The Unfolding Destiny of the British Bahai Community Part 116

Letter of 26 March 1948

26 March 1948

One of the greatest problems in the Cause is the relation of the believers to each other; for their immaturity (shared with the rest of humanity) and imperfections r.e.t.a.r.d the work, create complications, and discourage each other. And yet we must put up with these things and try and combat them through love, patience and forgiveness individually, and proper administrative action collectively.

Letter of 8 April 1948

8 April 1948

We Baha'is firmly believe that it is possible, if we have the right spirit, to make our stumbling blocks stepping-stones to progress. You have already, through at last facing yourself and acknowledging that you have both failed and erred in managing your life so far, set your feet on the right path. But now this new and spiritual condition in you is going to be proved-and the proving, the testing, will surely consist of the way you determine to take your punishment.

Life is based on laws: physical, man-made, and spiritual. As you have broken the laws of the society in which you live, you will have to stand up like a man and take your punishment. The spirit in which you do this is the most important thing, and const.i.tutes a great opportunity for you. He (the Guardian) advises you to turn your face towards the future, to realise that when you are set free you have loving and helpful friends to go to, an upright job awaiting you, and you can also become active in serving our glorious Faith. So really everything lies before you. But at present, until your sentence is up, you must live within yourself in a way not to spoil the new future awaiting you. You must not become bitter-for after all you are only reaping what you planted. Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha, through no crime of their own, spent the better part of their lives in exile and imprisoned, but they never became embittered although they were the victims of injustice. You, on the other hand, are the victim of injustice which you have inflicted on yourself-therefore you certainly have no right to be bitter towards the world.

He urges you to grasp firmly the teachings of our Faith, the love of your family and many Baha'i friends, to put the past behind entirely, realising that it can do you no more harm; on the contrary, through changing you and making you spiritually aware, this very past can be a means of enriching your life in the future! He will certainly ardently pray for your happiness, your victory over yourself, and that you may become an exemplary and active Baha'i.

Letter of 9 June 1948

9 June 1948

"Reciting" the Greatest Name means to repeat it over and over, silently or out loud....

The chairman of the local a.s.sembly is, if present, the logical and appropriate person to take charge of the consultation period between the a.s.sembly and the community members at the Nineteen Day Feast.

Letter of 23 June 1948

23 June 1948

He (the Guardian) encouraged him to face manfully the future, accept the legitimate sanction of society as punishment for his admittedly anti-social conduct, and realise that his very suffering, humiliation and punishment can-if he will let it-be the means of freeing him from many of his past weaknesses and mistakes, and making him a worthy member of society. He should look to the future, for there is in his power, with Baha'u'llah's help, to shape into a worthy and constructive way of life....

The English Baha'is did gloriously succeed after all! Hitching one's wagon to a star, however impractical it may seem, does bring results, for man, with G.o.d to help him, does possess strengths far beyond the mere materialist's ken!

As regards your question about p. 41, Kitab-i-iqan; to say that, after 622 A.D., Christendom was Islam in disguise is a little misleading. The Sun of Truth, after the advent of Mu?ammad, no longer shone from the Christian horizon. Islam was, from then until the Bab's advent, the Path of Truth.

We should never insist on teaching those who are not really ready for the Cause. If a man is not hungry, you cannot make him eat. Among the Theosophists there are, no doubt, many receptive souls, but those who are satisfied should be just a.s.sociated with in a friendly way, but let alone.

Once a seeker comes to accept the concept of progressive religion, and accepts Baha'u'llah as the Manifestation for this day, the reincarnation concept will fade away in the light of truth; we should try and avoid controversial issues in the beginning if possible.

Mirza Abu'l-Fadl was a very excellent and erudite Baha'i teacher. Although he did err sometimes, yet in identifying Abraham with Zoroaster, he is not confusing the Prophet Abraham with the Prophet Zoroaster, as the name of Zoroaster was supposed to have been "Abram".

Letter of 20 September 1948

20 September 1948

He (the Guardian) is very happy indeed to see the change in your att.i.tude and to hear that you are now not only a recognised member of our Faith, but a prospective Baha'i pioneer!

It is quite natural for anyone, observing the present state of the world, to feel very depressed and apprehensive of the future. Any intelligent person must be wondering what you are wondering. It is indeed hard to see what lies ahead of us in the near future-but we, as Baha'is, unlike most people, have absolute a.s.surance that the distant future is serene and bright. We do not know if there will be another Great War; what we do know is this: that unless people become spiritually awakened in time, great suffering, maybe in the form of war, will come upon them, for humanity must be unified, must be redeemed. If men refuse absolutely to take the easier road of faith, of seeking out G.o.d's Manifestation for this age and accepting Him, then they will bring upon themselves a fresh crisis in human affairs and very great affliction. What we, as Baha'is, must do is our duty; we cannot do other people's duty for them, alas, but we can fulfil our own sacred responsibilities by serving our fellow-men, living a Baha'i life, teaching the Faith, and strengthening its budding world order.

He urges you, just as you have surmounted the crisis in your own life, through faith and courage, to now go out and serve the Cause with that same faith and courage. We must leave to G.o.d the final reckoning with His creatures today-but meantime we must give them His Message.

Letter of 17 October 1948

17 October 1948

The Cause in England seems, in spite of financial handicaps, to be going forward in Seven League boots. He (the Guardian) is truly proud of the British believers, and this is more than he could say in the past, when the work for years seemed to be stagnating! Those days are now pa.s.sed forever, he feels sure.

Letter of 23 December 1948

23 December 1948

He (the Guardian) is very glad to see you are now living the life of an active Baha'i and keeping in close touch with dear ... who is a fine friend to have, with his devotion to the Cause and his optimism.

The Guardian urges you not to be discouraged by any setbacks you may have.

Life is a process of trials and testings, and these are-contrary to what we are p.r.o.ne to thinking-good for us, and give us stamina, and teach us to rely on G.o.d. Knowing He will help us, we can help ourselves more.

He does not know how, in the present very chaotic state of the world, you could find just the kind of job you want of driving abroad. Positions are difficult to obtain and travel so complicated. Unless you can migrate out to Africa or Australia, in some regular government scheme, he would urge you to persevere in Great Britain and do the best you can. He urges you, in the next job you have, to pray whenever you feel the conditions at work are too much for you. You will find you are helped and strengthened and once you get established in some position you may work yourself up, or go on with good references to a better employment later on....

Letter of 8 January 1949

8 January 1949