The main thing, however, is that all the believers should at all times feel conscious of their deep unity and brotherhood in the Cause of G.o.d, and that with love and understanding they should arise to overcome every problem, knowing that the Master will help and a.s.sist them to do so.

Firmness in the Covenant is their Fortress, their greatest protection, and new Baha'is should be taught this before they are admitted into the Community. In this way they will be given the spiritual strength to overcome the tests which are inevitable, and which strengthen the growth of the Community and drive its roots deeper in the soil of faith.

He hopes your Baha'i work will make great progress during this Baha'i year...

[From the Guardian:]

Dear and valued co-workers:

Your joint and most welcome message brought great joy to my heart, as I feel greatly attached to, and greatly value the sentiments of the members of a community which has distinguished itself by its zeal, its accomplishments, its long record of service, and on which the Beloved has conferred such great bounties and blessings. I cherish great hopes for its future, and will supplicate on its behalf, that the Almighty may enable it to render His Faith still more notable services, and contribute, in an outstanding manner, to the onward march of the Faith and the development of its inst.i.tutions in that promising country.

Your true and grateful brother, Shoghi

LETTER OF 5 JUNE 1949

5 June 1949

You have asked for his advice about two matters which concern you very deeply, and although he knows your love for this Holy Cause will a.s.sist you in making the right decisions, he knows it will be hard for you to do so, and therefore a.s.sures you of his loving prayers that you may take these steps courageously, and that the way may be made easy for you.

He has heard nothing against the character of Mrs ... and does not doubt in many ways she may be a very commendable woman. However, this does not change the fact that in view of her inhered convictions about Baha'u'llah it is best for the Baha'is, including yourself, not to a.s.sociate with her.

That which is in the heart of those who have actively opposed the Manifestation of G.o.d is spiritually unhealthy, and although we in our limited human understanding cannot always see the wisdom of shunning them, the Master has instructed us to do so, and for our good, and the good of the Cause, we must obey this instruction.

The matter of your giving up your church membership is a conscientious obligation. He does not force you to do so, but as you no longer believe in all the doctrines of your former church, to continue to be a member of it is really to put yourself in a position of one who is acting insincerely. Should you decide to withdraw from the church as a member, however there is no reason why you should not continue to go to church with your husband, and to continue your friendly a.s.sociation with the congregation. He will pray that your husband may be willing for you to take this step.

LETTER OF 30 SEPTEMBER 1949(34)

30 September 1949

He fully appreciates your point about certain well-known names of Persian and other Oriental cities being spelt according to the general usage in German literature. However, he feels that it is necessary to follow in full the transliteration used in G.o.d Pa.s.ses By, even for the names of famous cities, etc., which have in European languages an accepted way of being spelt. Only by doing this can confusion be avoided in our Baha'i translations and uniformity be maintained.

A key to p.r.o.nunciation should be printed, in order to coordinate it with the German language, and also an explanation of the reason for this system being used: namely that it was adopted by an international Congress as being the most practical and universal means of spelling these oriental names in the latin alphabet.

He hopes that the fact that two people translated different parts of this book will not be noticeable in the style, and thus detract from its literary value in German?

Your labours, and those of the other friends concerned in getting this valuable history ready to be printed in German, are deeply appreciated....

[From the Guardian:]

May the Beloved of our hearts, whose Faith you are serving with distinction, zeal and loyalty, reward you a thousandfold for your constant and notable services, aid you to extend continually the range of your activities, and win still greater victories for its inst.i.tutions,

Your true and grateful brother, Shoghi

LETTER OF 20 OCTOBER 1949

20 October 1949

National Youth Committee of the Baha'is of Germany and Austria

Dear Baha'i Brother:

Your letter of September 3, with enclosed report of the Baha'i Youth Summer School, was received, and the beloved Guardian thanks you for it.

He read with interest the report of the activities of the Youth, and was particularly pleased to see that Dr. Grossmann had given a course on the Covenant. The Youth must ponder deeply over the significance and implications of the Covenants of Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha, for these form the hub of the Baha'i wheel, so to speak, the point of unity and strength for all the believers all over the world. Without these Covenants the Divine Protection of G.o.d over this new world Faith would not exist.

Obedience to these Covenants is the stronghold of all the Baha'is, everywhere.

The Youth must grasp this fundamental truth, for this will strengthen them in their service to the Cause, as nothing else can or will.

Another thing he wants the young people to do is to set an example in obedience to the Administration, and to rise above the tendency, alas, so p.r.o.nounced in some of the friends, to consider personalities instead of principles. This Cause is based on spiritual laws, and we must consider these, and obey them, and not lose time in thinking about the individual person's peculiarities, or opinions...

[From the Guardian:]

May the Beloved bless, sustain and guide you, to enable you, to acquire a fuller understanding of the implications of G.o.d's Covenant in this day, and contribute effectively to its clarification and its comprehension by the believers.

Your true brother, Shoghi

LETTER OF 22 OCTOBER 1949

22 October 1949

To the Spiritual a.s.sembly of Bergstra.s.se

Dear Baha'i Friends:

Your letter dated March 27, has been received by our beloved Guardian, as well as the report of the activities of your a.s.sembly, and he thanks you for sending him this information.

He, likewise, wishes to thank Mr. Adolf Lorey for his letter to him of July 30, enclosing a newspaper clipping concerning Sohrab.

He feels your a.s.sembly, wisely and lovingly, must guide the friends to a firmer grasp of both the independent nature of our glorious Faith and the need to study and uphold its Administrative Order.