Chapter 82
LETTER OF 26 OCTOBER 1950
26 October 1950
Your suggestion regarding a book for the general public is a good one. The question is not only have we Baha'is competent to present this subject in a way which would catch the attention of the public, but also even if such a book existed would it achieve its end? We have, unfortunately, not very many capable Baha'i writers, and the condition of confusion in the world is such that it seems doubtful if such a work would arrest the attention of distracted mankind.
However, we need more and better Baha'i books, and he suggests you present your idea to the German, British and American N.S.A.'s.
LETTER OF 10 FEBRUARY 1951(37)
10 February 1951
The Hamburg situation he trusts is now greatly improved. The believers there must learn to function according to the Administration. When they do this, ninety percent of their problems will be solved.
Regarding your questions concerning the Gleanings:
1st. CXL up until CXLI refers to Mu?ammad-'Ali. The following pages do not.
2nd. The Guardian does not remember to whom Chapter CXLIII refers. He gathered the quotations for the Gleanings from innumerable individual tablets and writings, and did not keep a record of all of them; and has not at present time to go back over this material and find out. He does not consider it important to whom it refers.
3rd. On Page 312, the words "I feign would hope" are merely a very elevated style of English for saying "I hope". This tablet has nothing to do with Mu?ammad-'Ali.
The Guardian asks you to please convey his love to all the members of your dear family, as well as to dear Mrs. Benke.
He very much appreciates the translation you have made of the Gleanings, and hopes that it will soon be in the hands of all the believers, as it is an extremely important volume for acquiring a deeper understanding of the Faith, and greatly enriches the literature available in the German language.
LETTER OF 10 FEBRUARY 1951
10 February 1951
He feels that you should not ask the believers not to elect you to the Spiritual a.s.sembly during the coming year. However, you might ask your fellow-members not to elect you as Chairman or as an officer of the Spiritual a.s.sembly, if you are reelected to that body. This will lighten your work, and enable you, if you do not feel well enough, to omit attending some of the meetings; but your presence on the a.s.sembly, if elected to it, the Guardian feels is important, because of your long experience in the Faith and your loyalty and tact....
Your long and devoted services to the Faith are very deeply valued; and he feels you have every reason to be happy as you look about you and see the great progress made in Germany, and the fact that the believers there are more loyal, more active and more numerous than ever before.
LETTER OF 5 APRIL 1951
5 April 1951
To the Believers who were present on World Youth Day held at Heidelberg.
Dear Baha'i Friends:
Your message of March 25th has been received by our beloved Guardian; and he was most happy to know that so many of the Baha'is were present on this occasion.
He urges you all to concentrate your time and energies on spreading the Cause, and not to become distracted by the extremely confused condition of the world and the acuteness of the problems facing humanity.
There is only one answer to these problems, and that is the Message of Baha'u'llah; and we, His followers, are the ones who alone can carry this Message to our fellow-men before it is too late.
You may be sure he will remember you all in his prayers in the Holy Shrines, and supplicate for the rapid expansion of the Cause in Germany and the consolidation of its administrative inst.i.tutions....
[From the Guardian:]
May the Almighty bless, guide and sustain you always, remove every obstacle from your path, and enable you to promote, at all times, the vital interests of its nascent inst.i.tutions,
Your true brother, Shoghi
LETTER OF 22 APRIL 1951
22 April 1951
Baha'i Youth Committee of Germany and Austria
He hopes that the German youth, in spite of the fact that they now have Persian co-workers in their midst, will consider that the work in Germany is their responsibility, primarily, and not the responsibility of foreign students, whether they be Persians, Americans, or from any other nation.
Each country must create its own active corps of servants; and it is only right and proper that the German youth should do the lion's share of their work, and not permit other people to do it for them. He feels that the German Baha'i young people have made great progress during the last few years, and prays that they may continue to do so; and he urges you all to concentrate your efforts on this important branch of Baha'i activity; namely, consolidating and strengthening the activities of the young men and women enrolled in the Cause of G.o.d in that country.
LETTER OF 31 MAY 1951
31 May 1951
He sees no objection to... going to Persia for a visit. It would be a happy experience for him to meet with the believers there. However, he feels you should bear in mind that administrative experience and practice is not the strong point in the East; on the contrary, the Baha'i Administration has, as far as being grasped by the average Baha'i goes, made far greater progress in the West, particularly America.