Letters from the Guardian to Australia and New Zealand Part 12

Your true and grateful brother, Shoghi.

LETTER OF DEC. 12TH, 1944

Haifa, Dec. 12th, 1944.

Dear Baha'i Sister:

The beloved Guardian has instructed me to write your National Spiritual a.s.sembly and inform you of his views and wishes in connection with the Summer School in Australia:

He does not consider it either wise or necessary at the present time to have more than one Baha'i Summer School in Australia, and as Yerrinbool is equipped to accommodate the friends on Baha'i property, so to speak, he would suggest that Yerrinbool continue to be used as the Australian Baha'i Summer School.

He pointed out this same principle of not multiplying the number of Summer Schools some time ago in connection with the Adelaide a.s.sembly's purchase of a building and property.

He has also done the same thing in America-limited the number of Summer Schools-as the friends in their enthusiasm to inaugurate new inst.i.tutions wanted to have very many summer schools which would have not only weakened, instead of strengthening, the older schools, but also would have dissipated the energy of the friends.

a.s.suring you and all the members of your a.s.sembly of his loving prayers on your behalf and for the success of your work, Yours in His Service, R. Rabbani.

LETTER OF MARCH 13TH, 1945

Haifa, March 13th, 1945.

Dear Baha'i Sister:

Your letter of Feb. 9th has been received (written on behalf of the N.S.A.), and the beloved Guardian has instructed me to answer it on his behalf and to also acknowledge receipt of the copy of the resolutions which you forwarded in it.

The news you conveyed was all very encouraging and pleased him greatly.

He was particularly happy to hear of the formation of a new Spiritual a.s.sembly at Caringbah as this marks an important step forward in the growth of the Cause and its administrative inst.i.tutions in Australia. He hopes that the N.S.A. will, through travelling and visiting teachers, and Baha'i settlers and pioneers, be able to speedily ensure the establishment of further a.s.semblies; wherever the conditions for their development seem most promising, the efforts should be concentrated.

He was also very glad to hear that the Haziratu'l-Quds has been successfully transferred to the name of the National a.s.sembly. He is looking forward to receiving the photographs of its opening, and of the Centenary dinner, which you are sending him. Likewise he was pleased to see it is being put to such active use and teaching cla.s.ses, public meetings, etc. being held in it.

He cannot stress too much the vital importance of the teaching work, and he hopes that all the believers, however circ.u.mscribed their means, however unqualified they may feel themselves to be, will arise and contribute their share to this all-important work. The Cause has, all things considered, made remarkable progress in Australia and New Zealand of late; but the united efforts of all the friends are required to spread the Divine Message during these moving and dark times the world is pa.s.sing through. They must fix their eyes on the abject misery of humanity and, forgetful of their own limitations, deliver the Teachings to their fellow countrymen.

He a.s.sures you and your co-workers that he deeply appreciates your devoted services, and will constantly pray for the progress of the Faith in those distant and important lands.

With Baha'i love, R. Rabbani.

P.S. He hopes that the N.S.A. watches over dear Mother Dunn. She is now advancing in years and deserves the greatest love and consideration in view of the imperishable services she and Father Dunn rendered the Cause there.

P.P.S. Your previous letter, dated Aug. 18th as well as the photostat copies connected with the incorporation of the N.S.A. reached him. He was delighted at this further evidence of the efficiency of that body and the manner in which it is consolidating its foundation.

[From the Guardian:]

Dear and valued co-workers:

The teaching responsibilities confronting the Australian and New Zealand believers are of supreme importance and of extreme urgency. Now that the basis of the Administrative Order has been firmly laid, and fully understood, and the national Haziratu'l-Quds established in the leading city of the Australian Commonwealth, the attention of the members of the entire community must be focussed on the teaching work-the promotion of which is the ultimate object of the entire machinery of the Administrative Order and its subsidiary inst.i.tutions and agencies. The multiplication of Baha'i groups, the steady increase in the number of local a.s.semblies, the dissemination of literature, the dispersal of the believers, no matter how small their number, to important centers throughout the continent const.i.tute the vital task of the infant community which has, despite its limited resources and isolated situation, demonstrated its capacity to establish on a sound basis the primary inst.i.tutions of its Faith, to safeguard its unity and promote its vital interests. That it may forge ahead and overcome every obstacle in its path and fulfil its high destiny is my fondest hope and constant prayer.

Your true and grateful brother, Shoghi.

LETTER OF MAY 13TH, 1945

Haifa, May 13th, 1945.

Dear Baha'i Sister:

The beloved Guardian has instructed me to answer your letters dated April 12th, 13th (two) and 14th, and to acknowledge receipt of the enclosures forwarded with them.

Regarding the matter of Mrs. ... and the inharmony that seems to exist among certain of the friends in ...: when Baha'is permit the dark forces of the world to enter into their own relations.h.i.+ps within the Faith they gravely jeopardise its progress; it is the paramount duty of the believers, the local a.s.semblies, and particularly the N.S.A. to foster harmony, understanding and love amongst the friends. All should be ready and willing to set aside every personal sense of grievance-justified or unjustified-for the good of the Cause, because the people will never embrace it until they see in its community life mirrored what is so conspicuously lacking in the world: love and unity.

The Baha'is are fully ent.i.tled to address criticisms to their a.s.semblies; they can freely air their views about policies or individual members of elected bodies to the a.s.sembly, local or national, but then they must whole-heartedly accept the advice or decision of the a.s.sembly, according to the principles already laid down for such matters in Baha'i administration.

Shoghi Effendi has repeatedly stated, to believers in every part of the world, that the individual Baha'is are entirely free to write to him on any matter they please; naturally he is equally free to answer in any manner he pleases. At the present time, when the inst.i.tutions of the Cause are just beginning to function, he considers it essential to keep up this large correspondence, much as it adds to his many other burdens. It is sometimes the case that the very first intimation he receives of some important step influencing the interests of the Faith, one way or another, comes from an individual's letter instead of from an a.s.sembly; it would naturally be preferable for the information to come from an administrative body, but whatever the source, the Guardian is solely concerned with the welfare of the Faith, and when he deems a certain step detrimental he states his views in his reply. This he is at entire liberty to do.

Just as the National a.s.sembly has full jurisdiction over all its local a.s.semblies, the Guardian has full jurisdiction over all National a.s.semblies; he is not required to consult them, if he believes a certain decision is advisable in the interests of the Cause. He is the judge of the wisdom and advisability of the decisions made by these bodies, and not they of the wisdom and advisability of his decisions. A perusal of the Will and Testament makes this principle quite clear.

He is the Guardian of the Cause in the very fullness of that term, and the appointed interpreter of its teachings, and is guided in his decisions to do that which protects it and fosters its growth and highest interests.

He always has the right to step in and countermand the decisions of a national a.s.sembly; if he did not possess this right he would be absolutely impotent to protect the Faith, just as the N.S.A., if it were divested of the right to countermand the decisions of a local a.s.sembly, would be incapable of watching over and guiding the national welfare of the Baha'i Community.

It very seldom happens-but it nevertheless does happen-that he feels impelled to change a major (as you put it) decision of an N.S.A.; but he always unhesitatingly does so when necessary, and the N.S.A. in question should gladly and unhesitatingly accept this as a measure designed for the good of the Faith which its elected representatives are so devotedly seeking to serve.

Regarding the position of Summer Schools in Australia: much of what you are at present going through has already been experienced by the American Baha'i Community, and he sympathises with your views and problems; however he wishes to state the following:

Whatever the history of the Yerrinbool School may be, the fact remains it is now in existence, is owned by believers ready to have it used as such, and is known as a Baha'i Summer School all over the world. The Guardian is not the least concerned with personalities in this matter, but with principles. He feels at the present time that one Baha'i Summer School is enough for the believers of Australia to maintain. In the future, as a.s.semblies and groups multiply, the question will naturally have to be reconsidered.

Baha'i Summer Schools in the United States originated in the same informal manner as Yerrinbool; they were (and some still are) the property of individual believers who resided on them, but they are administered by Committees appointed by the N.S.A. and which usually include, out of courtesy and consideration, the owners. The American friends also desired to have many more Summer Schools, but the Guardian has so far not permitted them to add to the number, as it dissipates the energy and funds of the believers and would at present weaken those already existing.

He feels that the duty of your a.s.sembly is to not give up Yerrinbool because of any inharmony over it, but to administer and support it properly and remove the inharmony. You should appoint a Committee for the School, purchase any extra equipment needed for the comfort and accommodation of the attendants, and he feels sure the Boltons will cooperate with you in this matter, as they are eager to have the property be used by the believers.

Generally speaking he does not encourage the erection of buildings in memory to individual believers at the present time. But as those at Yerrinbool serve a useful purpose and that the memory of dear Father Dunn commemorates the life of the man who brought the Faith to the Continent of Australia, we may welcome it in the spirit it was given.

As to what uses should be made of the building purchased by the S.A. of Adelaide, he leaves the decision to your body and that a.s.sembly. He hopes that at a future date it can be used as a Summer School.