Letters from the Guardian to Australia and New Zealand Part 16

Haifa, May 11th, 1948.

Dear Baha'i Brother:

Your letter to our beloved Guardian, dated Dec. 11th, 1947, has been received, and he has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.

The devotion and perseverance of the believers in seeking to meet the requirements of their Plan pleases and touches him immensely, and although he fully realizes that the fewness of their numbers and the great distances involved in such a vast country as Australia, form serious handicaps in the progress of their teaching work, he, nevertheless, feels confidant that they can achieve their goals in time, and raise their heads proudly in the galaxy of their fellow-pioneers the world over.

We can truly say that this Cause is a cause that enables people to achieve the impossible! For the Baha'is, everywhere, for the most part, are people with no great distinguishments of either wealth or fame, and yet once they make the effort and go forth in the name of Baha'u'llah to spread His Faith, they become, each one, as efficacious as a host! Witness what Mustafa Raumie accomplished in Burma, and a handful of pioneers achieved, in a decade, in Latin America! It is the quality of devotion and self-sacrifice that brings rewards in the service of this Faith rather than means, ability or financial backing.

This has again, during the last few years, been demonstrated even more remarkably by the British Baha'is, who have not only had to contend with very limited means and a small community to draw from, but have also had infinite restrictions and privations to put up with-and, in spite of this, they are steadily gaining on the requirements of the Plan they have set for themselves, and, indeed, are startling and inspiring their fellow-Baha'is everywhere by their spirit and achievements!

He hopes that now, from "down under", news will begin to flow out to the Baha'i World of the remarkable accomplishments of the Australians and New Zealanders!

Regarding the question you asked him about the Baha'i sacred writings: these should be regarded as the writings of the Bab, Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha and only these should be read during the purely devotional part of the Feast.

He wishes to a.s.sure you, and all the other members of the N.S.A., of his most loving and ardent prayers for the success of your various undertakings and above all, for the success of your teaching Plan.

With warmest greetings, R. Rabbani.

[From the Guardian:]

Dear and valued co-workers:

The Plan launched by the small yet highly promising community of devoted believers in Australia and New Zealand const.i.tutes a landmark of unusual significance in the history of the evolution of the Faith in that far-off continent. It opens a new chapter, rich in promise, momentous in the events which it must record, and destined to be regarded as a prelude to still more glorious chapters in the annals of the Faith in the Antipodes.

The limited resources at the disposal of the prosecutors of the Plan, the vastness of the territory in which it must operate, the fewness of the numbers of those partic.i.p.ating in its execution, offer a mighty challenge which no loyal follower of the Faith of Baha'u'llah can either ignore or minimize. Indeed the greater the challenge, the more bountiful the blessings which will be vouchsafed from on high, and the richer the reward to be won by its triumphant executors.

The successful termination of this Plan, the first fruit of the newly established and properly functioning Administrative Order in those distant lands, will pave the way for the launching of still greater enterprises, destined to carry the message of Baha'u'llah to the Islands of the Pacific in the vicinity of that continent. For the mission entrusted to the care of the adherents of the Faith in Australia and New Zealand is by no means confined to the mainland of Australia and the islands of New Zealand, but should embrace, as it unfolds, in the years to come, the islands of the Antipodes, where the banner of the Faith still remains to be unfurled and its Message is as yet undelivered.

It is not for them, however, at the present stage of their evolution, to probe into the future, and seek to evaluate the range of their future achievements. They must concentrate every ounce of their energy, and focus their entire attention, on the tasks immediately ahead, resolved to work unremittingly and unflinchingly until the goals of the present Plan are achieved.

Whatever the situation that may develop in the years to come, however great the obstacles by which a nascent community may yet be faced, no matter how arduous the task now confronting its members, it must persevere until the historic work is accomplished.

I will, from the depths of my heart, supplicate the Beloved to reinforce the n.o.ble exertions of this community, guide its steps, clarify its vision, deepen its understanding of the requirements of the present hour, and aid it to extend continually the scope of its meritorious achievements.

My heart longs to receive the news of the progress of this first collective enterprise on which the community has embarked, and I feel confident that its stalwart members will not allow the hopes that animate me to be frustrated.

Your true and grateful brother, Shoghi.

LETTER OF DEC. 30TH, 1948

N.S.A. of Australia and New Zealand, Secretary, Mrs. Mariette G. Bolton.

Haifa, Dec. 30th, 1948.

Dear Baha'i Sister:

The letter written by our dear Baha'i brother, Mr. Jim Heggie, as secretary at that time, and dated May 5th, as well as those written by you, and dated July 17th, Dec. 4th, 6th (two of this date), and 9th, together with their various enclosures, have been received, and our beloved Guardian has instructed me to answer your a.s.sembly on his behalf.

He was very happy to hear of your meeting held in Melbourne, as he feels sure this was a great stimulus to the local community, and he hopes that circ.u.mstances will permit the N.S.A. to meet in other communities and inspire and encourage the friends in different parts of the country by this personal contact with them and their work.

In regard to the various matters raised in your letters: He would be pleased to receive reports of the Teaching Work, the Annual Convention and Annual Reports, and, of course, the minutes of your N.S.A. meetings.

He does not feel it advisable to combine more than one town area in an a.s.sembly, as you have suggested might be done. It is better for the friends to move, if possible, into one town's limits, and form their a.s.sembly that way, or concentrate on their teaching work and wait until they have the requisite 9 members.

Unfortunately it is not feasible for the believers to elect or const.i.tute an a.s.sembly and also elect and send delegates to the Annual Convention of the same year, as both events take place in the Ridvan period.

The Guardian is striving to build up uniformity in essentials all over the Baha'i World, and this frequently involves a small measure of delay in achieving our various goals set locally. But he considers it sufficiently important to warrant the sacrifices it sometimes involves:

In this connection he would like to mention your Local By-Laws: He feels that they should conform much more closely to the original one of the New York a.s.sembly. What is absolutely essential was incorporated in those, and all other local a.s.semblies being incorporated should follow this pattern as closely as local legal technicalities permit. This again is in order to maintain international uniformity in essentials. It is not a question here of whether the By-Laws drawn up by your Legal Committee are not more up to date and do not represent the last word, undoubtedly they are and do, but if every country, when drawing up its Local By-Laws, continue this process of elaboration, in the end uniformity will be lost. The Eastern a.s.semblies have adhered to the original By-Laws so carefully that they have practically translated them word for word and adopted them. He feels sure Mr. Dive will understand this, and he would like you to please express to him his deep appreciation of the excellent work he has done in this connection, truly a labour of love to the Faith.

There is also another, perhaps even more pertinent reason, why he does not want anything more added to these New York By-Laws, and that is that he is everywhere urging the believers-the Americans included-to not add procedures and rulings to the Cause. He considers that what he has laid down in Baha'i Administration is essential, but that practically everything else is secondary and he wishes the a.s.semblies, your own included, to deal with things with elasticity, as they come up, case by case, and not by continually pa.s.sing new rulings to cover all similar cases.

The efforts being made by your a.s.sembly to carry out the Teaching Plan for Australia and New Zealand, and the ever-increasing response of the believers in both places to this all-important work, greatly encourage and cheer him. He feels sure a very great future lies in store for our beloved Faith in those distant regions, but much more still remains to be done by the friends in order to complete this first, historic and vital, organized Plan of theirs. He feels sure they will see it through to victory; just as their brothers and sisters in other lands, working also on Plans of their own, are determined to achieve all their goals at the appointed time, so must they persevere and ensure a resounding victory for the Faith there in the Antipodes.

His loving prayers are offered in the Holy Shrines very often for the success of your work, and that G.o.d may bless you and all the members of the National a.s.sembly in the discharge of your important duties.

With Baha'i love,

Yours in His Service, R. Rabbani.

P.S. I wish to also acknowledge receipt of the letter of your a.s.sembly's Treasurer, dated Dec. 23rd, and to thank you, on behalf of the Guardian, for your loving contribution to the International Fund here in Haifa. He regrets the delay in getting this off to you, but has been too busy to attend to it owing to work in connection with the Shrine here. Kindly give the enclosed receipt to Mr. Tunks.

[From the Guardian:]

Dear and valued co-workers:

Recent communications and reports from your a.s.sembly have revealed, in a very striking manner, the magnificent progress achieved by the alert, the faithful, and truly distinguished communities of the followers of the Faith of Baha'u'llah in Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania. The range of their labours, the rapid consolidation of their swiftly multiplying inst.i.tutions, the soundness and solidity of the foundations, on which they are erecting these inst.i.tutions, the exemplary loyalty they demonstrate, the solidarity and self-sacrifice, the courage and confidence they display in their incessant and manifold activities, prove, beyond the shadow of a doubt that the Faith they love and serve so n.o.bly and efficiently has at last been firmly and una.s.sailably established in the Antipodes, and that its upholders and defenders in those far-away yet highly promising islands are contributing a notable and never-to-be-forgotten share to the onward march and unfoldment of its world Administrative Order.

I desire to offer the members of this high-minded, this resolute and dearly-beloved community, and particularly its elected representatives, my heartfelt congratulations on their splendid achievements which posterity will recognize as deeds that have truly enriched and adorned the annals of the Faith in the opening years of the second Baha'i century.

As the processes impelling a rapidly evolving Order on the highroad of its destiny multiply and gather momentum, attention should be increasingly directed to the vital need of ensuring, by every means possible, the deepening of the Faith, the understanding and the spiritual life of the individuals who, as the privileged members of this community, are called upon to partic.i.p.ate in this glorious unfoldment, and are lending their a.s.sistance to this historic evolution. A profound study of the Faith which they have espoused, its history, its spiritual as well as administrative principles; a thorough understanding of the Covenant of Baha'u'llah and of the Will of 'Abdu'l-Baha, a deeper realization of the implications of the claims advanced by the Founders of the Faith; strict adherence to the laws and principles which they have established; a greater dedication to the fundamentals and verities enshrined in their teachings-these const.i.tute, I feel convinced, the urgent need of the members of this rapidly expanding community. For upon this spiritual foundation must depend the solidity of the inst.i.tutions which they are now so painstakingly erecting. Every outward thrust into new fields, every multiplication of Baha'i inst.i.tutions, must be paralleled by a deeper thrust of the roots which sustain the spiritual life of the community and ensure its sound development. From this vital, this ever-present need, attention must at no time be diverted; nor must it be, under any circ.u.mstances, neglected, or subordinated to the no less vital and urgent task of ensuring the outer expansion of Baha'i administrative inst.i.tutions. That this community, so alive, so devoted, so strikingly and rapidly developing, may maintain a proper balance between these two essential aspects of its development, and march forward with rapid strides and along sound lines toward the goal of the Plan it has adopted, is the ardent hope of my heart and my constant prayer.

Your true and grateful brother, Shoghi.

LETTER OF AUGUST 22, 1949

The National Spiritual a.s.sembly of the Baha'is of Australia and New Zealand.