Arohanui: Letters from Shoghi Effendi to New Zealand Part 9

_Your true brother, _ _ Shoghi_

(33) May 17th, 1938

Dear Baha'i Sister,

The Guardian is in receipt of your letter of the 19th ins., and is indeed pleased to know that your visit to Cairo has been so happy and successful, and that the friends have extended to you such a warm hospitality all through your stay.[+E9]

He hopes this letter will find you well, and enjoying your visit to your relatives and fellow-believers in England.

With loving remembrances, and renewed thanks for your message,

Yours in His Service, H. Rabbani

[From the Guardian:]

_May the Beloved fulfil your heart's desire in the service of His Faith, and enable you to promote effectively the interests of its new-born inst.i.tutions._

_Your true brother, _ _ Shoghi_

(34) December 20th, 1938

Dear Baha'i Sister,

Your very cordial message of the 17th November addressed to our beloved Guardian has duly reached him, and he has noted with keen appreciation indeed the desire you had expressed of visiting the Holy Shrines on your way back to New-Zealand.

As you must have surely read in the newspapers, however, the general situation in Palestine is at present so gravely disturbed as to make it quite impossible for you to undertake this trip in the next few months, and in view of this the Guardian would advise that you postpone your visit until the November of next year, by which time, it is hoped, the situation throughout the country will have sufficiently improved to permit you to undertake this long-cherished pilgrimage. The Guardian, needless to say, would be also most delighted to meet you, and to hear from you directly of the news of the Cause in New-Zealand, and to discuss certain matters which the N.S.A.(7) has asked you to present to him for his instructions.

Regarding your question whether there is any special ceremony which the believers should perform when they wish to "name" a baby; the Teachings do not provide for any ceremony whatever on such occasions. We have no "baptismal service" in the Cause, such as the Christians have. There would be no objection, however, for the friends to come together on such happy occasions, provided they do not hold an official public ceremony, and provided also they strictly avoid uniformity and rigidity in all such practices. No rule whatsoever that would tend to be rigid and uniform should be allowed in such secondary matters, particularly as there are no specific instructions in the Teachings regarding them.

With the warmest good wishes of the Guardian to you and to the friends, and a.s.suring you again of his hearty welcome to visit the Holy Shrines during next autumn, and with greetings,

Yours in His Service, H. Rabbani

[From the Guardian:]

_Dear and valued co-worker:_

_I shall indeed grieve if the situation in Palestine should prevent our meeting and prevent your pilgrimage to the Holy Shrines. I pray that this may not be the case. I am so eager to meet you, and express in person my deep and abiding sense of appreciation of the splendid and historic services you have rendered. I will continue to pray for you from the depths of my heart._

_Your true and grateful brother, _ _ Shoghi_

(35) March 20th, 1939

Dear Baha'i Sister,

I am directed by our beloved Guardian to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated February 25th, informing him of the date of your departure from England, and your inability to defer your visit to Haifa till next November. He regrets indeed that you should find it impossible to extend your stay in Europe and come to Palestine in autumn, as the situation here is now so tense and dangerous that there seems very little hope of any real amelioration in security conditions to take place by next May.

General conditions throughout the country are, at present, even worse than a month ago, and the tension is daily increasing.

In case, however, security is reestablished by the time you reach Port-Said, you would be welcome to visit the Shrines, but the Guardian would be still away.

Wishing you again a successful and happy return home, and with the renewed a.s.surance of the Guardian's prayers for your welfare, protection and guidance,

Yours most sincerely, H. Rabbani

[From the Guardian:]

_Dear and valued co-worker:_

_I deeply regret that the situation in Palestine has not yet improved as I realize how eager you are to visit the Holy Shrines. If however when you reach Port-Said it will at all be possible for you to visit the Shrine, you will be most welcome, I a.s.sure you. May the Almighty fulfil the dearest hope of your heart,_

_Your true brother, _ _ Shoghi_

(36) August 3rd, 1941

Dear Baha'i Sister:

Shoghi Effendi has instructed me to answer your letter to him of May 10th, which just came.

He was, as already expressed in the cable he sent you, greatly impressed by the statement in the Quarterly on the true Baha'i att.i.tude at the present time. It displayed a correctness of viewpoint, a courage, and a loyalty to Baha'u'llah which has led him to disseminate it far and wide: in the American News Letter, in the two Haifa News Letters, English and Persian, etc. It was indeed a timely and most n.o.ble contribution to the Faith.

The friends in both Australia and New Zealand seem to have developed a most outstanding soundness in their relation to the teachings. This leads Shoghi Effendi to believe that they will make great contributions to the unfoldment of the world-wide aspects of the Faith.

His prayers are always with you, and he most deeply appreciates the splendid services you are rendering the Cause, and will pray that the way will open for you to do even greater work and in an ever widening field.

Please a.s.sure all the dear friends of Auckland of his loving remembrance and his prayers for their work.

With Baha'i love, R. Rabbani

[From the Guardian:]

_Dear and valued co-worker:_