LETTER OF 2 FEBRUARY 1957

2 February 1957

The Baha'i Group of Salzburg

He is happy, to hear that the Baha'i friends from Budapest are safely installed in the United States, and that they are going to make an effort to settle in a way that will serve the work on the Home Front.

It was too bad that you lost some of the members of your much-prized Community there, just when you are trying to build up a Spiritual a.s.sembly, but the Guardian hopes you will soon replace them with new believers recruited from the local population, in other words, permanent ones!

He attaches great importance to the creation of an a.s.sembly in Salzburg and will pray that you may be successful in the teaching work there....

[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty bless, abundantly and continually, your high endeavours, guide every step you take, and enable you to lay a firm foundation for our beloved Faith in that city,

Your true brother, Shoghi

LETTER OF 17 MARCH 1957(54)

17 March 1957

He fully appreciates that you are not strong enough to act as National Secretary and at the same time fulfil your functions as a member of the Auxiliary Board, and he therefore approves of your asking the National a.s.sembly, if you are reelected on it this year, to not make you the Secretary. He does not think however that you should resign from the National a.s.sembly if you are elected to it.

LETTER OF 25 MARCH 1957(55)

25 March 1957

Regarding the matters raised in your letter, as he wrote you before, he does not feel in this stage in the development of the Faith and the Inst.i.tution of the Hands, that the Hands should request to not be elected on National Bodies, or resign from them. However, there is no reason why they cannot ask their fellow-members, if they are elected, to leave them free of the heavier administrative offices, so that they can do more in their function as Hands. There is no reason why there should not be a frank discussion of these problems before the National a.s.sembly itself votes for its Officers.

The National a.s.sembly is not obliged to follow the wish of the Hands.(56) It is also not the Body empowered to tell the Hands what to do; they can make suggestions to them.

As regards your highly meritorious desire to pioneer behind the Iron Curtain, he does not feel that this would be advisable or in the best interests of the Faith. You should continue your work where you are in Germany, and do all you can, as a Hand and as a member of the National Body, to see that some pioneers undertake this important service.

LETTER OF 28 MARCH 1957

28 March 1957

As regards the question you have asked: The Baha'i marriage should take place the same day.

It is not necessary that this should be an occasion for a feast or publicity, although that would of course be good if it could be combined with obedience to the Laws. The most important thing is that they should have the Baha'i ceremony, which, as you know, is extremely simple, on the same day as the other ceremony.

LETTER OF 28 APRIL 1957

28 April 1957

The pa.s.sing of dear George Townshend has been a real loss to the work in Europe-but what Europe has lost Asia in the Pacific has gained!

LETTER OF 14 MAY 1957(57)

14 May 1957

He would certainly not advise you to move outside of Germany, in view of the tremendous needs in that country. However, he approves, if you find it financially possible, of your moving to Dortmund where as you say there are no Baha'is, and which is one of Germany's major cities. This would indeed be rendering the Faith a valuable service at this time in setting an example to others. Either Dortmund or Berlin would be highly acceptable, whichever would be easiest for you.

LETTER OF 28 MAY 1957

28 May 1957

To the Youth who were present in Aachen on May 19, 1957.

He was very happy to see that so many of the Baha'i Youth had gathered together to study the Teachings, and hopes such meetings will be held often throughout Germany.

The believers, especially the young ones, should always remember that the first thing the non-Baha'is are going to notice in us is our character; therefore, the highest standard of moral conduct and courtesy should be shown forth by the youth, in order to attract the hearts of other people, and, through arousing their admiration, create in them a desire to know more about our beloved Faith, and eventually to arise to serve it.

He will pray for you all, that you may be successful in your labours, to give the Glad Tidings of Baha'u'llah to the young people....

[From the Guardian:]