--Issue No. 1 December 1924:
To my dearly-beloved brothers and sisters in 'Abdu’l-Baha: care of the American National Spiritual Assembly.
To my dearly-beloved brothers and sisters in 'Abdu’l-Baha: care of the American National Spiritual Assembly.
Dearest Friends:
The day is drawing near when, for the third time, we shall
commemorate the world over the passing of our well-beloved 'Abdul-Baha. May we
not pause for a moment, and gather our thoughts? How has it fared with us, His
little band of followers, since that day? Whither are we now marching? What has
been our achievement?
We have but to turn our eyes to the world without to realize
the fierceness and the magnitude of the forces of darkness that are struggling
with the dawning light of the Abha Revelation. Nations, though exhausted and
disillusioned, have seemingly begun to cherish anew the spirit of revenge, of
domination, and strife. Peoples, convulsed by economic upheavals, are slowly
drifting into two great opposing camps with all their menace of social chaos,
class hatreds, and world-wide ruin. Races, alienated more than ever before, are
filled with mistrust, humiliation and fear, and seem to prepare themselves for
a fresh and fateful encounter. Creeds and religions, caught in this whirlpool
of conflict and passion, appear to gaze with impotence and despair at this
spectacle of unceasing turmoil.
None can deny that the flame of faith and love which His
mighty hand kindled in many hearts has, despite our bereavement, continued to
burn as brightly and steadily as ever before. Who can question that His loved
ones, both in the East and the West, notwithstanding the insidious strivings of
the enemies of the Cause, have displayed a spirit of unshakable loyalty worthy
of the highest praise? What greater perseverance and fortitude than that which
His tried and trusted friends have shown in the face of untold calamities,
intolerable oppression, and incredible restrictions? But such staunchness of
faith, such an unsullied love, such magnificent loyalty, such heroic constancy,
such noble courage, however unprecedented and laudable in themselves, cannot
alone lead us to the final and complete triumph of such a great Cause. Not
until the dynamic love we cherish for Him is sufficiently reflected in its
power and purity in all our dealings with our fellow-men, however remotely
connected and humble in origin, can we hope to exalt in the eyes of a
self-seeking world the genuineness of the all-conquering love of God. Not until
we live ourselves the life of a true Baha’i can we hope to demonstrate the
creative and transforming potency of the Faith we profess. Nothing but the
abundance of our actions, nothing but the purity of our lives and the integrity
of our characters, can in the last resort establish our claim that the Baha’i
spirit is in this day the sole agency that can translate a long-cherished ideal
into an enduring achievement.
With this vision clearly set before us, and fortified by the
knowledge of the gracious aid of Baha’u’llah and the repeated assurances of 'Abdu’l-Baha, let us first strive to live the life and then arise with one
heart, one mind, one voice, to reinforce our numbers and achieve our end. Let
us recall, and seek on this sad occasion the comfort of, the last wishes of our
departed yet ever-watchful Master: --
“It behooveth them not to rest for a moment, neither to seek
repose. They must disperse themselves in every land, pass by every clime, and
travel throughout all regions. Bestirred, without rest, and steadfast to the
end, they must raise in every land the triumphal cry ‘Ya Baha'u'l-Abha!’ (O
Thou the Glory of Glories). ... The disciples of Christ forgot themselves and
all earthly things, forsook all their cares and belongings, purged themselves
of self and passion, and with absolute detachment scattered far and wide and
engaged in calling the peoples of the world to the divine guidance; till at
last they made the world another world, illumined the surface of the earth, and
even to their last hour proved self-sacrificing in the pathway of that beloved
One of God. Finally in various lands they suffered glorious martyrdom. Let them
that are men of action follow in their footsteps!”
Having grasped the significance of these words, having
obtained a clear understanding of the true character of our mission, the
methods to adopt, the course to pursue, and having attained sufficiently the
individual regeneration -- the essential requisite of teaching -- let us arise
to teach His Cause with righteousness, conviction, understanding and vigor. Let
this be the paramount and most urgent duty of every Baha’i. Let us make it the
dominating passion of our life. Let us scatter to the uttermost corners of the
earth; sacrifice our personal interests, comforts, tastes and pleasures; mingle
with the divers kindreds and peoples of the world; familiarize ourselves with
their manners, traditions, thoughts and customs; arouse, stimulate and maintain
universal interest in the Movement, and at the same time endeavor by all the
means in our power, by concentrated and persistent attention, to enlist the
unreserved allegiance and the active support of the more hopeful and receptive
among our hearers. Let us too bear in mind the example which our beloved Master
has clearly set before us. Wise and tactful in His approach, wakeful and
attentive in His early intercourse, broad and liberal in all His public
utterances, cautious and gradual in the unfolding of the essential verities of
the Cause, passionate in His appeal yet sober in argument, confident in tone,
unswerving in conviction, dignified in His manners -- such were the
distinguishing features of our Beloved’s noble presentation of the Cause of
Baha’u’llah.
If we all choose to tread faithfully His path, surely the
day is not far distant when our beloved Cause will have emerged from the
inevitable obscurity of a young and struggling Faith into the broad daylight of
universal recognition. This is our duty, our first obligation. Therein lies the
secret of the success of the Cause we love so well. Therein lies the hope, the
salvation of mankind. Are we fully conscious of our responsibilities? Do we
realize the urgency, the sacredness, the immensity, the glory of our task?
I entreat you, dear friends, to continue, nay, to redouble
your efforts, to keep your vision clear, your hopes undimmed, your
determination unshaken, so that the power of God within us may fill the world
with all its glory.
In this fervent plea joins me the Greatest Holy Leaf. Though
chagrined in the evening of her life at the sorrowful tales of repression in
Persia, she still turns with the deepest longings of her heart to your land
where freedom reigns, eager and expectant to behold, ere she is called away,
the signs of the universal triumph of the Cause she loves so dearly.
(Signed) SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
November 24th, 1924
[This letter was received by the National Spiritual Assembly
at 169 Christopher Street, New York City, on December 12th, and published for
the Baha’is of the United States and Canada.]