Letters from the Guardian to Australia and New Zealand Part 11

Haifa, March 19th, 1943.

Dear Baha'i Sister:

Your letters, written on behalf of the National Spiritual a.s.sembly, and dated April 21st, 1942 and Nov. 18th, 1942, reached the Guardian, together with their enclosures, and he has instructed me to answer them on his behalf.

He regrets the delay in replying to them, but he has been, and still is, engaged on a work which requires a tremendous amount of his time, and his correspondence has, of necessity, suffered from it.

The Guardian would prefer sending all cables and moneys etc., to you direct, but the war regulations, as enforced in this country, prohibit the use of a postal address in cables or telegrams, and as he does not have your street address, he has had to do it this way. Please forward your own address, or the one you care to have used, and it will simplify matters in the future.

He is delighted to hear that the friends will be able to hold a Convention in April, and he hopes that, through its deliberations, and the meetings of the N.S.A. members, far reaching teaching plans will be set afoot and the Cause in New Zealand and Australia obtain a new impetus. You already have the nuclei of a number of Spiritual a.s.semblies in places where there are a group of believers, and he hopes that through following the methods, so successful in such countries as India and the United States, of having both travelling teachers and pioneers or settlers go out you will have a number of new Spiritual a.s.semblies by 1944.

He was very pleased to see the increased interest among the friends in their various Baha'i Summer and Winter Schools, and hopes that these will increasingly attract students of the Faith, anxious to deepen their knowledge of its wonderful teachings.

The Australian and New Zealand friends, now feeling the full weight of the war, its dangers and sorrows, are very often in his prayers. He feels confident that they will emerge from these dark years stronger in spirit, more united and consecrated than ever before. They have a great and precious mission before them of rearing, albeit in miniature the pattern of a New World Order, divine in origin, in the midst of their countrymen, who someday are sure to turn to that pattern as the solution to their problems and the harbinger of their happiness.

He a.s.sures you and all the members of the N.S.A. of his continued, loving prayers, that you may be guided and aided in all your services to our beloved Faith.

With Baha'i love, R. Rabbani.

P.S. The Guardian replied to Mr. Heggie's letter, and he is very pleased to hear of the fine work he is doing. He is also pleased to hear that the work will now go on in connection with Father Dunn's Memorial.

[From the Guardian:]

Dear and valued co-workers:

The constancy, the zeal, the unity and devotion which characterize the activities of the dearly-beloved community of Australia and New Zealand Baha'is evoke my heartfelt admiration, and demonstrate the power of Baha'u'llah and His unfailing guidance. I will pray for them all, will supplicate for them His richest blessings, and feel confident that if they persevere in their n.o.ble task their mission will be crowned with glorious success.

Your true and grateful brother, Shoghi.

LETTER OF MARCH 14TH, 1944

Haifa, March 14th, 1944

Dear Baha'i Sister:

Your letters dated June 8th, Sep. 12th, Nov. 12th, Jan. 10th and 17th, 1944, together with their enclosures, have all been received, and the Guardian has instructed me to answer them on his behalf. He has also received the envelope of photographs you sent of N.S.A. Members, Father Dunn's grave and other pictures of Baha'i friends, for which he thanks you.

He also wishes to thank you for your ma.n.u.script for the Baha'i World which was also received safely.

In regard to the recently purchased National Headquaters in Sydney: He was delighted that you were able to take possession of a house suitable to the present requirements of the Faith, and he trusts that by the time this reaches you all the legal steps will have been completed and the building registered in the name of the National Spiritual a.s.sembly. It should be called by its proper t.i.tle of "Haziratu'l-Quds".

The ideal to be followed, of course, is for the Secretariat, the office of the treasurer, etc., to be in the National Headquarters. However, this can be brought about gradually, and he leaves decisions in this matter to the N.S.A.

He trusts that the combined Centenary Celebrations and annual Convention will not only draw a large group of believers to Sydney to meet in their new Haziratu'l-Quds, but will also be a means of attracting the attention of the public to the Faith on a wider scale than ever before. The Australian and New Zealand friends are standing not only on the threshold of the second Baha'i Century but also on the threshold of a new phase of the Cause in that part of the world. Their responsibilities are therefore greatly increased, and he believes they will meet them unitedly, with clear vision, and their characteristic devotion to our beloved Faith.

He a.s.sures you and the other members of the N.S.A. of his loving prayers for the success of your labours and the fulfilment of your dearest hopes.

With Baha'i love, R. Rabbani.

P.S. He found the newspaper clippings you forwarded of great interest, and is pleased to see that the press is being so friendly and helpful. He has already through a cable stated that the convention should be held in conjunction with the Centenary Celebrations which embrace the 23rd of May.

The Commemoration gathering should be held on the 22nd of May exactly at two hours and eleven minutes after sunset, which is the time at which the Bab declared His Mission.

[From the Guardian:]

Dear and valued co-workers:

The activities of the beloved friends in Australia and New Zealand during recent troubles have been truly remarkable. Now that the Haziratu'l-Quds is to be established in Sydney I trust and pray that this central administrative headquarters in the oldest and leading Baha'i centre in that far-off continent will act as a powerful magnet and attract the manifold blessings of the Almighty and lend a tremendous impetus to the organized activities of the believers in Australia and New Zealand. I will continue to pray for them from the depths of my heart.

Your true and grateful brother, Shoghi.

LETTER OF OCT. 17TH, 1944

Haifa, Oct. 17th, 1944.

Dear Baha'i Sister:

The Guardian has instructed me to acknowledge your letter dated June 27th and also two previous ones from the former secretary of the N.S.A. dated Feb. 6th and Aug. 27th, and to answer them on his behalf.

He deeply appreciates all the work done by dear Miss Brooks in the past as Secretary of the National a.s.sembly, and hopes that now that she is relieved of this arduous post she will devote much of her time to teaching and writing for the Faith.

The sacrifice you and your husband are making by moving to Sydney in order to attend to the work of the N.S.A. is truly praiseworthy, and he hopes the way will open for you to do so at an early date.

In connection with the incorporation of the N.S.A.: the Guardian feels that whatever form the incorporation takes the name and seal of the Nat.

a.s.sembly must not be changed in any way, i.e. the t.i.tle "National Spiritual a.s.sembly of the Baha'is of Australia and New Zealand" should be preserved.

The various enclosures you forwarded in your letter were all received safely by him.

He hopes that now that the National Headquarters has been established and you are going to take up residence there as Secretary-thus giving a new permanence and prestige to the functions of the N.S.A.-the work of the Faith will go ahead by leaps and bounds. The many groups now functioning should be aided and strengthened with a view to forming new Spiritual a.s.semblies as soon as possible, and the Cause should be given publicity as much as possible, through the Press, Radio and public meetings.

You may be sure his most loving prayers will be offered for the success of your labours as N.S.A. secretary, and for your health and guidance. Also for the confirmation of your dear husband in the Faith.

With Baha'i love, R. Rabbani.

[From the Guardian:]

Dear and valued co-workers:

The work accomplished by the Australian and New Zealand believers in recent years, in both the teaching and administrative spheres of Baha'i activity, culminating in the splendid celebrations at the newly established national headquarters in the capital city of the Australian Commonwealth, is highly praiseworthy and augurs well for the future. The opening years of the new century must witness a stupendous effort on the part of the newly established community in the teaching field-an effort at once nation-wide, systematic, strenuous and persistent. The multiplication of Baha'i centres in towns and villages, a greater measure of publicity, a higher degree of unity and consecration to the Faith, a fuller measure of self-sacrifice should distinguish the labours of the members of this community. I will pray from the depths of my heart for the removal of every obstacle from your path and the speedy realization of every hope you cherish for the promotion of His Faith and the consolidation of its inst.i.tutions.