Read Ebook: The Light of Divine Guidance (Volume 2) by Shoghi Effendi

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Your true and loving brother, Shoghi

LETTER OF 11 APRIL 1929

He hopes that your number may daily increase and include people of capacity and spiritual insight. It is true that the Cause in Germany has some difficult problems to solve and some differences to overcome, but these should merely arouse as to greater activity. The Cause ever since its inception has been confronting problems, but these have frozen to be a factor in strengthening our faith and adding to our energy.

It is very necessary that we should endeavour to strengthen the National Assembly. Without it no unity and cooperation could be obtained throughout the country.

As you say in your letter private, informal gatherings held in homes where different friendly individuals are invited often give better result for only those who are really interested are attracted and then once attracted they could be traced and kept in touch.

LETTER OF 8 JUNE 1929

The beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful throughout Europe.

Dearly-beloved friends:

I urge every individual believer, and particularly every local Assembly, to endeavour to get into close touch with him, to obtain an insight into the material and spiritual conditions now prevailing in Persia and to seek a clearer understanding of the animating purpose, the distinguishing features and the moving history of the Revelation of Bah?'u'll?h.

May his deliberations and intimate companionship with you serve to draw closer the ties that bind the Eastern and Western sections of the Bah?'? World and prepare the way for the ultimate formation of that international body that must guard the unity, and reinforce the strength of the Bah?'? Faith.

Your true brother, Shoghi

LETTER OF 9 JUNE 1929

Shoghi Effendi wishes me to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated January 23rd 1929 and the enclosed photos of the friends in Rostock. Though your number is still very small yet we hope that through the Master's help and confirmation it will increase until it can in its turn radiate its light to regions around.

Shoghi Effendi will remember you in his prayers and ask for you divine guidance.

My dear co-worker:

I wish to assure you in person of my keen interest in your activities as well as of my fervent prayers for you, that the Beloved may guide your steps, cheer your heart and enable you to fulfil your most cherished desire.

Your true brother, Shoghi

LETTER OF 20 NOVEMBER 1929

The Guardian has always wished to see Esslingen a great and flourishing Bah?'? center, just as our beloved Master always hoped that it may become. Of course you realize that perseverance, enthusiasm and a firm faith in the ultimate success of our Cause is necessary, and when we are assisted by the Almighty there can be no doubt that all our endeavours will be crowned with success.

Assuring you one and all of Shoghi Effendi's warm regards and of his prayers for you,

With the assurance of my deep affection and fervent prayers at the holy Shrines for you,

Your true brother, Shoghi

LETTER OF 30 APRIL 1930

To the Friends gathered at Esslingen

At this season of the year when Bah?'?s throughout the world are celebrating the Ridv?n festivities and are renewing their determination to work and live under the banner of Bah?'u'll?h, Shoghi Effendi is very glad indeed to receive your message.

He wishes me to take the opportunity and assure you of his affection and also of his wish and prayers that you may strive unitedly for the progress of the Faith and its establishment in your land. He hopes that you will stand firm, unaffected by the dark forces around us, and that you will help to carry the message of Bah?'u'll?h far and wide.

...I will continue to pray for you from the depths of my heart. The tests and trials, through which you are passing, are for the good of our beloved Cause. Be happy and hopeful. 'Abdu'l-Bah? will bless you a hundredfold for your perseverance and devoted efforts.

Your true brother, Shoghi

LETTER OF 14 DECEMBER 1930

Shoghi Effendi ... is extremely appreciative of your desire to serve the Cause and help to spread its message of peace throughout the world, and sincerely hopes that the time would come when you would realize this hope and attain your heart's desire.

We are, however, told and urged by the Master to consult with our friends, especially the Assemblies, before we undertake any important decision in our life especially when the subject pertains to any plan of service we have in mind. There are always so many circumstances to take into consideration. Personally Shoghi Effendi has no objection to any such plan of service but would much prefer to have you consider, in consultation with the friends, the subject from all its aspects, among others its financial one.

Meanwhile, Shoghi Effendi hopes that you will devote all your free time to the study of the Teachings, and at the same time help their spread in Germany. Europe with all its menaces of war surely needs the principles of the Cause that are the only foundations for a permanent establishment of peace.

LETTER OF 8 APRIL 1931

Shoghi Effendi wishes me to ... express his great pleasure for the service you have been rendering the friends by visiting them and telling them of your experiences in Haifa. Those who are privileged to visit the shrines and obtain from it its life-giving spirit, should on their return home, diffuse it among the friends, gladden their heart and thus draw them nearer to the source of all blessing.

You mention in your letter that Mr. Herrigel is becoming conscious of the mistake he has made. He surely ought to have studied the true situation before taking sides and expressing his opinion. This is exactly what I wrote to him on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, but he was blinded by Mrs. White. Anyhow, Shoghi Effendi hopes that as time passes the truth that the Master's will encloses will more and more dawn upon him and make him repent for his past deeds.

Convey to the friends in Berlin the expression of my loving appreciation of their devoted endeavours for the promotion of our beloved Cause. May the Beloved bless richly their efforts and enable them to fulfil their heart's desire.

LETTER OF 10 SEPTEMBER 1931

In regard to your father's spiritual testament, which betrays on the part of the author an inadequate knowledge of the Bah?'? Faith, the Guardian feels that you should make it clear to all the inquirers that the late Dr. Forel, as many other persons who have embraced the Cause, did not have a complete understanding of the fundamentals of the Bah?'? religion. He was particularly interested in the social aspect of the Movement and owing to some psychological reasons he did not lay much emphasis on its doctrinal side. This can be explained by the fact that our lamented doctor being advanced in age at the time of his acquaintance with the Bah?'? teachings was not able to devote all his time to a deep study of the tenets of the Faith.

Shoghi Effendi, however, in his letter addressed personally to your father explained to him that the Bah?'?s should firmly believe in the existence of God and in the immortality of the soul and in many other fundamental teachings which the Bah?'?s share with the adherents of many other religions. Our lamented doctor may have most probably considered it unwise to declare openly that he had rejected all his previous conceptions in regard to the existence of God and such similar ideas and preferred to express in an indirect way the many changes which the knowledge of the Faith had brought in his mind by declaring that he had become a Bah?'?.

At any rate there is no doubt whatever that the well-known Tablet revealed by 'Abdu'l-Bah? for him had brought a tremendous change in his monistic theories and induced him to accept the Message openly.

However great the contradictions in Dr. Forel's testament in regard to his attitude towards the Cause we cannot fail but to recognize him as a Bah?'? who had but a partial glimpse of the Bah?'? Revelation. No one can claim that his knowledge of this Revelation is adequate, especially at this time when the Bah?'? Faith is still in the embryonic stage of its development. Dr. Forel was sincere in his convictions but like every human being his comprehension was limited and this was not in his power to change.

These are the ideas which came to Shoghi Effendi's mind when he read a 'r?sum? of Dr. Forel's testament in one of the well-known Swiss journals and he wishes you to share them with all those who are interested to know of the Doctor's attitude towards this Movement....

Dear and valued co-worker:

The passing of your distinguished father has indeed grieved me profoundly and I wish to assure you of my heartfelt sympathy in your irreparable loss. I would deeply appreciate a written account of his eventful life and of the meritorious services he rendered humanity, either from your pen or any other friend in Germany, for publication in the next issue of the Bah?'? World. I feel that his reference to the Cause in the codicil of this testament indicates the perceptible change in his mental outlook since he penned the earlier passages of his will, for he must have known from the Tablet he received as well as from the letters I wrote him and from many other Bah?'? publications the fundamental and distinguishing features of the Cause. That is why I feel that with your consent and approval, the publication of his references to the Cause in his testament could very well be published in the Bah?'? World. With my best wishes and deepest sympathy,

Shoghi

LETTER OF 17 SEPTEMBER 1931

He was particularly gratified to learn of your interesting visits to the different Bah?'? centres in Germany and he wishes me to assure you of their great importance for the unity of the Cause in that land.

The German believers have undoubtedly experienced a very severe trial and their faith has been tested in an unprecedented way. Their staunchness, however, has been admirable and their sincerity deeply rooted. With the exception of a few they have proven that their conversion to the Faith had a solid foundation and that it withstood all the violent storms of recent years.

Shoghi Effendi wishes you to persevere in your work and he fervently prays that the Almighty may assist you and sustain your efforts and to enable you to render great services to the Cause.

Dear and valued co-worker:

Your letter has indeed rejoiced my heart. I strongly feel that you should, if convenient and feasible, concentrate your efforts on Germany and help to consolidate the foundations of the Cause and increase the unity and understanding of the friends. This, I feel, is your great and special mission.

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