He trusts that by the time this letter reaches you the complications which arose at Convention, about the election, will have been satisfactorily straightened out; as he already cabled you, this was a question for the out-going N.S.A. to decide.

He feels that the National Spiritual a.s.sembly during the coming year should focus both its and the believers' attention on the all-important teaching work, and the necessity of increasing the number of groups and a.s.semblies throughout Australia and New Zealand. The friends should be urged and encouraged to arise both as pioneers and travelling teachers, and they should receive, in cases where they cannot afford it themselves, financial aid from the National Fund. Such measures are at the present time absolutely necessary, as the believers are few, the hour very pressing, and most of them not sufficiently well-off to do such work without a.s.sistance.

The Baha'is in the United States have just embarked on their second Seven Year Plan; India is working hard on a Four and a half Year Plan; England is straining every nerve to achieve, during the Six Year Plan the friends have chosen for themselves, 19 a.s.semblies. It is only right and proper that such a vast and promising territory as Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania represent, should likewise win for itself new laurels in the Baha'i teaching field during the next few years! He therefore suggests you choose, after surveying your own possibilities and soliciting suggestions from the friends, certain immediate objectives, and then work unitedly towards achieving them.

He a.s.sures you that he will offer special prayers on your behalf, that the N.S.A. members and the Baha'is they represent, may speedily forge ahead, and enter into a new era of development of the Faith in that distant but promising land.

With warm Baha'i greetings, R. Rabbani.

[From the Guardian:]

Dear and valued co-workers:

The activities in which you are engaged, are the object of my fervent and constant prayers. To teach the Faith, to stimulate the dispersal and settlement of pioneers, to enable the existing groups to attain a.s.sembly status, and to multiply, steadily and speedily, the number of groups in Australia and New Zealand are the paramount tasks which demand the constant attention, the prayerful consideration and the united and vigorous collaboration of the believers, and particularly of their national elected representatives. No sacrifice is too great to further these manifold and n.o.ble aims and purposes. Effective measures, unprecedented in scope, should be carefully and immediately devised, proclaimed to the believers, and, through sustained and organised effort, carried into effect. There is no time to lose. The ma.s.ses, greatly tried by the calamities of the age, restless, disappointed, and eager to obtain real and complete relief in their hour of trial, hunger for the Message of the new Day, and will, if properly approached and appealed to, embrace the great verities it enshrines. Firm and una.s.sailable unity among those who profess to be its bearers, unshakeable fidelity to the principles on which it is founded, generous and unfailing support of the inst.i.tutions designed to propagate it, are the vital prerequisites of their urgent and sacred task. Every consideration, however profitable and laudable, must for the present be subordinated to the vital needs of the strenuous task now confronting the Australian and New Zealand Baha'i communities. The administrative machinery designed to provide the necessary agency for the diffusion of the Message has been sufficiently consolidated to enable it to perform the glorious task for which it was originally erected. It should be utilised to the fullest possible extent. Its scope should simultaneously be enlarged to provide a still wider basis for the future extension of teaching activities. May the coming year witness a notable advance in the organized activities of the community for the furtherance of so glorious and meritorious a purpose.

Your true brother, Shoghi.

LETTER OF JULY 16TH, 1946

Haifa, July 16th, 1946.

Dear Baha'i Sister:

Your letter of June 20th has been received, and our beloved Guardian has instructed me to answer it on his behalf, also to acknowledge receipt of its enclosures.

He was very glad to see that amongst the actions taken by the N.S.A. at its recent meeting was to allot sums to the Regional Teaching Committees for them to carry on active teaching campaigns and finance travelling teachers and settlers-if possible. He considers this all very important, and he urges you to appeal to the Baha'is to arise and do pioneer work as their fellow-believers are doing in England, India, Egypt and America.

He also feels that, if the N.S.A. considers such a course of action feasible, definite plans should be made for carrying the Cause to certain goal towns; in other words, a real plan with fixed objectives and a time limit is now possible for Australia, and should be speedily set in motion.

Likewise, he feels that the N.S.A. should meet more often, even if all members cannot always be present. Decisions by correspondence lack the vitality of those that arise out of active consultation, and now the Faith is progressing so well there, and has a sound administrative foundation, more vigorous and systematic action is required.

You may be sure all the members of the a.s.sembly are remembered in his prayers, and he is supplicating for their guidance and success in the discharge of their sacred duties.

With loving greetings, R. Rabbani.

[From the Guardian:]

Dear and valued co-workers:

The ever-expanding activities of the Baha'i communities of Australia and New Zealand, so clearly reflected in the reports and minutes forwarded recently by your a.s.sembly, demonstrate the character of the Faith which so powerfully animates you, testify to the loyalty, the vigour and the devotion with which you conduct the affairs of a continually growing Faith, proclaim the soundness of the foundation upon which you are rearing its inst.i.tutions, and augur well for their future evolution and triumph.

The attention of the believers throughout all centres in both communities should now be focussed on the steady multiplication and consolidation of these inst.i.tutions which const.i.tute the bedrock of the Administrative Order of which your a.s.sembly is the appointed trustee and chief promoter.

No sacrifice is too great for the promotion of such an urgent and vital task. A supreme effort, on the part of all, young and old alike, individuals, a.s.semblies and communities, is absolutely essential in the course of the present year, and as a prelude to the initiation of future plans aiming at a still greater development and further enrichment of the life of both communities. All secondary matters should be subordinated to the primary requirements of the present day. The futherance of this n.o.ble objective should be made the object of the anxious and sustained deliberations of your a.s.sembly. The resources of both communities should be devoted to such a purpose. Nothing should be allowed to deflect them from this course. If they persevere the blessings of the Almighty will enable them to achieve exploits far exceeding their fondest expectations.

That they may be graciously aided, in their labours, by Baha'u'llah is my fervent hope and prayer. I feel confident that they will respond to my plea, and arise unitedly to achieve their immediate goal.

Your true and grateful brother, Shoghi.

LETTER OF JULY 31ST, 1946

Haifa, July 31st, 1946

Dear Baha'i Brother:

Your letter-with check enclosed-dated 15th of July was received and our beloved Guardian has instructed me to answer it on his behalf.

He is very sorry that from here he is unable owing to existing regulations, to forward this loving contribution made by both the believers and the N.S.A. to Persia for the Relief Fund. He suggests you try to send it direct to Tehran to the treasurer of this Fund, Mr. Varga.

If you are able to do so, and will arrange to send the money to Mr. Daoud Toeq, he will see it reaches Mr. Varga in Tehran.

Please a.s.sure the members of the N.S.A., and all the friends, of his deep appreciation of this gift to their sorely tried brethren in other lands.

You may be sure he often prays for the success of your work and that of all the N.S.A. members.

With loving greetings, R. Rabbani.

[From the Guardian:]

a.s.suring you of my loving prayers for the success of your efforts in the service of our beloved Faith and of its divinely appointed insitutions,

Your true brother, Shoghi.

LETTER OF MARCH 14TH, 1947

March 14th, 1947.

Dear Baha'i Sister:

Our beloved Guardian has instructed me to answer your letters dated Sep.

2nd and 16th, and Oct. 22nd and 25th, 1946, and to acknowledge receipt of enclosures sent in some of them, and also material forwarded under separate cover. He regrets very much the delay in replying to these N.S.A.

communications, but he has been very preoccupied with various pressing matters the last few months, and his mail has consequently had to wait.

In regard to the various points you raised in your letters: There is no objection to individual Baha'is sending Naw-Ruz cards if they want to; also the N.S.A. can send them out occa.s.sionally, but it should not become a fixed custom.

He has already cabled you that he approves of increasing the delegates to the Annual Convention to 19.

He feels that Committees should be left free to elect their own officers.