The Unfolding Destiny of the British Bahai Community Part 35

Letter of 20 June 1942

20 June 1942

Dear Baha'i Sister,

The Guardian has instructed me to answer your letters written on behalf of the National a.s.sembly, and dated Feb. 6th, March 17th and April 6th, and to acknowledge the receipt of the minutes of the Jan. and March meetings of your a.s.sembly together with other enclosures.

In pursuance of your request the Guardian wrote to Mr. and Mrs. Hill about the tragic and unexpected pa.s.sing of their daughter. He also felt moved to cable them his condolences and the a.s.surance of his prayers. This must have been for them a very grievous blow; but he feels sure the deep a.s.surances concerning the future life, which have been given us by Baha'u'llah, have comforted and sustained them throughout.

He was pleased to read the sympathetic letter you received from ex-President Benes of Czechoslovakia, as well as that of Sir Ronald Storrs. Many men in high positions are aware now of the existence and aims of our Faith, but they do not yet reckon it to be a movement worthy of more profound interest on their part. As time goes by, however, we may rest a.s.sured their interest will grow.

That is perhaps what is most glorious about our present activities all over the world, that we, a band not large in numbers, not possessing financial backing or the prestige of great names, should, in the name of our beloved Faith, be forging ahead at such a pace, and demonstrating to future and present generations that it is the G.o.d-given qualities of our religion that are raising it up and not the transient support of worldly fame and power. All that will come later, when it has been made clear beyond the shadow of a doubt that what raised aloft the banner of Baha'u'llah was the love, sacrifice and devotion of His humble followers and the change that His teachings wrought in their hearts and lives.

It is just such exemplary devotion and perseverance that the British Baha'is are showing at present, and their reward cannot but be great and lasting. The laying of the foundation is a slow process, but the most important one in the erection of any structure. The Guardian feels that your a.s.sembly, as well as the friends in England, have every reason to feel proud of, and encouraged by, the way the work is progressing there.

He hopes that your Summer School this year will be even more successful than last year, in spite of being held in two parts. You may be sure he will pray for its success.

He fully realises the difficulties you are undergoing enhanced by the war and its hardships, yet he sees, perhaps even more clearly than you yourselves can, that these very difficulties and the surmounting of them are deepening and strengthening the ties that bind you all to our beloved Faith, and enabling you to do a work which only future generations of your countrymen will be able to properly appreciate and a.s.sess.

Please convey to all the dear friends the a.s.surances of his love and his prayers for their service in these days, and his high hopes for the future that awaits them in the days to come, when the Cause of G.o.d begins to emerge above the waves of the old order and shines forth in all its strength and beauty.

a.s.suring you and all your fellow-members of his deep appreciation of your tireless work and his ardent prayers for your guidance and strength....

[From the Guardian:]

Dearly beloved co-worker,

The steady progress and extension of Baha'i activities in the British Isles is, no doubt, the direct consequence of the unswerving loyalty, the high courage, the incorruptible spirit and the exemplary devotion and steadfastness of the British believers, who have, simply and strikingly, demonstrated the quality of their faith and the soundness of their inst.i.tutions in these days of unprecedented commotion, stress and peril. I feel proud of their record of service and of the evidence of their n.o.ble faith. The Beloved watches over them from the Abha Kingdom. The Concourse on High extols their achievements and will reinforce their endeavours.

They should confidently, gratefully, joyously and unitedly redouble their efforts, extend the range of their activities, rededicate themselves to their historic task and antic.i.p.ate a renewed outpouring of Baha'u'llah's promised blessings and favours.

Your true and grateful brother, Shoghi

Letter of 28 July 1942

28 July 1942

MAGNIFICENT SPIRIT ANIMATING STEADFAST ENGLISH BELIEVERS NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS TEACHING FIELD PROMPT ME CONTRIBUTE TWO HUNDRED POUNDS FURTHERANCE THEIR HISTORIC TEACHING ACTIVITIES URGE REDOUBLE EFFORTS PRAYING SIGNAL VICTORIES LOVING GRAt.i.tUDE.

SHOGHI RABBaNi

Letter of 8 August 1942 (Summer School)

8 August 1942 (Summer School)

DELIGHTED SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL APPRECIATE SPIRIT BELIEVERS a.s.sURE ALL CONTINUED PRAYERS.

SHOGHI RABBaNi

Letter of 8 August 1942

8 August 1942

Dear Baha'i Sister,

Your letters of May 14th and June 10th together with their enclosures reached the Guardian safely, and he has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.

He has been very gratified to hear of the successful Summer School sessions, news of the Buxton one having just recently reached him in your latest cable. He feels that you must all be very encouraged that this new way of holding them in different places, which circ.u.mstances made imperative, has proved so successful in the end. It presages the day when the friends in England will see the inst.i.tutions of their Faith rising from various flourishing centres.

Regarding minute No. 507, the Guardian feels that it would be better for either the mothers of Baha'i children-or some committee your a.s.sembly might delegate the task to-to choose excerpts from the Sacred Words to be used by the child rather than just something made up. Of course prayer can be purely spontaneous, but many of the sentences and thoughts combined in Baha'i writings of a devotional nature are easy to grasp, and the revealed Word is endowed with a power of its own....

Shoghi Effendi fully realises the strain which those who are so actively bearing the weight of Baha'i responsibility are subjected to in these days, when already, as private individuals, the events of the world are affecting their lives and drawing on their strength. It makes the quality of Baha'i service so much finer, that it should entail on the part of all definite self-sacrifice.

Though the friends may not be fully aware of it, their staunch perseverance in carrying out their Baha'i activities in the face of war conditions, is really in itself of historic importance. Convention, Summer Schools, meetings, all are not only demonstrating the calibre of their faith, but also evincing marked progress, all of which greatly cheers and delights the Guardian.

He a.s.sures you and your fellow-members of the National Spiritual a.s.sembly, of his continued prayers on your behalf, that you may be guided, protected and sustained in your devoted services to the Faith....

P.S.-Shoghi Effendi is deeply interested in the plans you are developing to aid and attract more young people to the Faith. He feels this is both praiseworthy and a valuable method of teaching the Cause.

[From the Guardian:]

Dear and valued co-worker,

The work so splendidly initiated by the English believers and so devotedly and energetically pursued and consolidated in these days of peril, uncertainty and turmoil, establishes beyond any doubt their right to claim to be the true upholders and custodians of the Faith of Baha'u'llah. They have, ever since the outbreak of this world wide conflict, abundantly demonstrated the high quality of their faith, the soundness of their inst.i.tutions, the intensity of their devotion, and their capacity to defend and promote the interests of their beloved Cause. Impelled by admiration and grat.i.tude for the work they have already accomplished, I have contributed a sum which I trust will enable them to extend the range of their teaching activities throughout the British Isles. May the Beloved graciously a.s.sist them to achieve such victories in this field as shall truly befit the conclusion of the first century of the Baha'i Era.

Your true and grateful brother, Shoghi

Letter of 12 November 1942

12 November 1942

CABLING TWO HUNDRED POUNDS CARE COOKS THANKSGIVING PROTECTION COMMUNITY BELIEVERS BRITISH ISLES AND FURTHERANCE ALL-IMPORTANT TEACHING ACTIVITIES PRAYING CONTINUALLY EPOCH MAKING VICTORIES.