Messages To Canada Part 6

Letter of May 6, 1954

Haifa, Israel, May 6, 1954.

The beloved Guardian has been very happy indeed over the results of the teaching work in the virgin areas, in the first year of the Ten Year Crusade. He is very hopeful that all of the virgin areas outside of the Iron Curtain countries will soon be settled. He urges that your a.s.semblies keep after this very important matter, so that the settlements can be accomplished at the earliest possible date.

NO PIONEER SHOULD LEAVE HIS POST

The Guardian feels that you should write to all of the pioneers, informing them that he attaches the utmost importance to the services which they are rendering; in fact, he feels there is no service in the entire Baha'i World as important as their pioneering work in the virgin areas. They have achieved a great station of service. They are the representatives of the Faith in these virgin areas. They have the inestimable privilege of bringing the light of Baha'u'llah to those hitherto deprived of Divine Guidance for this day. The Guardian has repeatedly pointed out that they can and should become the spiritual conquerors of these new lands.

No pioneer should leave his post unless there is some very urgent reason and then only after consultation with the appropriate committee or National a.s.sembly. If it is found someone must leave their post because of very urgent matters, then the National a.s.sembly should arrange to replace the pioneer before the pioneer leaves. The Guardian urges that you pay the very closest attention possible to this important matter, so that the development of the Faith in these virgin areas may move along in an orderly manner, and produce great results.

As the Guardian cabled the entire Baha'i World at the time of the Conventions, he hopes that the dynamic spirit which was generated during the first year of the Plan will be augmented during the second year of the Plan, and all the Baha'is arise everywhere with renewed effort in order to spread the Glad-Tidings. This year must mark a very substantial increase in the number of Baha'is throughout the world-on the home fronts, in the consolidation areas, and in the virgin areas. Particular attention should be paid to the home fronts and the consolidation areas. As the Guardian indicates, he is expecting "an upsurge of activity which, in its range and intensity, will excel the exploits which have so greatly enlarged the limits, and noised abroad the fame, of the Cause of G.o.d."

CENTRE ATTENTION ON OBLIGATIONS OF CRUSADE

The Guardian urges that all the Baha'is centre their complete attention on the obligations of the Ten Year Crusade. He feels that no new activities should be undertaken of any type, whether of a local or a national nature.

The friends must concentrate on the goals of the Ten Year Crusade, which are princ.i.p.ally national and universal. For instance, no local Haziras should be considered during the Ten Year Crusade, no projects on a national scale should be considered which do not definitely relate themselves to the prosecution of the Ten Year Crusade. Funds should not be used for any purpose except the objects of the Ten Year Crusade.

We are embarked upon the greatest spiritual drama the world has ever witnessed; and it is going to require the sacrifice of every individual, every community and every a.s.sembly, whether local or national, in order to reach the goals. The Guardian feels they can be reached if we will concentrate, and not allow our attention to be diverted for a moment for any purpose whatsoever.

The Guardian sends you his loving greetings.

Faithfully yours, LEROY IOAS, a.s.sistant Secretary.

Letter of June 15, 1954

Haifa, Israel, June 15, 1954.

National Spiritual a.s.sembly of the Baha'is of Canada.

The letters of your a.s.sembly ... with enclosures, have all been safely received, and the beloved Guardian has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.

Although a number of the matters raised in your various letters have been attended to by cable, he is sorry that he has not been able to answer the letters of your a.s.sembly sooner. It is becoming increasingly difficult for him to get around to National a.s.sembly letters at all.

During the past year, the Canadian Baha'i Community has gone through a great many experiences of both a sad nature and a pleasant one.

HAND OF THE CAUSE SIEGFRIED SCHOPFLOCHER

The loss of the dear Hand of the Cause, Freddie Schopflocher(30), is going to be much felt. He was so intensely loyal, so vigilant in watching over the interests of the Faith, so steadfast and tenacious in serving it, that he will be much missed in the national work. For over thirty years, he promoted, not only the interests of the Faith, but those of the Canadian Baha'i Community, and rendered on a national and an international scale, through contributions and many teaching trips, valuable services to the Cause of G.o.d.

The Guardian was very happy that dear Fred could be buried so close to Sutherland Maxwell(31). Montreal has indeed been blessed in more ways than one; and, as the Mother Community of Canada, should become increasingly active and united, and live up to the high expectations the Master cherished for her future, and prove herself worthy of the many blessings she has already received.

Another thing which your community has had to pa.s.s through this year-both a blessing and a calamity-is the departure of so many active members(32) of your National Body for the pioneer fields abroad. It should be a source of great pride that one-third of the membership of your Body set sail for such distant goals, and will render services during the Ten Year Crusade, of such a nature, he feels sure, as to bestow honour upon the entire Canadian Community.

He likewise feels that you have every reason to be satisfied over the progress which has been made during the first year of the Plan in settling the goals entrusted to your care. It is very unfortunate that Anticosti should prove such a hard nut to crack. He appreciates very much the determined efforts which your Body, and particularly Mr. Rakovsky(33), made to get a pioneer into it before last Ridvan. No doubt eventually your efforts will be crowned with success; but you will have to be very tactful and careful in order not to arouse a permanently resistant att.i.tude on the part of the Company that owns the Island.

JURISDICTION OF NATIONAL a.s.sEMBLY

In regard to the question you asked about jurisdiction, the area of jurisdiction is related to the National Spiritual a.s.sembly responsible for the teaching work in the goal country in question, and has nothing to do with what nation the territory belongs to. All Canadian goals are therefore under the jurisdiction of your National Body, and their pioneers must report to you, and people, whose declarations are accepted, should be registered by your National Body, or the Committee in charge of the work, as the case may be.

Regarding the question as to whether your a.s.sembly need do anything about its Israel Branch here; this is a matter which concerns entirely local procedures. Your Canadian Branch has now been legally established, and is ent.i.tled to hold property in this country; and he is planning at an early date to register a piece of land in its name. He will send you the t.i.tle deed as soon as all formalities have been carried out.

CRITERIA FOR TEMPLE SITE

As he has already informed you by cable, he feels that the land which you proposed as a Temple and National Haziratu'l-Quds site was altogether too large, too expensive, and above all, too far from the city limits. He has given instructions to a number of other National Bodies who were pursuing their investigations in a direction much the same as your own. He realizes that it is difficult, and much more expensive, to find a plot close to the heart of the city. On the other hand, he feels that even a small plot, near to town, is much more reasonable from every standpoint than a large plot way out in the country. The friends must remember that they have to be able to get out to their National Centre and their National Temple and use them; and, as Baha'is are all busy, hardworking people for the most part, the time involved must inevitably influence their attendance at Baha'i meetings in the Haziratu'l-Quds, and later, Baha'i services in the Temple.

If the filling of the goals and the purchase of the Temple site can be accomplished before the lapse of two years from the inception of the Plan, he feels you will have carried out his instructions to the letter, and he will indeed be very happy.

He thinks that it is very befitting that your Body, as representatives of the Canadian Baha'is, should be responsible for the erection of a tombstone over dear Fred Schopflocher's grave.

As you no doubt are aware, he cherishes the very brightest hopes for the future of the Canadian Baha'is. They are a fortunate people, possessing many of the virtues and few of the faults of both the new and old worlds.

He remembers them in his prayers in the holy Shrines, and prays that they may speedily advance in the service of the Cause, and accomplish the tasks outlined in the Ten Year Plan as their particular portion of the work.

CONSOLIDATION OF THE HOMEFRONT

He would like to call your attention, and indeed the attention of all the friends, to the fact that it is time for the Baha'is everywhere, including Canada, to devote themselves to the consolidation work. The goals on the homefront are going to be, in some ways, even harder to achieve than those abroad. They will require an increase of membership in the community, which means patient and devoted teaching, the multiplication of both a.s.semblies and groups, the incorporation of many Spiritual a.s.semblies, etc. They now have nine years in which to do it, but the sooner they get some of the work finished and behind them, the better! We can never tell what the situation may be at a later date, and whether we will not have to carry on our labours under much more difficult circ.u.mstances than those prevailing at present.

With warmest Baha'i love, R. RABBANI.

P.S.-Regarding the contribution which Mrs. Nan Greenwood wishes to make to the Faith, the Guardian is deeply touched by the spirit which has motivated her; and he feels that she could spend it in no better way than to give it to the British National Spiritual a.s.sembly for their National Haziratu'l-Quds. They are much in need of money, and it would be of real help in purchasing this important and historic inst.i.tution.

Please a.s.sure her of his admiration for her services, and his loving prayers.

I notice that I have neglected to answer your question concerning ...

consent to her daughter's marriage: this must be given in order to be a Baha'i Marriage. Baha'u'llah requires this and makes no provision about a parent changing his or her mind. So they are free to do so. Once the written consent is given and the marriage takes place, the parents have no right to interfere any more.

P.P.S.-The Guardian was very pleased about the publications in Ukrainian and will place copies in the Mansion Library. Please thank the dear believer(34) responsible for this work on behalf of the Guardian.

THE TEN YEAR CRUSADE: RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT

Dear and Valued Co-workers: