Bahá’í News/Inserts/Issue 190/Twenty-Fifth Anniversary of the Guardianship/Text

Twenty-fifth Anniversary of the Guardianship

Proofread onceReturn to PDF view

[Page 1]

Twenty-fifth Anniversary of the Guardianship

January 6, 1947

The Unfoldment of the Guardianship

In His Will and Testament the Master wrote: "After the passing of this wronged one, it is incumbent . . . to turn unto Shoghi Effendi—the youthful branch branched from the two hallowed and sacred Lote-trees. . . as he is the sign of God, the chosen branch, the guardian of the Cause of God, he unto whom all. . . must turn. He is the expounder of the words of God. . ." And so ‘Abdu’l-Bahá projected into the future the care and protection which He had always shown to the believers. The loving command had been spoken; the way of unity was plain; the Faith of God was protected and its progress assured.

1922

In the early letters from Shoghi Effendi we sense the struggle and sacrifice he faced in assuming the unprecedented responsibilities of the Guardianship.

"At this early hour when the morning light is just breaking over the holy Land, whilst the gloom of the dear Master's bereavement is still hanging thick upon our hearts, I feel as if my soul turns in yearning love and full of hope to that great company of His loved ones across the seas, who now share with us all the agonies of His Separation."

"May I also express my heartfelt desire that the friends of God in every land regard me in no other light but that of a true brother, united with them in our common servitude. . ."

"Now that my long hours of rest and meditation are happily at an end, I turn my face with renewed hope and vigor to that vast continent the soil of which is pregnant with those seeds that our beloved Master has so tenderly and so profusely scattered in the past. Prolonged though this period has been, yet I have strongly felt ever since the New Day has dawned upon me that such a needed retirement, despite the temporary dislocations it might entail, would far outweigh in its results any immediate service I could have humbly tendered at the Threshold of Bahá’u’lláh."

1923

"And, now, that this all-important Work may suffer no neglect, but rather function vigorously and continuously in every part of the Bahá’í world; that the unity of the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh may remain secure and inviolate, it is of the utmost importance that in accordance with the explicit text of the Kitáb-í-Aqdas, the Most Holy Book, in every locality, be it city or hamlet, where the number of adult (21 years and above) declared believers exceeds nine, a local 'Spiritual Assembly' be forthwith established. To it all local matters pertaining to the Cause must be directly and immediately referred for full consultation and decision."

1924

"Let us also bear in mind that the keynote of the Cause of God is not dictatorial authority but humble fellowship, not arbitrary power, but the spirit of frank and loving consultation. Nothing short of the spirit of a true Bahá’í can hope to reconcile the principles of mercy and justice, of freedom and submission, of the sanctity of the right of the individual and of self-surrender, of vigilance, candor, and courage on the other." discretion and prudence on the one hand, and fellowship,

"Not by the force of numbers, not by the mere exposition of a set of new and noble principles, not by an organized campaign of teaching—no matter how worldwide and elaborate in its character—not even by the staunchness of our faith or the exaltation of our enthusiasm, can we ultimately hope to vindicate in the eyes of a critical and sceptical age the supreme claim of the Abhá Revelation. One thing and only one thing will unfailingly and alone secure the undoubted triumph of this sacred Cause, namely, the extent to which our inner life and private character mirror forth in their manifold aspects the splendor of those eternal principles proclaimed by Bahá’u’lláh."

1926

"I feel... that in view of the expansion and the growing importance of the administrative sphere of the Cause, the general sentiments and tendencies prevailing among the friends, and the signs of increasing interdependence among the National Spiritual Assemblies throughout the world, the assembled accredited representatives of the American believers should exercise not only the vital and responsible right of electing the National Assembly, but should also fulfill the functions of an enlightened, consultative and cooperative body that will enrich the experience, enhance the prestige, and assist the deliberations of the National Spiritual Assembly."

"The administrative machinery of the Cause having now sufficiently evolved, its aim and object fairly well grasped and understood, and its method and working made more familiar to every believer, I feel the time is ripe when it should be fully and consciously utilized to further the purpose for which it has been created. It should... be made to serve a twofold purpose. On one hand, it should aim at a steady and gradual expansion of the Movement along lines that are at once broad, sound and universal; and on the other it should insure the internal consolidation of the work already achieved. It should both provide the impulse whereby the dynamic forces latent in the Faith can unfold, crystalize, and shape the lives and conduct of men, and serve as a medium for the interchange of thought and the coordination of activities among the divers elements that constitute the Bahá’í community." [Page 2]

GUARDIANSHIP

1929

"The Declaration of Trust, the provisions of which you have so splendidly conceived, and formulated with such assiduous care, marks yet another milestone on the road of progress along which you are patiently and determinedly advancing. Clear and concise in its wording, sound in principle, and complete in its affirmations of the fundamentals of Bahá’í administration, it stands in its final form as a worthy and faithful exposition of the constitutional basis of Bahá’í communities in every land, foreshadowing the final emergence of the world Bahá’í Commonwealth of the future."

In Shoghi Effendi's first letters to us as Guardian he enclosed translations of prayers, and through these years he has continually widened our spiritual horizons by translations of superlative beauty. A mere listing gives some indication of the loving labor involved:

1925—Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh 1931—Kitáb-i-Iqán 1932—The Dawn-Breakers 1935—Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh 1938—Prayers and Meditations of Bahá’u’lláh 1941—Epistle to the Son of the Wolf

1931

"For Bahá’u’lláh . . . has not only imbued mankind with a new and regenerating Spirit. He has not merely enunciated certain universal principles, or propounded a particular philosophy, however potent, sound and universal these may be. In addition to these He, as well as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá after Him, have, unlike the Dispensations of the past, clearly and specifically laid down a set of Laws, established definite institutions, and provided for the essentials of a Divine Economy. These are destined to be a pattern for future society, a supreme instrument for the establishment of the Most Great Peace, and the one agency for the unification of the world, and the proclamation of the reign of righteousness and justice upon the earth."

1932

"That the Cause associated with the name of Bahá’u’lláh feeds itself upon those hidden springs of celestial strength which no force of human personality, whatever its glamour, can replace; that its reliance is solely upon that mystic Source with which no worldly advantage, be it wealth, fame, or learning can compare; that it propagates itself by ways mysterious and utterly at variance with the standards accepted by the generality of mankind, will, if not already apparent, become increasingly manifest as it forges ahead towards fresh conquests in its struggle for the spiritual regeneration of mankind."

"Let them refrain from associating themselves, whether by word or by deed, with the political pursuits of their respective nations, with the policies of their governments and the schemes and programs of parties and factions."

1934

And then came that tremendous message published under the title The Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh. In its four major parts we have a summary of the "fundamental verities", the "root principles" of the Faith.

"To obtain a more adequate understanding of the significance of Bahá’u’lláh’s stupendous Revelation must . . . remain the first obligation and the object of the constant endeavor of each one of its loyal adherents."

"The Faith of Bahá’u’lláh should indeed be regarded, if we wish to be faithful to the tremendous implications of its message, as the culmination of a cycle, the final stage in a series of successive or preliminary and progressive revelations."

. . . it emphatically repudiates the claim to be regarded as the final revelation of God's will and purpose for mankind. . . the fundamental principle which constitutes the bedrock of Bahá’í belief, the principle that religious truth is not absolute but relative, that Divine Revelation is orderly, continuous and progressive and not spasmodic or final."

... the twin pillars that support this mighty Administrative Structure—the institutions of the Guardianship and of the Universal House of Justice . . . should be regarded as divine in origin, essential in their functions and complementary in their aim and purpose. Their common, their fundamental object is to insure the continuity of that divinely-appointed authority which flows from the Source of our Faith, to safeguard the unity of its followers and to maintain the integrity and flexibility of its teachings. Acting in conjunction with each other these two inseparable institutions administer its affairs, coordinate its activities, promote its interests, execute its laws and defend its subsidiary institutions. Severally, each operates within a clearly defined sphere of jurisdiction; each is equipped with its own attendant institutions—institutions designed for the effective discharge of its particular responsibilities and duties. Each exercises, within the limitations imposed upon it, its powers, its authority, its rights and prerogatives. These are neither contradictory, nor detract in the slightest degree from the position which each of these institutions occupies. Far from being incompatible or mutually destructive, they supplement each other's authority and functions, and are permanently and fundamentally united in their aims."

"No Guardian of the Faith . . . can ever claim to be the perfect exemplar of the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh or the stainless mirror that reflects His light. Though overshadowed by the unfailing, the unerring protection of Bahá’u’lláh and the Báb, and however much he may share with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá the right and obligation to interpret the Bahá’í teachings, he remains essentially human and cannot, if he wishes to remain faithful to his trust, arrogate to himself, under any pretence whatsoever, the privileges and prerogatives which Bahá’u’lláh has chosen to confer upon His Son."

• * *

1936

"Into such a period (of intense turmoil) we are now steadily and irresistibly moving. Amidst the shadows which are increasingly gathering about us we can faintly discern the glimmerings of Bahá’u’lláh’s unearthly sovereignty appearing fitfully on the horizon of history. To us, the "generation of the half-light", living at a time which may be designated as the period of the incubation of the World Commonwealth envisaged by Bahá’u’lláh, has been assigned a task whose high privilege we can [Page 3] ...never sufficiently appreciate, and the arduousness of which we can as yet but dimly recognize. . . We stand on the threshold of an age whose convulsions proclaim alike the death-pangs of the old order and the birthpangs of the new.”

“Ceasing to call itself a movement, a fellowship and the like—designations that did grave injustice to its ever-unfolding system—dissociating itself from such appellations as Bábi sect, Asiatic cult, and offshoot of Shí’ih Islám, with which the ignorant and the malicious were wont to describe it, refusing to be labeled as a mere philosophy of life, or as an eclectic code of ethical conduct, or even as a new religion, the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh is now visibly succeeding in demonstrating its claim and title to be regarded as a World Religion . . .”

“Their Faith, Bahá’ís firmly believe, is moreover undenominational, non-sectarian, and wholly divorced from every ecclesiastical system, whatever its form, origin, or activities. No ecclesiastical organization, with its creeds, its traditions, its limitations, and exclusive outlook, can be said (as is the case with all existing political factions, parties, systems and programs) to conform, in all its aspects, to the cardinal tenets of Bahá’í belief. To some of the principles and ideals animating political and ecclesiastical institutions every conscientious follower of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh can, no doubt, readily subscribe. With none of these institutions, however, can he identify himself, nor can he unreservedly endorse the creeds, the principles and programs on which they are based.”

To the Convention in 1936 came the historic cable which started the First Seven Year Plan—“Convey to American believers abiding gratitude efforts unitedly exerted in teaching field. Inaugurated campaign should be vigorously pursued, systematically extended. Appeal to assembled delegates ponder historic appeal voiced by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Tablets of the Divine Plan. Urge earnest deliberation with incoming National Assembly to insure its complete fulfillment. First century of Bahá’í era drawing to a close. Humanity entering outer fringes most perilous stage its existence. Opportunities of present hour unimaginably precious. Would to God every State within American Republic and every Republic in American continent might ere termination of this glorious century embrace the light of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh and establish structural basis of His World Order.”

Program for the Twenty-fifth Anniversary of the Guardianship — January 6, 1947

In order that we may unitedly turn our grateful hearts to the institution of the Guardianship, created by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and unfolded by Shoghi Effendi, the National Assembly suggests the following readings for our continent-wide observances.

“The World’s equilibrium hath been upset. . . through the vibrating influence of this most great, this new World Order. (136) . . . immovable as the mountain in the Cause of your Lord, the Mighty, the Loving.” (137)—Gleanings

“Salutation and praise, blessing and glory rest upon that primal branch of the Divine and Sacred Lote-Tree . . . his shade that shadoweth all mankind.” (3)—Bahá’í Administration

“O my loving friends! . . . in the hearts of men.” (8)—Bahá’í Administration

“O ye faithful loved ones of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá! . . . The Glory of Glories rest upon you!” (12) —Bahá’í Administration

“An attempt, I feel, should at the present juncture be made (147) . . . the Guardian of the Cause of God.” (149)—The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh

“It should be borne in mind . . . and its secrets unraveled.” (150)—The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh

“Let no one, while this System is still in its infancy (150) . . . the Kingdom of Bahá’u’lláh.” (157) —The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh

“Praise be to Thee, O my God, that Thou hast revealed Thy favors and Thy bounties (329) . . . and the kingdoms of glory and of majesty.” (332) —Prayers and Meditations

1937

When in 1937 the Guardian married Ruhiyyíh Khanúm (Mary Maxwell) the National Assembly cabled the joy and loving greetings of the believers. Shoghi Effendi’s response was expressed in the cable—“Deeply moved your message. Institution of Guardianship, head cornerstone of the Administrative Order of the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh, already ennobled through its organic connection with the Persons of Twin Founders of the Bahá’í Faith, is now further enforced through direct association with the West and particularly with the American believers, whose spiritual destiny is to usher in the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh.”

1939

“The community of the organized promoters of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh in the American continent—the spiritual descendants of the dawn-breakers of an heroic Age who by their death proclaimed the birth of that Faith—must, in turn, usher in, not by their death but through living sacrifice that promised World Order . . .”

“What the American believers have, within the space of almost fifty years, achieved, is almost infinitesimal when compared to the magnitude of the tasks ahead of them. The rumblings of the catastrophic upheaval, which is to ‎proclam proclaim‎, at one and the same time, the death-pangs of the old order and the birth-pangs of the new, indicate both the steady approach, as well as the awe-inspiring character, of those tasks.”

“Of these spiritual prerequisites of success . . . the following stand out as preeminent and vital . . . Upon the extent to which these basic requirements are met, and the manner in which the American believers fulfill them in their individual lives, administrative activities, and social relationships, must depend the measure of the manifold blessings which the All-Bountiful Possessor can vouchsafe to them all. These requirements are none other than a high sense of moral rectitude in their so-” [Page 4] cial and administrative activities, absolute chastity in their individual lives, and complete freedom from prejudice in their dealings with peoples of a different race, class, creed, or color.”

• * *

1941

In the midst of the recent War we received The Promised Day Is Come.

“A tempest, unprecedented in its violence, unpredictable in its course, catastrophic in its immediate effects, unimaginably glorious in its ultimate consequences, is at present sweeping the face of the earth . . .”

“This judgment of God . . . is both a retributory calamity and an act of holy and supreme discipline.”

• * *

1943

The year before the Centenary our hearts were thrilled by the cable—

“I desire to announce to the elected representatives of the valiant, blessed, triumphant American Bahá’í Community . . . the momentous decision to convene, in May, 1944, an All-American Centennial Convention comprising delegates to be separately elected by each State and Province in the North American Continent, and to which each Republic of Latin America may send one representative. All groups, all isolated believers, as well as all local communities already possessing Assemblies, will henceforth share in the election of Convention delegates. The multiplication of Bahá’í centers and the remarkable increase in the number of groups and isolated believers, prompt my decision. . . . I hope to forward, in time for the solemn thanksgiving service to be held in the auditorium of the Temple on the evening of May twenty-second, at the hour of His epoch-making Declaration, a sacred portrait of the Báb, the only copy ever sent out from the Holy Land . . .”

• * *

1944

Then to the Centenary Convention came his greeting:

“Hail with glad, grateful heart the historic Assembly of the elected representatives of the followers of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh throughout the Western Hemisphere participating in the first All-America Convention . . . I recall with profound emotion on this solemn, auspicious occasion the milestones in the progress of the community whose rise constitutes one of the noblest episodes in the history of the first Bahá’í Century . . . I am moved to pay a well deserved tribute . . . to the gallant band of its apostolic founders . . . to its intrepid pioneers . . . to its indefatigable administrators . . . to its heroic martyrs . . . to its itinerant teachers . . . to its munificent supporters . . . last but not least to the mass of its stout-hearted, self-denying members whose strenuous, ceaseless, concerted efforts so decisively contributed to the consolidation and broadening of its foundations. . . .”

In this same year we received Shoghi Effendi’s survey of the first hundred years of the Faith—God Passes By.

• * *

1946

Then, as we met in our first peace-time Convention, we received the call to greater service in further unfoldment of the Divine Plan.

“A twofold responsibility urgently calls the vanguard of the dawn-breakers of the West, champion-builders of Bahá’u’lláh’s Order, torch-bearers of world civilization, executors of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s mandate, to arise and simultaneously bring to fruition the tasks already undertaken and launch fresh enterprises beyond the borders of the Western Hemisphere.”

“The first objective of the new Plan is consolidation of victories already won throughout the Americas, involving multiplication of Bahá’í centers, bolder proclamation of the Faith to the masses.”

“The second objective is completion of interior ornamentation of the holiest House of Worship in the Bahá’í world designed to coincide with the Fiftieth Anniversary of the inception of this historic enterprise.”

“The third objective is the formation of three National Assemblies, pillars of the Universal House of Justice, in the Dominion of Canada, Central and South America.”

“The fourth objective is the initiation of systematic teaching activity in war-torn, spiritually famished European continent . . .”

“Upon the success of the second Seven Year Plan depends the launching after a respite of three brief years, of a yet more momentous third Seven Year Plan which, when consummated through the establishment of the structure of the administrative order in the remaining Sovereign State and chief dependencies of the entire globe must culminate in and be befittingly commemorated through world-wide celebrations marking the Centennial of the formal Assumption by Bahá’u’lláh of the Prophetic Office associated by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá with Daniel’s prophecy and the World Triumph of the Bahá’í Revelation and signalizing the termination of the initial Epoch in the evolution of the Plan whose mysterious, resistless processes must continue to shed ever-increasing lustre on succeeding generations of both the Formative and Golden Ages of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh.”

National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada