger community in
Stuttgart, is very anxious to have the national affairs of the German
Bahá’í Community centered in Frankfurt, which is far more central. He
realizes at first this will present some difficulties for the friends, but
every step forward in the Cause always is attended by complications and
difficulties. The same was true in America, where for years New York was
the center of the administration for America. When the National
Headquarters were shifted to Chicago, it was at first very inconvenient,
but it now has proved much more convenient and suitable than New York ever
was.



LETTER OF 30 MAY 1949


30 May 1949

Bahá’í Community of Stuttgart

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

Your letter to our beloved Guardian, of April 20, and conveying to him
your loving Ridván greetings, was received, and he has instructed me to
answer it on his behalf.

He values very deeply your message of loyalty and devotion and your
assurance that you will uphold the administration of our beloved Faith.

The German friends must always remember that, after the long years of
suppression, and the war, when they were both cut off from the Guardian
and forbidden to hold organized meetings, it is only natural that
difficulties should sometimes arise in the course of their progress.

The main thing, however, is that all the believers should at all times
feel conscious of their deep unity and brotherhood in the Cause of God,
and that with love and understanding they should arise to overcome every
problem, knowing that the Master will help and assist them to do so.

Firmness in the Covenant is their Fortress, their greatest protection, and
new Bahá’ís should be taught this before they are admitted into the
Community. In this way they will be given the spiritual strength to
overcome the tests which are inevitable, and which strengthen the growth
of the Community and drive its roots deeper in the soil of faith.

He hopes your Bahá’í work will make great progress during this Bahá’í
year...

[From the Guardian:]

Dear and valued co-workers:

Your joint and most welcome message brought great joy to my heart, as I
feel greatly attached to, and greatly value the sentiments of the members
of a community which has distinguished itself by its zeal, its
accomplishments, its long record of service, and on which the Beloved has
conferred such great bounties and blessings. I cherish great hopes for its
future, and will supplicate on its behalf, that the Almighty may enable it
to render His Faith still more notable services, and contribute, in an
outstanding manner, to the onward march of the Faith and the development
of its institutions in that promising country.

Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 5 JUNE 1949


5 June 1949

You have asked for his advice about two matters which concern you very
deeply, and although he knows your love for this Holy Cause will assist
you in making the right decisions, he knows it will be hard for you to do
so, and therefore assures you of his loving prayers that you may take
these steps courageously, and that the way may be made easy for you.

He has heard nothing against the character of Mrs ... and does not doubt
in many ways she may be a very commendable woman. However, this does not
change the fact that in view of her inhered convictions about Bahá’u’lláh
it is best for the Bahá’ís, including yourself, not to associate with her.
That which is in the heart of those who have actively opposed the
Manifestation of God is spiritually unhealthy, and although we in our
limited human understanding cannot always see the wisdom of shunning them,
the Master has instructed us to do so, and for our good, and the good of
the Cause, we must obey this instruction.

The matter of your giving up your church membership is a conscientious
obligation. He does not force you to do so, but as you no longer believe
in all the doctrines of your former church, to continue to be a member of
it is really to put yourself in a position of one who is acting
insincerely. Should you decide to withdraw from the church as a member,
however there is no reason why you should not continue to go to church
with your husband, and to continue your friendly association with the
congregation. He will pray that your husband may be willing for you to
take this step.



LETTER OF 30 SEPTEMBER 1949(34)


30 September 1949

He fully appreciates your point about certain well-known names of Persian
and other Oriental cities being spelt according to the general usage in
German literature. However, he feels that it is necessary to follow in
full the transliteration used in God Passes By, even for the names of
famous cities, etc., which have in European languages an accepted way of
being spelt. Only by doing this can confusion be avoided in our Bahá’í
translations and uniformity be maintained.

A key to pronunciation should be printed, in order to coordinate it with
the German language, and also an explanation of the reason for this system
being used: namely that it was adopted by an international Congress as
being the most practical and universal means of spelling these oriental
names in the latin alphabet.

He hopes that the fact that two people translated different parts of this
book will not be noticeable in the style, and thus detract from its
literary value in German?

Your labours, and those of the other friends concerned in getting this
valuable history ready to be printed in German, are deeply appreciated....

[From the Guardian:]

May the Beloved of our hearts, whose Faith you are serving with
distinction, zeal and loyalty, reward you a thousandfold for your constant
and notable services, aid you to extend continually the range of your
activities, and win still greater victories for its institutions,

Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 20 OCTOBER 1949


20 October 1949

National Youth Committee of the Bahá’ís of Germany and Austria

Dear Bahá’í Brother:

Your letter of September 3, with enclosed report of the Bahá’í Youth
Summer School, was received, and the beloved Guardian thanks you for it.

He read with interest the report of the activities of the Youth, and was
particularly pleased to see that Dr. Grossmann had given a course on the
Covenant. The Youth must ponder deeply over the significance and
implications of the Covenants of Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, for these
form the hub of the Bahá’í wheel, so to speak, the point of unity and
strength for all the believers all over the world. Without these Covenants
the Divine Protection of God over this new world Faith would not exist.
Obedience to these Covenants is the stronghold of all the Bahá’ís,
everywhere.

The Youth must grasp this fundamental truth, for this will strengthen them
in their service to the Cause, as nothing else can or will.

Another thing he wants the young people to do is to set an example in
obedience to the Administration, and to rise above the tendency, alas, so
pronounced in some of the friends, to consider personalities instead of
principles. This Cause is based on spiritual laws, and we must consider
these, and obey them, and not lose time in thinking about the individual
person’s peculiarities, or opinions...

[From the Guardian:]

May the Beloved bless, sustain and guide you, to enable you, to acquire a
fuller understanding of the implications of God’s Covenant in this day,
and contribute effectively to its clarification and its comprehension by
the believers.

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 22 OCTOBER 1949


22 October 1949

To the Spiritual Assembly of Bergstrasse

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

Your letter dated March 27, has been received by our beloved Guardian, as
well as the report of the activities of your Assembly, and he thanks you
for sending him this information.

He, likewise, wishes to thank Mr. Adolf Lorey for his letter to him of
July 30, enclosing a newspaper clipping concerning Sohrab.

He feels your Assembly, wisely and lovingly, must guide the friends to a
firmer grasp of both the independent nature of our glorious Faith and the
need to study and uphold its Administrative Order.

To continue to be a member of the church places a Bahá’í in an insincere
position—for we believe the Christ has come again, in Bahá’u’lláh, and
that all His promises have been gloriously fulfilled. No church would
tolerate one of its members believing such a thing, for the church is
still blindly waiting the second coming. Therefore it is obvious why the
Bahá’ís must leave the church, they are not leaving Christ, but rather
rallying to His support in the new day of His coming.

Also, he feels your Assembly should obey and work with the National
Assembly in the greatest love and harmony. The past must be forgotten, and
all the believers concentrate, unitedly on the spread of the Faith and
strengthening its administration.

He will pray for you all, and for the success of your work. With Bahá’í
love

[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty, Whose Faith you are serving with zeal, constancy and
devotion, bless you and your dear collaborators, remove all obstacles from
your path, and enable you to win great and memorable victories for His
Faith and its institutions,

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 22 OCTOBER 1949


22 October 1949

It is the privilege of youth not to commit the same mistakes all over
again of the older generations, and he hopes the German youth will rise
above personalities, adhere to the principles of the Cause and its
administration, be examples of firmness in the Covenant, and thus carry
the Faith forward in Germany on a higher plane of development.



LETTER OF 30 OCTOBER 1949(35)


30 October 1949

As the Guardian already wrote the N.G.R., he feels that most of the
trouble which recently arose in the German community was due to the fact
that the believers everywhere did not seem to know how to function
administratively—almost everything they did was irregular and this caused
added confusion, more wounded feelings, and confused the entire situation.
He trusts that by now the whole situation has been straightened out and
that the N.G.R. and the assemblies will work strongly and unitedly for the
fulfilment of their Plan.

He was very glad that dear doctor Grossmann could attend the Brussels
Conference. All the believers there were so happy to have a German brother
with them! Also, he has received reports of the excellent teaching work on
the Covenant that your dear husband is doing. This is very important,
especially at this time when Ahmad Sohrab is trying to again become active
in Germany.

The German friends must learn to put the teachings above personalities and
stop taking sides. This is a sign of immaturity and this old and beloved
community cannot afford to linger in childhood, but must become a strong
adult community of united, alert and active believers....

[From the Guardian:]

Dear and valued co-worker:

I am deeply grateful to you for your constant and splendid services to our
beloved Faith. These services and achievements will, no doubt, attract the
blessings of Bahá’u’lláh. Rest assured that the Beloved is well pleased
with your accomplishments, and will increasingly bless your high
endeavours. May every obstacle be removed from your path and the dearest
wish of your heart fulfilled.

Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 12 NOVEMBER (1949?)(36)


12 November (1949?)

The Guardian is in receipt of your letter of October 26th, and feels very
much pleased at the news of the completion of the German translation of
“The Seven Valleys”. He wishes me to congratulate you most heartily for
this great service you have been able to render the Cause, and which no
doubt will serve to enrich the record of the manifold contributions you
have, during the last few years, so brilliantly made towards the spread of
the Faith throughout Germany. He is praying to Bahá’u’lláh that He may
continue to guide and inspire you, and assist you in accomplishing still
more outstanding works for the Cause in your country.

Regarding the publication of the manuscript, he sees no objection that it
should be undertaken by a non-Bahá’í publisher, inasmuch as it will then
have a greater appeal to the general public. But, of course, in this as
well as in all other local matters of this kind you should first seek the
approval of the N.S.A. As to the expenses of printing the work, they
should be preferably furnished by the national fund.

The Guardian is also very much pleased to learn of the new publications
which the N.S.A. is planning to issue very soon. The printing of the
lectures delivered at the last Esslingen Summer School in a book form is,
no doubt, highly useful. It is hoped that the funds required in this
connection, as well as for other important publications, will be
generously contributed by both the individual believers, and the local
groups and assemblies.

With reference to the publication of the “Kitáb-i-Íqán” into Esperanto,
the Guardian also hopes that some action will be taken in this matter by
the N.S.A. But obviously the printing of this, and other non-German works,
should be subordinated to the publication of Bahá’í literature in
German....

[From the Guardian:]

Dear and valued co-worker:

I am so eager to learn that your health is fully restored, for I believe
your services are a most valuable asset to the Faith you serve in these
troublous days. I welcome your efficient and unrelaxing cooperation, in
spite of the obstacles which face you, in so many fields of Bahá’í
activity. I am confident that as a result of your strenuous endeavours the
administrative institutions in your land will be further consolidated and
extended and the cause of teaching receive an added impetus.

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 18 DECEMBER 1949


18 December 1949

Bahá’í Youth Committee of Germany and Austria

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

Your letter of November 12 has been received by our Guardian, and he has
instructed me to answer it on his behalf.

He will certainly pray for the success of your very important branch of
the Bahá’í work in Germany and Austria.

We, as students of religion and history, cannot but expect that when God’s
Greatest Revelation, (up until this time,) reaches the world, it will
cause terrific repercussions in the lives of men. This is what we are
witnessing all about us today, and although we, and others, suffer from
the state of society, we cannot but derive inspiration from the fact that
this very chaos is a testimony to the strength and potency of the Divine
Remedy brought by Bahá’u’lláh....

[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty Whose Cause you are serving in such a vital sphere of
Bahá’í activity, guide, bless and sustain you, remove the formidable
obstacles that stand in your path, and enable you to win great and
memorable victories for its institutions,

Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 28 MARCH 1950


28 March 1950

He will certainly pray for dear Mrs ... and her son who so tragically took
his life.

When a child is old enough to declare his intention of being a Bahá’í he
is also old enough to leave the church. The Guardian does not see any harm
in what you did; the parents accepted that Bahá’í writings should be read
at the funeral.

Please give the Guardian’s loving greetings to all the Munich believers,
and assure them of his prayers on their behalf. Urge them to persevere in
their teaching efforts.



LETTER OF 30 SEPTEMBER 1950


30 September 1950

The Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Berlin

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

Your letters of 16 July, signed by the friends, and 21 July, signed by the
secretary, and your photograph were received by our beloved Guardian, and
he was very happy to hear from you, and to learn dear Mrs. Ashton had
visited you.

He often thinks of you, and it rejoices his heart to see you are
faithfully serving the Faith, and that you have a Spiritual Assembly, in
spite of the many difficulties you have passed through in Berlin.

He assures you he will ardently pray for your welfare, protection, and the
success of your Bahá’í work.

In these days the most important thing of all is to teach the Faith to the
people, for the world’s salvation can only be found in the Plan of
Bahá’u’lláh....

[From the Guardian:]

Dear and valued co-workers:

I was so pleased to receive your letter, and I greatly value the
sentiments you have expressed. You are often in my thoughts and prayers,
and I will continue to supplicate the Beloved to protect and sustain you,
remove all obstacles from your path, and enable you to achieve your
heart’s desire in His service,

Your true and grateful brother

Shoghi



LETTER OF 2 OCTOBER 1950


2 October 1950

To those present at Youth Summer School, August 3, 1950, c/o National
Bahá’í Youth Committee of the Bahá’ís of Germany and Austria

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

The letter dated August 3, and signed by those attending the Youth
Summer-School, was received by our beloved Guardian, as well as the photo
of Burg Breuberg, and he was delighted to see so many youth had attended
from Germany and different countries.

He urges you all to concentrate on teaching the Faith to the young people,
who must be surely bewildered by the state of the present day world, and
who are so in need of guidance and supranational goal towards which they
can strive with heart and soul.

We know that only the remedy of the “Divine Physician” can solve the
problems facing humanity and we work day and night to give the message of
Bahá’u’lláh to the masses....

[From the Guardian:]

Dear and valued co-workers:

I was deeply touched by your welcome message, and I wish to express my
deepfelt appreciation of the sentiments you have expressed. I greatly
value your labours, and I feel confident that the Beloved, whose Cause you
serve so devotedly, will guide and sustain you in your high endeavours.
Persevere and rest assured that the work you are achieving will bear rich
fruit in the days to come.

Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 6 OCTOBER 1950


6 October 1950

...our beloved Guardian wishes me to assure you he will certainly pray for
your success in teaching in Magdeburg. He deeply values your devotion to
the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh.

[From the Guardian:]

Assuring you of my loving prayers for your protection, welfare and the
success of every effort you exert for the promotion of our beloved Faith,

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 26 OCTOBER 1950


26 October 1950

He hopes the German believers, led by their N.S.A., are now united and
active, and exerting their utmost to spread the Faith and support its
institutions financially and morally.



LETTER OF 26 OCTOBER 1950


26 October 1950

Your suggestion regarding a book for the general public is a good one. The
question is not only have we Bahá’ís competent to present this subject in
a way which would catch the attention of the public, but also even if such
a book existed would it achieve its end? We have, unfortunately, not very
many capable Bahá’í writers, and the condition of confusion in the world
is such that it seems doubtful if such a work would arrest the attention
of distracted mankind.

However, we need more and better Bahá’í books, and he suggests you present
your idea to the German, British and American N.S.A.’s.



LETTER OF 10 FEBRUARY 1951(37)


10 February 1951

The Hamburg situation he trusts is now greatly improved. The believers
there must learn to function according to the Administration. When they do
this, ninety percent of their problems will be solved.

Regarding your questions concerning the Gleanings:

1st. CXL up until CXLI refers to Muḥammad-‘Alí. The following pages do
not.

2nd. The Guardian does not remember to whom Chapter CXLIII refers. He
gathered the quotations for the Gleanings from innumerable individual
tablets and writings, and did not keep a record of all of them; and has
not at present time to go back over this material and find out. He does
not consider it important to whom it refers.

3rd. On Page 312, the words “I feign would hope” are merely a very
elevated style of English for saying “I hope”. This tablet has nothing to
do with Muḥammad-‘Alí.

The Guardian asks you to please convey his love to all the members of your
dear family, as well as to dear Mrs. Benke.

He very much appreciates the translation you have made of the Gleanings,
and hopes that it will soon be in the hands of all the believers, as it is
an extremely important volume for acquiring a deeper understanding of the
Faith, and greatly enriches the literature available in the German
language.



LETTER OF 10 FEBRUARY 1951


10 February 1951

He feels that you should not ask the believers not to elect you to the
Spiritual Assembly during the coming year. However, you might ask your
fellow-members not to elect you as Chairman or as an officer of the
Spiritual Assembly, if you are reelected to that body. This will lighten
your work, and enable you, if you do not feel well enough, to omit
attending some of the meetings; but your presence on the Assembly, if
elected to it, the Guardian feels is important, because of your long
experience in the Faith and your loyalty and tact....

Your long and devoted services to the Faith are very deeply valued; and he
feels you have every reason to be happy as you look about you and see the
great progress made in Germany, and the fact that the believers there are
more loyal, more active and more numerous than ever before.



LETTER OF 5 APRIL 1951


5 April 1951

To the Believers who were present on World Youth Day held at Heidelberg.

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

Your message of March 25th has been received by our beloved Guardian; and
he was most happy to know that so many of the Bahá’ís were present on this
occasion.

He urges you all to concentrate your time and energies on spreading the
Cause, and not to become distracted by the extremely confused condition of
the world and the acuteness of the problems facing humanity.

There is only one answer to these problems, and that is the Message of
Bahá’u’lláh; and we, His followers, are the ones who alone can carry this
Message to our fellow-men before it is too late.

You may be sure he will remember you all in his prayers in the Holy
Shrines, and supplicate for the rapid expansion of the Cause in Germany
and the consolidation of its administrative institutions....

[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty bless, guide and sustain you always, remove every
obstacle from your path, and enable you to promote, at all times, the
vital interests of its nascent institutions,

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 22 APRIL 1951


22 April 1951

Bahá’í Youth Committee of Germany and Austria

He hopes that the German youth, in spite of the fact that they now have
Persian co-workers in their midst, will consider that the work in Germany
is their responsibility, primarily, and not the responsibility of foreign
students, whether they be Persians, Americans, or from any other nation.

Each country must create its own active corps of servants; and it is only
right and proper that the German youth should do the lion’s share of their
work, and not permit other people to do it for them. He feels that the
German Bahá’í young people have made great progress during the last few
years, and prays that they may continue to do so; and he urges you all to
concentrate your efforts on this important branch of Bahá’í activity;
namely, consolidating and strengthening the activities of the young men
and women enrolled in the Cause of God in that country.



LETTER OF 31 MAY 1951


31 May 1951

He sees no objection to ... going to Persia for a visit. It would be a
happy experience for him to meet with the believers there. However, he
feels you should bear in mind that administrative experience and practice
is not the strong point in the East; on the contrary, the Bahá’í
Administration has, as far as being grasped by the average Bahá’í goes,
made far greater progress in the West, particularly America.

What can be learned from our Oriental brethren is reverence,
self-sacrifice, unquestioning obedience and complete devotion to the
Cause. These are wonderful traits, and ones which the West must emulate.
In exchange we can offer them our sense of principle and efficiency and
capacity for action.



LETTER OF 19 SEPTEMBER 1951


19 September 1951

To the Bahá’ís who were gathered at Dilsberg, August 22, 1951

The beloved Guardian was very happy to see so many of the young friends
had gathered to study the Faith, and associate with each other in Bahá’í
fellowship.

He feels sure these experiences are building up among you a greater sense
of dedication and uniting your hearts in the service of Bahá’u’lláh.

He urges you all to exemplify in your personal lives the teachings, as
well as to study them, and to also learn well the principles of the
Administrative Order.

[From the Guardian:]

May the Beloved of our hearts guide and bless you, remove every obstacle
from your path, and aid you to contribute increasingly to the
consolidation of the institutions of His Faith,

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 30 OCTOBER 1951


30 October 1951

Through the National Assembly the beloved Guardian heard of your serious
illness and your sufferings, and he wishes me to assure you of his loving
sympathy and of his ardent prayers for your relief.

Life afflicts us with very severe trials sometimes, but we must always
remember that when we accept patiently the will of God He compensates us
in other ways. With faith and love we must be patient, and He will surely
reward us.

The Guardian is also praying for your children, that they may grow up to
rejoice your heart and be wonderful Bahá’ís.



LETTER OF 6 DECEMBER 1951


6 December 1951

To the Bahá’í Youth Who were gathered at Maulbronn October 28, 1951.

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

The beloved Guardian appreciated receiving your message, and was happy to
see that so many of you had met to consult together about ways and means
of spreading the Divine Message in Germany.

He assures you he will pray that your efforts will be blessed; and he
urges you, as far as possible, to disperse to centers in Germany where
there are either no Bahá’ís, or there is a weak group and your presence
would strengthen it to establish a new center.



LETTER OF 20 JANUARY 1952


20 January 1952

To the Bahá’ís who were present at the Winter Youth Meeting December 28,
1951.

He was very happy to see that it was possible for so many to attend this
Youth Meeting; and he trusts that the study of the Teachings together, and
the spiritual interchange of thought among you on that occasion will cause
you to devote your lives even more single-mindedly to the Faith of
Bahá’u’lláh and its requirements; and that you will each inspire the
friends in your homes to further study, a closer unity and increased
activity.



LETTER OF 14 MARCH 1952


14 March 1952

...he urges you to devote as much of your time as possible to the actual
teaching work rather than writing on technical or theoretical subjects,
especially in relation to the Faith, because the Bahá’í attitude in detail
regarding such questions as sociology and economics must be formulated in
the course of time and cannot possibly be elaborated on at this point. To
do so would be premature. This does not mean that you should not make the
best possible use of the manuscript you sent him, but he would not advise
you to devote much time to a similar work in the immediate future.



LETTER OF 12 APRIL 1952


12 April 1952

To the Bahá’í Youth of Germany Who were present on Annual World Youth Day.

He hopes that each one who was present carried away with him a new
strength and resolve to do all in his power to teach, and attract new
souls to the Cause of God.



LETTER OF 7 MAY 1952


7 May 1952

The Bahá’í Community of Heidelberg.

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

Your letter of April 26th reached the beloved Guardian, and he appreciated
very much the kind sentiments you expressed. I also appreciated them very
deeply.

He will pray in the Holy Shrines that your work in Heidelberg may be
blessed, and that you will be able to promulgate the Faith in that area,
especially amongst the student body....

[From the Guardian:]

Assuring you of my deep appreciation of the sentiments you expressed, and
of my loving prayers for your success in the service of our beloved Faith,

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 23 MAY 1952


23 May 1952

To the Bahá’ís gathered in Frankfurt for Ridván, 1952

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

The beloved Guardian has received your loving greeting of April 27th,
which he deeply appreciates, and which he has instructed me to acknowledge
on his behalf.

He trusts that from this Convention the friends have carried back to their
homes a renewed spirit of dedication, in order to enable them to carry
forward the teaching work, now in their own land, and later on, beyond its
borders.

In the Intercontinental Teaching Conference to be held in Stockholm in the
summer of 1953, the German believers will have their part to play, and
will have their goal allotted to them for the ten-year period beginning in
1953. Therefore, they must endeavor to realize the great importance of
this Conference, and bend every effort towards its most complete
success....

[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty bless abundantly your noble endeavours, guide and sustain
you always, remove every obstacle from your path, and enable you to win
great and memorable victories in the service of His glorious Faith,

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 25 MAY 1952


25 May 1952

He is happy to hear you are in Ṭihrán, and determined to help the friends
directly with their teaching work, as this is the most important field of
all.

You should follow their advice, and consult with them in all matters, as
the situation there is very precarious, and any indiscretion could have
serious repercussions on the affairs of the friends.



LETTER OF 30 AUGUST 1952


30 August 1952

To the Bahá’í Youth who attended the first and second week of the Annual
Youth Summer School at Heppenheim.

He was happy to see you are so active, because very great things lie ahead
of the Bahá’í Youth, in particular during the next ten years; when you see
what the task of Germany must be, (the details of which he will be
revealing at the time of the Stockholm Conference), you will understand
how great is the need for your services during the next decade.

The future has always belonged to youth, and now more than ever before, in
order to ensure the fulfilment of Bahá’u’lláh’s plans for this planet, the
youth must labour and pioneer.

Now is the time, therefore, to consecrate yourselves and prepare
yourselves for the work that lies ahead of you, and of all the young
Bahá’ís the world-over. You must study both the teaching and the
Administration, in order to be ready and qualified—qualified with both
knowledge and shining personal characters...

[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty guide your steps, aid and sustain you always, and enable
you to contribute effectively to the progress of our beloved Faith and the
consolidation of its nascent institutions.

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 29 NOVEMBER 1952


29 November 1952

To the Bahá’í Youth gathered at Heilbronn-Neckar, on October 26th.

The Guardian is made very happy by the spirit of the friends in Germany,
as this spirit will attract to you the help of Bahá’u’lláh, as you go
forward together to accomplish the tremendous goals set for Germany in
your own country and in other lands, during the coming World Crusade.



LETTER OF 13 MARCH 1953


13 March 1953

...this will be just a brief note to thank you for your loving message to
him of March 6th, which was received through the kindness of dear Ben
Levy.

He assures the Esslingen friends of his prayers in the holy Shrine, for
the abundant success of their teaching efforts, and particularly for the
anniversary of the visit of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to Esslingen.

The Guardian feels sure Ben will inspire you all with the account of his
pilgrimage, on his return.



LETTER OF 13 MAY 1953


13 May 1953

The Bahá’í Youth of Germany who were gathered in Titisee, January 1, for
Winterschool Session.

He urges each one of you, when the details covering the Ten Year Crusade
are released, to give this subject careful study, so that you may, during
the entire period of this World Crusade, serve the Cause efficiently and
devotedly in the place and in the manner in which you are best fitted to
do so.



LETTER OF 16 MARCH 1953(38)


16 March 1953

Mr. Ben Levy has safely delivered the Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá which you
forwarded to the Holy Land, and the Guardian has read them, and will place
them in the International Archives. It is indeed a miracle that you were
able to protect these precious things during the long and dangerous years
of the war, and the German Bahá’ís must be very grateful to you for doing
so. The Guardian was happy to hear that photographs have been made of them
and kept in Germany.

He also remembers your visit to Haifa; and your long and faithful services
to our beloved Cause are most deeply appreciated. He feels sure that you
and your family will continue to assist in spreading the Message in
Germany, and in consolidating the foundations of the Faith, and will pray
for the success of your efforts.



LETTER OF 16 MARCH 1953(39)


16 March 1953

The Guardian does not feel that now is the time for the Hands to give up
their normal sphere of activity, and prepare themselves to be free to
travel and teach all the time. In most cases, this would be quite
impossible financially, especially for people who, like yourself, have the
responsibility of families to look after. No doubt, as the Cause grows in
numbers, and has greater resources, it will be possible to assist the
Hands to carry out definite teaching missions; but for the present, we
must stretch our limited resources, and accomplish the most essential
tasks first. He was very pleased to hear that you will be present at the
Stockholm Conference.

The tasks of the Auxiliary Boards will be under the direction of the Hands
in their area, and in cooperation with the administrative bodies existing,
to strengthen the teaching work. They will not have administrative
functions, but will no doubt be able to help stimulate weak centers,
groups and assemblies through their visits.

A Covenant-breaker, as you know, is one who disobeys and turns away from
the Center of the Covenant. Until such time as they repent of this
sincerely, and express their willingness to work under the Center of the
Covenant, their status must be considered the same. However, such matters
should be discussed and decided upon within the National Spiritual
Assembly itself.



LETTER OF 19 APRIL 1953


19 April 1953

Regarding your question, on Page 40 of “Prayers and Meditations”, where it
says: “Methinks He”, this “He” refers to the Báb. The last paragraph on
Page 40 and the continuation of it on Page 41 right down to the end of the
quotation marks on Page 42, is all the Spirit of the Báb addressing
Bahá’u’lláh; therefore, the words: “Thou art, in very truth, the
Self-Subsisting” refers to Bahá’u’lláh, and is addressed by the Báb’s
Spirit to Him in the mystical sense of this prayer.

Regarding the words on Page 39 beginning with: “He it is, O my Lord,” up
to: “Thou didst weep continually”, these are addressed by Bahá’u’lláh to
the Báb.



LETTER OF 7 MAY 1953


7 May 1953

Bahá’ís of Esslingen.

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

Your loving letter of April 5th has been received by the beloved Guardian,
and he has asked me to acknowledge it on his behalf.

He is delighted to learn of the activity of the friends in Esslingen, and
of their unity and devotion.

The visit of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to Esslingen on April 4, 1913, was a historic
occasion, and the friends certainly are correct in holding a memorial
meeting each year.

Now that the Ten-Year World Crusade has been launched, the Guardian
sincerely hopes that all of the friends in Germany will treble their
efforts, and arise to accomplish the great goals which the German Bahá’ís
have set themselves to achieve.

You may be sure the Guardian will pray for you at the holy Shrines. He
sends his warm love to each and every one of you....

[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty bless, guide and sustain you, and aid you to promote the
vital interests of His Faith,

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 16 MAY 1953


16 May 1953

To the believers in Frankfurt.

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

The beloved Guardian greatly appreciated your Ridván Greetings, which were
sent on the post card showing the Hazíratu’l-Quds in Frankfurt.

This has been an especially wonderful Ridván, marking as it does the
ninetieth anniversary of the announcement of Bahá’u’lláh, and also the
launching of the great World Crusade in addition to the 100th anniversary
of the Intimation of Bahá’u’lláh’s Prophetic Mission—in the Síyáh-_Ch_ál.

The Guardian speaks frequently of the German Bahá’ís, and of the great
role they will have to play in the development of the Faith from now on.
He will pray that divine confirmations may reach you at all times, and
that your efforts will be guided and confirmed.



LETTER OF 1 NOVEMBER 1953(40)


1 November 1953

Dear Bahá’í Sister:

I am writing you this little note on behalf of our beloved Guardian to
reassure you, as he has heard from one of the friends that sometimes you
feel you have failed in your services to our glorious Faith.

He considers that you have no justification for ever having such dark
thoughts. You have served the Cause of God unstintingly, and with complete
loyalty and dedication year after year; and he feels confident that the
Master has reserved a rich reward for you in the next world.

Your loving devotion, and the harmony that you are able to produce amongst
the friends, is very essential for the work in such an important Center as
Frankfurt, which will soon, in addition to its being the administrative
center of the Faith in Germany, possess the first Bahá’í Temple in Europe.

The Guardian, therefore, urges you to continue your work there amongst the
friends with a cheerful and peaceful heart; and you may be sure he
remembers you in his prayers in the Holy Shrine.



LETTER OF 8 FEBRUARY 1954(41)


8 February 1954

The sudden passing of dear Dorothy Baker is indeed a great loss to the
Faith, and leaves a sad gap in the ranks of the Hands of the Cause. She
was exemplary in so many ways, and her services can ill be spared at this
important period in Bahá’í history.

No doubt there is a wisdom in such calamities; and through her death
others may feel moved to become more consecrated to the service of the
Faith. Surely such a soul’s influence will continue to be felt in this
world.

Your own constant and devoted labours for the promotion of the Cause of
God, as well as those of your dear family, are very deeply appreciated by
him, and you are often remembered in his prayers. He hopes that you are in
good health; and urges you, while serving the Cause, not to neglect
yourself. Old and experienced Bahá’ís, especially the Hands, are needed to
strengthen the foundations of the Faith; and for the sake of the Cause,
they must protect themselves.



LETTER OF 11 MAY 1954(42)


11 May 1954

As regards the question you asked in your letter about a concealed group
of masters in the Himalayas or anywhere else, there is no foundation
whatsoever for this in the Bahá’í Writings. We as Bahá’ís must not believe
in the divine origin of any such things which have not been mentioned in
our own Sacred Scriptures by either the Báb, Bahá’u’lláh or the Master.

There is nothing whatsoever to lead us to believe that there is any
foundation or truth in these mystical stories of beings that are “behind
the scenes” so to speak. We must avoid such thoughts and teachings, and
try to wean others away from them as we give them the Message....

He hopes that, now that a Board has been appointed by you and your
fellow-Hands in Europe, the teaching work in the goal countries as well as
in France and England will go forward much more rapidly; and also that the
pioneers opening up the many new territories and islands in the
Mediterranean and in the North Sea areas will likewise benefit greatly
from the assistance this Board can give them ever increasingly.



LETTER OF 2 JUNE 1954


2 June 1954

Bahá’í Group of Munich.

This is just a brief note to acknowledge, on behalf of the beloved
Guardian, your letter of greeting, dated May 9th.

He was very happy to learn that such a study group now exists, and he
hopes that each one of you will make a deep study of the Faith, so that
you will be well prepared to take it to other friends there. The Guardian
attaches the greatest importance to Munich, and he hopes others will be
enkindled and confirmed, so that, within a short time, a Spiritual
Assembly may be established in your city....

[From the Guardian:]

Assuring you of my loving prayers for the success of your efforts for the
promotion of our beloved Faith,

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 5 SEPTEMBER 1954(43)


5 September 1954

There can be no doubt that the opposition of the churches to the erection
of the Bahá’í Temple is a marked step forward in the progress of the Faith
in Germany. He hopes, however, that the situation will never reach a point
where the National Spiritual Assembly has to go to the Federal
Constitutional Court or to UNO. This would be unwise and doubtful as to
results. We are not yet ready for the publicity such a case would bring
us—not to mention the increase in opposition it would lead to, and which
would inevitably affect our work in the more backward countries where
pioneers are so devotedly labouring to establish the Faith.

He is praying that a solution will be forthcoming in the near future and
all complications avoided.

The German Bahá’ís must be very careful not to be involved in any way if
this Temple issue gets into the hands of politicians. Nothing could be
more dangerous for us!

He deeply appreciates the constant and devoted services you are rendering
the Cause of God, in which you are so whole-heartedly supported by your
dear family.

He sends you all his loving greetings, and prays for your health and the
success of your labours to promote and to protect the Faith....

[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty, Whose Cause you have served so long, and are still
serving with such devotion, distinction and courage, bless continually
your high endeavours, guide and sustain you in your deeply appreciated
labours, and enable you to enrich the record of your fine and
unforgettable accomplishments.

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 4 OCTOBER 1954


4 October 1954

Bahá’í Youth Summer School, Überlingen/Bodensee.

The beloved Guardian has received your note of August 28th, signed by all
those present at the Summer School.

He is happy to know that you have had such a happy and profitable time
together; and he hopes that now you will promise yourselves to spend these
days of your youth in the accomplishment of the goals set by the Guardian
for your various countries for this particular period of the great World
Crusade....

[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty bless, guide and sustain you, and enable you to promote
the vital interests of His Faith,

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 12 DECEMBER 1954


12 December 1954

The Bahá’ís of Vienna.

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

Your letter of November 26th was received by the beloved Guardian, and he
has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.

He is very happy to see the spirit of love and unity animating you,
because without this, no work can go forward in the Cause of God. Personal
differences of opinion, of character etc. must melt away in the love of
the friends for Bahá’u’lláh, and their desire to serve His Cause.

He hopes that in the near future the Vienna Community will have its
Hazíratu’l-Quds, to which he attaches the greatest importance, as it will
be the visible sign of the firm foundation on which that Community stands.

He will pray for you all, and for the rapid spread of the Faith through
your efforts....

[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty bless your meritorious efforts, reward you abundantly for
your valued and constant services, and enable you to achieve great and
memorable victories in the days to come,

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 30 SEPTEMBER 1955(44)


30 September 1955

He assures you he very deeply appreciates the loving attention and care
you have been giving to Valíyu’lláh Varqá and his family.

This precious Hand of the Cause of God was always an honoured and favored
servant of the Faith during the days of the Master, and very close to His
heart; and has always been a completely trusted and truly dedicated helper
of the Guardian, who loves him very deeply.

To know of his present condition does grieve the heart, and distresses and
saddens the Guardian greatly. He feels confident, though, that this
distinguished soul, who is so dear to the hearts in so many lands, in
being where he is, is now surrounded with infinite love and tenderness;
and for this he is most grateful....

[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty richly reward you for the deeply appreciated and highly
meritorious assistance you extend to our dearly beloved and distinguished
brother and co-worker, Valíyu’lláh Varqá, and enable you to extend
continually the range of your splendid accomplishments in the service of
our glorious Faith,

Your true brother,
Shoghi



FACSIMILE OF A LETTER FOUND ON PAGE 118


[facsimile of a letter found on page 118]



LETTER OF 13 JANUARY 1956


13 January 1956

To the Bahá’í Youth who were present at the Titisee Winter School.

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

The beloved Guardian was happy to receive your note of greeting from the
School, dated December 26th.

He urges each one of you to exert your utmost effort in the teaching
field, and do all in your power to establish many new Centers throughout
Germany.

[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty bless your constant endeavours, remove all obstacles from
your path, and enable you to extend continually the scope of your valued
activities,

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 26 MARCH 1956(45)


26 March 1956

Many of the problems which you see facing the German Community are akin to
other Bahá’í Communities. There is a desperate need for deepening the
Bahá’ís themselves in their own faith. They do not study the Teachings
enough. They do not therefore either act as whole-heartedly as Bahá’ís as
they should, or derive the spiritual strength from the Faith which
studying, praying and meditating brings.

The answer of course to many of these problems is that we need more
Bahá’ís to share in the work, more money to finance traveling teachers,
more understanding between the youth and older people, and a wiser
distribution of the work of the Faith amongst those able to carry it on,
whether young or old.

As regards the question you have asked about your own obligations, he
feels you should not resign from the National Assembly, as your presence
on that Body is of great help in the work. On the other hand, he approves
of your requesting that they do not give you so much work as a member of
the National Assembly, and as a member of national committees, thus
freeing you more for the teaching work as a “Hand”, and also enabling you
to take better care of your health, which is a precious asset to the
Faith.



LETTER OF 3 MAY 1956(46)


3 May 1956

He is glad to see that the work is progressing well in Innsbruck; and
feels sure that, with your enthusiasm and that of the other dear friends,
it will not be long before a flourishing Bahá’í Community exists there....

As you no doubt know, he has not been satisfied with the Temple drawings
received from Germany, and is now in touch with the National Assembly
regarding possible modifications of some recently sent him.

He considers that the prestige of our beloved Faith is directly involved
with this building; and that what may to an architect, fond of an advanced
style, seem appropriate, would not be sufficiently dignified to represent
our Faith as the first Temple on the European continent. The problem will
no doubt soon be solved. It merely requires patience and more effort.



LETTER OF 26 AUGUST 1956(47)


26 August 1956

He is well satisfied and pleased with the progress of the work there. It
shows a healthy condition, and that you are being aided by Bahá’u’lláh in
your efforts to establish the Cause in that new area.

He values very deeply your pioneering services, through which you are
carrying on a long history in your family of single-hearted devotion to
the Faith. It is indeed good that your dear brother Dr. Grossmann can give
you such invaluable teaching assistance.

The Guardian hopes those who are now interested in and drawn toward the
Cause will earnestly study the Teachings until they feel impelled to join
the ranks of the Bahá’ís. He also hopes that others may soon follow their
example, so that within a short time a Spiritual Assembly may be
established in Westerland-Sylt.

His prayers will constantly surround you as you lovingly labour for the
attainment of this important goal....

[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty, whose Cause you have served, and are serving, so
devotedly, so determinedly and courageously, reward you a thousandfold for
your historic services and enable you to win still greater victories in
the days to come,

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 16 SEPTEMBER 1956(48)


16 September 1956

He is very sorry to hear you may have to leave Graz, where you are laying
a good foundation for the work; even though our dear Bahá’í sister, Mrs.
Johnson Norvell is there now, which the Guardian was happy to hear.

If it is not possible for you to remain in Graz, you should try to follow
your plan of working in Vienna, and going down to help Mrs. Norvell on
week-ends.

The Guardian feels you should inquire whether the German National
Spiritual Assembly cannot help you to remain in Graz, as he considers this
city of great importance....

[From the Guardian:]

Assuring you of my loving and fervent prayers for the success of your
historic services, and of my admiration for the spirit that animates you
in the promotion of our beloved Faith,

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 28 SEPTEMBER 1956(49)


28 September 1956

He was sorry indeed to hear of the conditions there, and will ardently
pray for the greater dedication of the members of the German Community, so
that they may realize the pressing needs of the Faith, and arise
determinedly to meet them.

He assures you he deeply appreciates your constant services, and the
devoted labours of your dear and honoured brother.



LETTER OF 15 NOVEMBER 1956(50)


15 November 1956

As regards the translation of the Íqán, as this is a very important and
fundamental book, the Guardian hopes that it will be published as soon as
possible.

The basis of your translation should be his English translation of it and
not the Persian original. He feels that you should adhere as closely as
possible to the English text without making your translation so literal as
to be un-German and unidiomatic, and therefore not very readable to
German-speaking people.

As regards Dr. Schück’s book, which the Guardian is very pleased to hear
he has written, as we need always more literature to attract new people to
the Faith through different approaches: Any Bahá’í book presenting the
Faith should be reviewed by a competent body. This only means that they
should ascertain whether there is any misrepresentation of the Teachings
in it. Sometimes the friends think they have to go into literary reviews
and interfere with the author’s style etc., which of course is wholly
unnecessary. It should therefore not take long for your National Body or
the Italo-Swiss National Assembly to pass upon the book.



LETTER OF 17 NOVEMBER 1956


17 November 1956

The Bahá’í Group of Salzburg

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

Your letter of November 12th has been received by the beloved Guardian,
and he has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.

He deeply appreciates the sentiments you expressed and also the loving
labours you are performing in the teaching field in Salzburg.

He was happy to note that your letter had seven signatures, and hopes that
by Ridván you will be able to form an Assembly there, which will be a
great step forward in the progress of the Faith in Austria.

You may be sure he will pray for you all at the holy Shrines....

[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty bless your high endeavours, guide every step you take,
and fulfil every desire you cherish, for the promotion and consolidation
of His glorious Faith,

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 30 NOVEMBER 1956(51)


30 November 1956

He appreciates very deeply the sentiments you expressed to him on the
occasion of the thirty-fifth anniversary of his Guardianship. The love of
the friends and the services they render the Faith have in a great part
sustained him in his arduous and exhausting work; and he feels that the
Hands of the Cause will be called upon ever-increasingly to display a
loyalty and devotion which will stimulate the rank and file of the friends
to arise and fulfil their tasks, in spite of every obstacle....

[From the Guardian:]

May the Beloved reward you a thousandfold for your outstanding and
unforgettable services, during so many years, to our beloved Faith, fulfil
every desire you cherish, and bless every effort you exert, in the days to
come, for the spread and consolidation of His glorious Faith, and enable
you to enrich the distinguished record of your highly meritorious
accomplishments,

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 6 DECEMBER 1956(52)


6 December 1956

He very deeply appreciates the loving sentiments you expressed to him on
the occasion of the thirty-fifth anniversary of his Guardianship. The
devotion of the Bahá’ís, and the fidelity they have shown to the Master’s
wishes, and the love they have showered upon him, have enabled the
Guardian to carry out the work he has accomplished.

He hopes that the older German Bahá’ís like yourself will do all you can
to deepen the younger generation in the verities of the Faith, and create
in them the same flame of devotion which has animated you all over so long
a period....

[From the Guardian:]

Assuring you of my deep and abiding appreciation of the sentiments you
have expressed, as well as of your highly meritorious services to the
Cause of God—services which have greatly sustained and encouraged me
amidst my strenuous labours in His service,

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 6 DECEMBER 1956(53)


6 December 1956

He deeply appreciates the loving sentiments you expressed to him on the
occasion of the thirty-fifth anniversary of his Guardianship. The devotion
the friends have shown to the Cause of God and the love they have showered
upon him have enabled him to carry on his heavy burdens.

He hopes that your persistent and devoted labours there will soon bear the
reward of a Spiritual Assembly, and assures you that his prayers are
offered for your success.



LETTER OF 15 DECEMBER 1956


15 December 1956

He also hopes that you will persuade this friend to withdraw from the
church if he has not already done so. The line of demarcation must be more
and more distinct at this critical point in the fortunes of humanity, and
the Bahá’ís must courageously stand forth, upholding the laws of
Bahá’u’lláh and supporting the Administrative Order openly.



LETTER OF 2 FEBRUARY 1957


2 February 1957

The Bahá’í Group of Salzburg

He is happy, to hear that the Bahá’í friends from Budapest are safely
installed in the United States, and that they are going to make an effort
to settle in a way that will serve the work on the Home Front.

It was too bad that you lost some of the members of your much-prized
Community there, just when you are trying to build up a Spiritual
Assembly, but the Guardian hopes you will soon replace them with new
believers recruited from the local population, in other words, permanent
ones!

He attaches great importance to the creation of an Assembly in Salzburg
and will pray that you may be successful in the teaching work there....

[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty bless, abundantly and continually, your high endeavours,
guide every step you take, and enable you to lay a firm foundation for our
beloved Faith in that city,

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 17 MARCH 1957(54)


17 March 1957

He fully appreciates that you are not strong enough to act as National
Secretary and at the same time fulfil your functions as a member of the
Auxiliary Board, and he therefore approves of your asking the National
Assembly, if you are reelected on it this year, to not make you the
Secretary. He does not think however that you should resign from the
National Assembly if you are elected to it.



LETTER OF 25 MARCH 1957(55)


25 March 1957

Regarding the matters raised in your letter, as he wrote you before, he
does not feel in this stage in the development of the Faith and the
Institution of the Hands, that the Hands should request to not be elected
on National Bodies, or resign from them. However, there is no reason why
they cannot ask their fellow-members, if they are elected, to leave them
free of the heavier administrative offices, so that they can do more in
their function as Hands. There is no reason why there should not be a
frank discussion of these problems before the National Assembly itself
votes for its Officers.

The National Assembly is not obliged to follow the wish of the Hands.(56)
It is also not the Body empowered to tell the Hands what to do; they can
make suggestions to them.

As regards your highly meritorious desire to pioneer behind the Iron
Curtain, he does not feel that this would be advisable or in the best
interests of the Faith. You should continue your work where you are in
Germany, and do all you can, as a Hand and as a member of the National
Body, to see that some pioneers undertake this important service.



LETTER OF 28 MARCH 1957


28 March 1957

As regards the question you have asked: The Bahá’í marriage should take
place the same day.

It is not necessary that this should be an occasion for a feast or
publicity, although that would of course be good if it could be combined
with obedience to the Laws. The most important thing is that they should
have the Bahá’í ceremony, which, as you know, is extremely simple, on the
same day as the other ceremony.



LETTER OF 28 APRIL 1957


28 April 1957

The passing of dear George Townshend has been a real loss to the work in
Europe—but what Europe has lost Asia in the Pacific has gained!



LETTER OF 14 MAY 1957(57)


14 May 1957

He would certainly not advise you to move outside of Germany, in view of
the tremendous needs in that country. However, he approves, if you find it
financially possible, of your moving to Dortmund where as you say there
are no Bahá’ís, and which is one of Germany’s major cities. This would
indeed be rendering the Faith a valuable service at this time in setting
an example to others. Either Dortmund or Berlin would be highly
acceptable, whichever would be easiest for you.



LETTER OF 28 MAY 1957


28 May 1957

To the Youth who were present in Aachen on May 19, 1957.

He was very happy to see that so many of the Bahá’í Youth had gathered
together to study the Teachings, and hopes such meetings will be held
often throughout Germany.

The believers, especially the young ones, should always remember that the
first thing the non-Bahá’ís are going to notice in us is our character;
therefore, the highest standard of moral conduct and courtesy should be
shown forth by the youth, in order to attract the hearts of other people,
and, through arousing their admiration, create in them a desire to know
more about our beloved Faith, and eventually to arise to serve it.

He will pray for you all, that you may be successful in your labours, to
give the Glad Tidings of Bahá’u’lláh to the young people....

[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty bless your efforts, guide and sustain you, and aid you to
win great victories in the service of His Faith,

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 31 MAY 1957


31 May 1957

To the Bahá’ís of Salzburg

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

Your letter of May 16th was received, and the beloved Guardian wishes to
assure you of how happy he is over the formation of the Salzburg Assembly,
and to see that you not only have nine Bahá’ís but ten Bahá’ís!

He hopes that during the coming months, you will each attract many new
souls, enlarge your Community and confirm especially Austrians who will
remain there, and free the pioneers for further services in new fields.

You may be sure he will remember you in the holy Shrines....

[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty bless your valued endeavours, guide and sustain you in
your historic services to His Faith, and enable you to promote its vital
interests,

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 4 JUNE 1957


4 June 1957

Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Graz.

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

The beloved Guardian received your letter of May 31, and he is very happy
to have this opportunity of congratulating your Spiritual Assembly upon
its formation.

He was also delighted to hear there are so many Bahá’ís in Graz. Perhaps
you can spare a pioneer, if you find your Assembly will be assured next
April, to one of the weaker places in Austria, and thus help build up yet
another administrative centre.

You may be sure he will pray for you all, and he urges you to labor
together in the greatest love and unity for the promotion of the Faith....

[From the Guardian:]

May the Beloved guide your steps, remove all obstacles from your path,
bless every effort you exert, and fulfil every desire you cherish, for the
promotion of His Faith, and the consolidation of the newly established
Assembly,

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 4 JUNE 1957(58)


4 June 1957

He greatly appreciates the services you have been able to render the Faith
in Austria, and feels that you have every reason to be satisfied, now that
you see that a Spiritual Assembly was established in Graz. The fact that
the friends there did not cable him makes no difference at all. Not all of
the new Assemblies cable.

You will be able, he hopes, on your return to Germany, to assist in the
formation of a new Spiritual Assembly there, through taking up your
residence where there is a Group. In this way you will be strengthening
the Home Front, which is also a very important phase of our Bahá’í
activities. If you must go back to Stuttgart, he hopes you can still live
in its neighbourhood and be instrumental in forming another Assembly,
rather than to be just one more Bahá’í in an already crowded Community. As
you perhaps already know, he has urged the large communities to send out
pioneers. Indeed, if only fifteen Bahá’ís remained in each city, willing
to serve, it would be quite sufficient to maintain the Spiritual Assembly.
The sooner the rest would arise to pioneer, the better it would be for
them and for the Faith.



LETTER OF 22 JULY 1957


22 July 1957

He was indeed happy to hear that the teaching work in Frankfurt is going
forward so rapidly, and that such fine people are becoming deeply
interested. He hopes, through these meetings, many new souls will become
Bahá’ís, who will be active supporters of the Faith there.



LETTER OF 7 AUGUST 1957


7 August 1957

Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Graz

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

The beloved Guardian has received your letter of July 3rd with its
enclosure, and has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.

He was very sorry to hear of the death of Mehrangiz Mashoodi. Her devotion
to the Faith will no doubt be rewarded in the Abhá Kingdom.

He appreciates your sending him the fine newspaper article about her.

Please assure her mother of his prayers for her and her daughter’s soul.
He hopes other Persian Bahá’í Youth will follow her noble example.

The Guardian has wanted for some time to see a Spiritual Assembly
established in Graz, and therefore he was made very happy this year over
its formation....

[From the Guardian:]

May the Beloved bless your meritorious efforts, guide every step you take,
and fulfil every desire you cherish, for the spread and consolidation of
His glorious Faith.

Your true brother,
Shoghi



LETTER OF 24 OCTOBER 1957(59)


24 October 1957

Your efforts to promote peace and love among the friends are indeed deeply
appreciated by him.

The National Spiritual Assembly must protect the Faith, but must always be
fair. Because a person is accused does not necessarily prove that he or
she is guilty; and the administrative bodies cannot be too careful in such
matters.

The Guardian hopes ... will obey the National Spiritual Assembly, and that
ways will be found for him to serve the Cause, as his devotion to it is
sincere, and the deep desire of his heart is to labour for the Cause....

[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty bless your incessant and highly meritorious labours,
guide and sustain you in your manifold activities, and enable you to
enrich the record of your unforgettable achievements,

Your true brother,
Shoghi



FOOTNOTES


    1 to Professor Auguste Forel

    2 letter written in German language

    3 in Karlsruhe

    4 to the Bahá’ís of Esslingen

    5 to Mrs. Marta Brauns-Forel

    6 to Mrs. Diestelhorst

    7 The Bahá’ís of Geislingen and Gôppingen

    8 to the Bahá’ís of Gôppingen

    9 to the Bahá’ís of Gôppingen

   10 to Mrs. Diestelhorst

   11 to the Bahá’ís of Esslingen

   12 to the Bahá’ís of Esslingen

   13 to Mrs. Walcker, Rostock

   14 to the Bahá’ís of Esslingen

   15 to Dr. Adelbert Mühlschlegel

   16 letter written in German language

   17 to Mrs. Anna Grossmann

   18 addressed to Dr. Hermann Grossmann, family and Bahá’í friends

   19 addressed to Miss Edith Horn, Dr. Hermann Grossmann, Mr. Bruce
      Davison

   20 to Dr. Hermann Grossmann

   21 to Miss Elsa Grossmann

   22 to Mrs. Anna Grossmann

   23 to Dr. Adelbert Mühlschlegel

   24 to Mrs. Anna Grossmann

   25 in Frankfurt

   26 in Wärnemunde

   27 in Esslingen

   28 to Mrs. Anna Grossmann

   29 to Mr. and Mrs. Lorey

   30 to Miss Elsa Grossmann

   31 to Dr. Karl Schück

   32 to Dr. Hermann Grossmann

   33 to Mrs. Anna Grossmann

   34 to Dr. Adelbert Mühlschlegel

   35 to Mrs Anna Grossmann

   36 to Dr. Hermann Grossmann

   37 to Miss Elsa Grossmann

   38 to Mr Paul Gollmer

   39 to Dr. Adelbert Mühlschlegel

   40 to Miss Edith Horn

   41 to Dr. Hermann Grossmann

   42 to Dr. Adelbert Mühlschlegel

   43 to Dr. Hermann Grossmann

   44 to Dr. Adelbert Mühlschlegel

   45 to Dr. Adelbert Mühlschlegel

   46 to Mrs Johanna von Werthern

   47 to Miss Elsa Maria Grossmann

   48 to Mr. Robert Schultheiss

   49 to Miss Elsa Maria Grossmann

   50 to Dr. Adelbert Mühlschlegel

   51 to Dr. Hermann Grossmann

   52 to Dr. Adelbert Mühlschlegel

   53 to Miss Elsa M. Grossmann

   54 to Mrs. Anna Grossmann

   55 to Dr. Adelbert Mühlschlegel

   56 the Hands, however, can make suggestions to the N.S.A.

   57 to Dr. Adelbert Mühlschlegel

   58 to Mr L. Robert Schultheiss

   59 to Dr. Hermann Grossmann





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