Effendi Shoghi

“ I rejoice at this remarkable evidence of the vitality of the Faith which animates the members of the small yet highly promising community of His followers in that far off northern region of the globe, a region destined to play an important role in shaping the spiritual destinies of the great Republic of the west of which it forms a part, and to contribute, in no small measure, to the establishment of the institutions of His World Order throughout the American continent. ”

“ The believers are, for the most part, young in the Cause, and if they make mistakes it is not half as important as if their spirit is crushed by being told all the time—do this and don’t do that! The new National Body should be like a loving parent, watching over and helping its children, and not like a stern judge, waiting for an opportunity to display his judicial powers. ”

“ The spirit of heroic self-sacrifice, and of unflinching resolve that has prompted you to undertake so noble and sacred a mission, and make such a warm and immediate response to his recent teaching call addressed to the American believers cannot but fill all hearts with admiration and praise, and evoke the memory of those acts of unrivalled heroism, of selfless and unstinted devotion that have characterized the lives of the immortal heroes of the Apostolic age of our beloved Faith. ”

“ May the Spirit of Bahá’u’lláh, whose cause you and your fellow-workers serve with such love, zeal and devotion, guide and sustain you, aid you to lend, in the days to come, an unprecedented impetus to the spread of the Faith, and the multiplication of its institutions, and win memorable victories. ”

“ Though labouring in an age and under circumstances wholly different from those in which those early pioneers of the Cause have been privileged to labour, yet it is that selfsame spirit of entire self-forgetfulness, of whole-hearted and unwavering loyalty, and of absolute consecration that is now, in this Formative period, inspiring you, and all our dear American Bahá’í pioneers, to forsake their all and undergo such privations and suffering in order to speed up and ensure the triumph of the Cause of God. ”

“ I appeal to the members of the American National Spiritual Assembly to persevere in their highly laudable endeavours on behalf of a Community so small yet so valiant and promising, and to ensure by every means in their power the steady development and consolidation of the institutions of an Order to whose rise and establishment they have so conspicuously contributed. ”

“ First they must themselves live in accordance with those principles, then guide the people. Perchance, God willing, the lights of the most great guidance may illumine that country and the breezes of the rose garden of the love of God may perfume the nostrils of the inhabitants of Alaska. ”

“ Rest assured that the Guardian will incessantly and most fervently supplicate on your behalf, that the invisible hosts of the Kingdom may continually reinforce and guide your efforts, and enable you to attain this assuredly high and noble goal you have set yourself to attain in service to Bahá’u’lláh and His Cause. ”

“ The bud, the flower, the fruit are only symbols to convey to us the sense of the progress being made by man in receiving ever fuller Revelations from God. In spite of the vast spiritual significance of what Bahá’u’lláh has brought to the world we humans have infinite progress to make in the future. Future Prophets will bring us new laws suitable to our state of development and continue to educate us on this planet, but they will be under the shadow of Bahá’u’lláh for five thousand centuries. ”

“ The very illuminating report you had given him covering the general social and religious conditions prevailing in that land clearly reveals the nature and extent of the obstacles which you have to face and surmount in the prosecution of your teaching task. But surely for such valiant and steadfast pioneers like you there is no difficulty, however seemingly insurmountable, which cannot be effectively overcome, as Bahá’u’lláh is assuredly guiding and reinforcing your labours through the unseen hosts of His Kingdom. ”

“ That the members of this community may neither falter nor fail, that they may set an example worthy of emulation of their fellow-workers in all continents of the globe, that they may achieve such feats, in the course of the attainment of their high objectives, as shall eclipse the past achievements of their spiritual brethren in the North American continent and throughout Latin America, is the object of my constant prayer for them in the Holy Shrines as well as my heart’s most cherished desire. ”

“ In this way you will find that your work goes ahead speedily, and that the National Body is like the beating of a healthy heart in the midst of the Community, pumping spiritual love, energy and encouragement out to all the members. ”

“ What is needed to achieve success in the teaching field is a complete dedication on the part of the individual, consecration to the glorious task of spreading the Faith, and the living of the Bahá’í life, because that creates the magnet for the Holy Spirit, and it is the Holy Spirit which quickens the new soul. Thus, the individual should be as a reed, through which the Holy Spirit may flow, to give new life to the seeking soul. ”

“ The Guardian was very happy to learn that the teaching work in Alaska is being accelerated. May the momentum being gained, not be lost, but on the other hand intensified, so the forthcoming National Assembly may have a wide and strong base.
The world is seeking for a solution for its increasing problems, and if the friends arise with the dynamic spirit of the Faith, assured of final victory, many seeking souls will enter the Faith, and find eternal life. ”

“ The tests and trials which it must, sooner or later, experience in the course of its unfoldment and consolidation will severely challenge its spirit and resources. The path which it must tread ere the full evidence of its latent capacities are manifested will be long, tortuous and stony. The indomitable faith which now so powerfully animates its members, however, will, beyond the shadow of a doubt, enable them to overcome whatever obstacles may confront them in the future, and ensure the ultimate attainment of their high destiny. ”

“ Your letter of June 27th has been received by the beloved Guardian, and he has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.
You must feel proud of the achievements in Anchorage, and in Alaska generally. He himself is very happy over, and proud of, the work accomplished there, particularly in recent years.
You should not worry about attacks on the Faith, as these in the end cannot but result in the further growth of the Faith. You should face the coming formation of the National Spiritual Assembly of Alaska with joy and confidence, as it will rest on a firm and promising foundation. ”

“ The Six Year Plan, to which this community is now committed, and which should be regarded as the chief and immediate instrument designed to ensure the triumphant conclusion of the initial stage in the unfoldment of its destiny, must be energetically prosecuted however great the sacrifices involved, and must receive the concentrated, the continuous and prayerful consideration of its national elected representatives. All must participate in furthering its interests and in ensuring its ultimate and complete success. ”

“ The task now facing this highly promising, spiritually dynamic community, at the hour of its emergence as an independent member of the embryonic World Bahá’í Commonwealth, is truly formidable; the responsibilities which it valiantly shoulders, at this crucial hour in its evolution are sacred, heavy, manifold and inescapable. ”

“ He will certainly pray that you may entirely over-come your fear-complex. When you concentrate your thoughts on realizing that you now belong to Bahá’u’lláh, are His servant whom He loves and will always help, if you ask Him to, and that the great spiritual strength of the Cause of God is behind you for you to draw upon, you will soon see your fears melting away. ”

“ There is such a confusion in the world today, so much uncertainty, so much materialism, that it is very hard to hold the attention of even the more spiritually minded people. But we must persevere and do our best knowing this is our duty and that conditions will eventually change completely and follow Bahá’u’lláh’s Pattern. ”

“ He feels that now that you have found the thing you were searching for inwardly, and have this added joy in your life of our glorious Faith, you should be kinder to your husband and more considerate than ever, and do everything in your power to make him feel that this has not taken you away from him, but only made your love for him and your desire to be a good wife to him, greater. Whether he will ultimately be able to become a Bahá’í or not, is something that only time can tell ”

“ As they are a relatively uncivilized people, unused to the modern cosmopolitan forms of life, and consequently not au courant with the thoughts which to us have become mere commonplace, he would advise you to approach them through love, friendliness, and association, until you are in a position to enter into their confidence, and gradually teach them, in a simple way, the great truths of our Faith. ”

“ Nor must the vital obligation of converting as speedily as possible, both the Eskimos and the American Indians, who, as time passes, must assume a notable share in the diffusion of the Faith and the establishment of its rising Order in these regions, be, under any circumstances neglected; and last but not least, the selection and purchase of a site for the Mother Temple of Alaska, in the city of Anchorage or its suburbs, must be carefully considered and suitable action taken at the earliest opportunity. ”

“ If the friends arise with consecration, devotion, and zeal—so the Holy Spirit may descend through them, to those who are wandering the deserts of material chaos—they will be surprised at the victories which will be won. ”

“ We cannot picture Him or His state, but if we did, we would be His equals, not His creatures. God is never flesh, but mirrored in the attributes of His Prophets we see His Divine characteristics and perfections. ”

“ But we believe God is a spiritual Being and did create it; how we do not know. We will have experience of God’s spirit through His Prophets in the next world, but God is too great for us to know without this Intermediary. ”