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

Dear Baha'i Friends:

Our Beloved Guardian has been greatly encouraged by reports reaching him from all parts of the Baha'i World of the victories already gained, and the plans being laid for the prosecution of the Ten Year Crusade.

They have evoked his awe-inspiring, and soul-stirring cablegram of May 28th, calling for the immediate settlement of all the 131 virgin areas of the Plan. He is convinced that the Friends will arise and translate their enthusiasm into Action, because the Keynote of the Crusade must be Action, Action, Action!

The Beloved Guardian has directed me to write your a.s.sembly to amplify some of the aspects of his dynamic message.

The settlement of these virgin areas is of such an emergency nature, that he feels pioneering in one of them, takes precedence over every other type of Baha'i service-whether it be in the teaching or administrative fields of the Faith.

In the United States some 150 people have volunteered for pioneer service, and some of them already are preparing to leave for their posts. The Guardian has informed the United States National a.s.sembly, that because of their being the Chief Executor of the Divine Plan of 'Abdu'l-Baha for teaching throughout the World, their pioneers may be sent to any virgin area in the world, regardless to which NSA it may be a.s.signed. If any of their pioneers wish to settle in any of the areas a.s.signed to your a.s.sembly, they will communicate with you.

The Friends in Australia and New Zealand have displayed such outstanding devotion and consecration to the Faith, that despite all obstacles they have continuously "scattered" to various parts to spread the Divine Teachings. The Beloved Guardian is sure they will do likewise in connection with this great Crusade and will settle promptly many virgin areas.

There are some general observations which the Guardian shares with you, and then some specific suggestions which are enumerated below:

1. Every individual who offers to pioneer, should be encouraged and a.s.sisted in every way possible by the National a.s.sembly.

2. Every application for pioneering must be expedited, and not allowed to drag in any way, either in the handling of the NSA, or any Committee working out the details for the NSA.

3. The National a.s.sembly must make the settlement of their virgin areas, the first order of their business. In other words, nothing is more important at this time, than settlement in the 131 virgin areas.

4. More than two pioneers should not be sent to any one place; unless, of course, they are members of one family. In fact, what is wanted is to settle each area with Baha'is, and therefore, one Baha'i will fulfill the initial task.

The specific suggestions which the Guardian makes, are: a. Areas close at hand and easy of settlement should be filled first. Then the areas more difficult, and finally, the difficult ones.

b. Whenever a pioneer enters a new territory, a cable should be sent at once to the Beloved Guardian, giving the name, place and any pertinent information.

c. A report should be sent each month by your a.s.sembly to the Secretary General of the International Baha'i Council, giving the progress of your teaching work in the virgin areas of the Plan, particularly the development of your plans for settling them. This does not mean your a.s.sembly should correspond with the International Council concerning administrative matters; as all administrative matters should be handled in the usual manner, directly with the Guardian. It simply means that reports and data concerning the development of the plan should be sent to the International Council for consolidation with other reports, for the Guardian.

d. The Guardian feels the following areas should be easily settled and he would appreciate your arranging to send pioneers there at the earliest possible date. Portugese Timor, New Hebrides Islands, Admiralty Islands; and then the other Islands as you can place pioneers on them.

As his dramatic cable indicates, the Guardian is preparing an illuminated "Roll of Honor", on which will be inscribed the names of the "Knights of Baha'u'llah" who first enter these 131 virgin areas. This "Roll of Honor"

will be placed inside the entrance door of the Inner Sanctuary of The Tomb of Baha'u'llah.

From time to time, the Guardian will announce to the Baha'i World, the names of those Holy Souls who arise under the conditions outlined in his message, and settle these areas, and conquer them for G.o.d.

Now is the time for the Baha'is of the World to demonstrate the spiritual vitality of the Faith, and to arise as one soul to spread the Glory of the Lord over the face of the Earth. The Guardian is sure the spiritual power released with the launching of this Great Ten Year Global Crusade, will carry the consecrated and devoted friends to complete victory.

He will pray for the members of your a.s.sembly, whose sacrificial services he greatly values.

Faithfully yours, Leroy Ioas

a.s.sistant Secretary.

LETTER OF JUNE 23, 1953

Haifa, Israel, June 23, 1953

Miss Gretta S. Lamprill, Secretary, National Spiritual a.s.sembly of the Baha'is of Australia and New Zealand

Dear Baha'i Sister:

Your letters of June 18, July 29, October 7, 21 and 24 (2), November 10 and 18, 1952, and February 19, May 18 and 21, 1953 have been received by the beloved Guardian, and he has instructed me to answer you on his behalf. The various enclosures as well as material forwarded under separate cover were also received.

Owing to extreme pressure of work here, which is getting worse all the time, he has not been able to answer any N.S.A. letters from any country for almost a year. He regrets this but unfortunately it was unavoidable.

As you can see, all your communications reached him, but he was too busy to reply.

He appreciated your a.s.sembly's gift of books gotten out by the Child Education Committee, and a.s.sures you that the four copies of the bulletin "Herald of the South", "Baha'i Youth Journal" and other material which you sent, are quite satisfactory.

The thing that is most difficult for the Guardian is to have to read through a sheaf of material in order to extract the salient information on such vital subjects as pioneer activities, important decisions of the National a.s.sembly or the Teaching Committee etc. Two words in the text of your letter might convey important items in a succinct and summarized manner.

He was delighted to hear that as many as thirty of the Australian believers are planning to attend the New Delhi Conference, and that a large number of N.S.A. members, if not all, will be present. In a way, the New Delhi Conference is one of the most important of all four conferences to be held during the Holy Year, because at it, eight National a.s.semblies must be represented and their joint teaching endeavor covers vast areas of the globe, areas practically hitherto untouched by the Message of Baha'u'llah.

He was glad to hear that the Convention this year and the Pacific School held afterward had been such a success.

He was sorry to learn that after all, it was not possible for Mr. and Mrs.

Katzmann to go to New Britain. He hopes that they or others will follow through this project, as it is an extremely important one.

The best photographs available of the Shrine of the Bab at present are to be obtained from the American N.S.A., as films are placed at their disposal, and they can fulfill your requirements. He suggests you get in touch with Mr. Holley.

Shoghi Effendi hopes that at the New Delhi Conference the contribution which the representatives from Australia and New Zealand will make will be vital and will carry the work forward much faster. It will be a truly unique opportunity for the representatives of so many National a.s.semblies to consult about the vast pioneers regions which will be entrusted to their care, and every advantage should be taken of it, as it may not recur again ever.

With warm Baha'i love, R. Rabbani.

P.S. The Guardian has been greatly encouraged by the way the believers of Australia and New Zealand succeeded in their Plan carried out the last few years. He hopes for still greater things from them in the days to come!

[From the Guardian:]

Dear and valued co-workers:

The victorious conclusion of the Plan formulated by your a.s.sembly, which posterity will recognize as a landmark of the utmost significance in the development of the Faith of Baha'u'llah in the Antipodes, has filled my heart with joy and thanksgiving, has evoked profound admiration in the hearts of the followers of the Faith in both Hemispheres, and fully qualified the Baha'i Communities in Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania to embark upon their Ten-Year Plan, which const.i.tutes so important and vital a phase of the global Crusade launched by their sister Communities in every continent of the globe.

This new milestone in the history of the Faith in Australasia signalizes the opening of a new chapter in the progressive unfoldment of the Mission of these communities-a Mission that embraces both their homelands as well as the neighbouring Island of the South Pacific Ocean and where their most brilliant exploits, testifying to their heroism and devotion, must be achieved and their greatest victories won.

A twofold task of far-reaching importance, at once thrilling and arduous, now faces them, involving the steady multiplication and consolidation of the nascent inst.i.tutions of the Faith in Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania and the erection of the Administrative structure of the Faith in the islands and archipelagos beyond the sh.o.r.es of the Australian continent.

The despatch of pioneers to the seven virgin islands a.s.signed to the National a.s.sembly of the Baha'is of Australia and New Zealand is the first and most vital objective of the newly launched Ten-Year Plan, requiring urgent consideration, careful planning, and energetic action, in the course of the current year. Every effort should be exerted and the utmost sacrifice should be made, to ensure, ere the opening year of this great and historic Plan draws to a close, the settlement of at least one pioneer in each of these Islands-an achievement which will seal with success the opening phase of the collective enterprise auspiciously launched by your a.s.sembly on the occasion of the centenary celebrations of the birth of Baha'u'llah's Mission.

Second in importance and far-reaching in its repercussions is the selection and purchase by your a.s.sembly-an undertaking to which Baha'i National a.s.semblies, as well as I myself, will contribute-of the site of the first Ma_sh_riqu'l-A_dh_kar in the Antipodes, to be situated either within or in the immediate outskirts of, the city of Sydney, the leading and oldest Baha'i Centre in the Australian continent, and which already houses the National Administrative Headquarters of your a.s.sembly.

These two essential obligations, as well as the task of consolidating steadily the prizes already won in the administrative field in that continent, must take precedence over all other obligations a.s.sumed by the prosecutors of the Plan, and will, if fulfilled in time, const.i.tute a splendid prelude to its systematic execution and eventual consummation.