Bahá’í News/Inserts/Issue 335/Message from the Hands of the Cause/Text

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‘Ais.

A MESSAGE FROM THE HANDS OF THE CAUSE TO THE BAHA’IS OF EAST AND WEST

NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY . OF THE BAHA’iS OF THE UNITED STATES

-WILMETTE, ILLINOIS [Page 1]A Message From the Hands of the Cause

to the Baha’is of East and West

Beloved Friends:

Twenty-five of the twenty-seven Hands of the Cause of God have once again met in the blessed Mansion of Baha’u’llah near the holiest spot on this planet, and prayerfully considered the grave problems now facing the Baha’is of the world. Though no longer plunged in the agony of grief that afflicted our hearts last November, we are nevertheless profoundly concerned over the success of the tasks entrusted to the believers of the East and West by our beloved Guardian in the provisions of his mighty globe-encircling Crusade.

With feelings of deepest gratitude we realize that Baha’u’llah has vouchsafed to us during this past year —dark and overshadowed though it was by the passing of our beloved Guardian—many evidences of His unfailing grace and protection. The unity of the Cause of God has been maintained, and out of the fire of this mighty test, the believers have emerged with chastened and consecrated hearts, mature in spirit, with a deeper sense of oneness than ever before, eager to assist in winning every goal set for them by their beloved Guardian. God has indeed opened the doors of His mercy to us.

A befitting and magnificent monument to the beloved Guardian’s precious memory has been raised up above the sacred earth in London which enshrines his blessed remains, a memorial to the erection of which the believers from every corner of the earth had the privilege of contributing.

The five mighty conferences called by Shoghi Effendi, and whose purposes he outlined in his message marking the midway point of the Crusade, were held with outstanding success; almost five thousand believers being privileged to attend them. The roll-call from among the followers of the black race in Africa and the brown race in the Pacific has more than doubled during the past year, a triumph which alone would have brought infinite joy to his blessed heart. Two of the three Mother Temples which he specified should be built will be completed well within two years of his passing. The funds for these Temples, and for the teaching work to which he attached such supreme importance, have poured in abundantly from all parts of the world, a loving and loyal testimony to the determination of the Baha’is everywhere to carry out his every wish. Spitzbergen, the last and one of the most difficult of all the virgin territories to be opened during the Crusade, received its first pioneer less than six months after he left this world.

In spite of such heartening progress, we must face the fact that this year ahead may well prove to be the crucial turning-point of the entire Crusade, and upon which its completion critically hangs. Many of the most important goals still remain to be achieved: work on the Mother Temple of Europe has not yet commenced, although it must rise in all its splendor to shed its spiritual blessings upon that continent before 1963. The Local Spiritual Assemblies still to be formed as part of the original plan number no less than 394. The number of National and Regional Assemblies which must be elected before the end of the

Crusade, in the alarmingly short time of four and a half years, is no less than thirty-eight, four of which are to be formed as planned by the beloved Guardian this coming Ridvan.

We are now embarked upon the fourth and final phase of this historic Crusade. Our beloved Guardian’s own words tell us that this phase must be characterized by ‘fa powerful impetus the world over to the vital process of individual conversion—the pre-eminent purpose underlying the Plan in all of its ramifications” and ‘‘must be immortalized on the one hand by an unprecedented increase in the number of the avowed supporters of the Faith in all continents of the globe, of every race, clime, creed and color, and from every stratum of present day society, coupled with a corresponding increase in the number of Baha’i centers.”

The fateful years of the beloved Guardian’s glorious Crusade are swiftly passing. ‘‘How staggering’’ he told us, is ‘‘the responsibility that must weigh upon the present generation.’’ His stirring appeal for an “upsurge of enthusiasm and consecration, before which every single as well as collective exploit, associated with any of the three previous phases (of the Crusade) will pale’’ is directed to every believer on the planet, but especially ‘‘to their elected representatives, whether local, regional, or national, who, in their capacity as the custodians and members of the nascent institutions of the Faith of Baha’u’llah’’ must shoulder “the chief responsibility in laying an unassailable foundation for the Universal House of Justice which, as its title implies, is to be the exponent and guardian of that Divine Justice which can alone insure the security of, and establish the reign of law and order in, a strangely disordered world.’’ This House of Justice, he tells us, “posterity will regard as the last refuge of a tottering civilization.”

Upon these National and Regional Assemblies which we must now raise up, has been conferred the sacred privilege of electing the members of this Universal House of Justice. The guidance of the Bab and Baha’u’llah will flow into the World Order established in the Baha’i Dispensation through this Supreme Body, whose infallibility is assured by the Pen of Baha’u’llah Himself. ‘Abdu’l-Baha declared in His Will and Testament that the members of the Universal House of Justice must ‘‘deliberate upon all problems which have caused differences, questions that are obscure and matters that are not expressly recorded in the Book. Whatsoever they decide has the same effect as the Text itself... . That which this body, whether unanimously or by a majority doth carry, that is verily the Truth and the Purpose of God Himself.’ Guided by the precious storehouse of sacred and inviolable texts given to us by Baha’u’llah and elaborated by ‘Abdu’lBaha and Shoghi Effendi, pouring our forces into the execution of the Divine Plan of the Master, now in the twenty-eighth year of its unfoldment within the successive Plans laid down by our beloved Guardian, supported by the unfailing aid of the Supreme Concourse promised in our writings, with our beloved Guardian’s spirit watching over the work he so dearly

aim, [Page 2]loved and served so unsparingly for thirty-six years, we cannot fail.

The Hands of the Faith, solemnly mindful of the primary function conferred upon them in the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Baha to protect the Cause of God and promulgate its Teachings, and deeply conscious of their present great responsibility as Chief Stewards of Baha’uw’llah embryonic world commonwealth, have already arranged for a number of the Hands to travel extensively during the coming year in order to carry the spirit of the beloved Guardian and the World Center of our Faith to the believers and their elected representatives, particularly in those areas where so many of the future pillars of the International House of Justice must be erected, namely Latin America and the goal countries of Europe.

The Hands of the Faith have also planned to give every aid within their power to the National Spiritual Assemblies in supporting and stimulating the work on the Home Fronts of such old and tried communities as those of Persia, the United States, Canada, India, Australia, Great Britain, and Germany. In rededicating themselves to their share of the heavy burden now resting’ upon each and every follower of Baha’u’llah, the Hands appeal to the National and Regional Assemblies to assist them in the mighty tasks that lie ahead through a closer and swifter cooperation with the Hands serving at the World Center, who of necessity are called upon to coordinate the international work so laboriously built up, at such a great cost to himself, by our most beloved Guardian. Prompt consultation on teaching problems, reports concerning the progress being made and the present status of the work undertaken by each National or Regional Assembly, as well as appeals for advice and aid, should pour continually into the Holy Land in order that good news may be shared for the encouragement of all and any crises which arise in the Baha’i world may be swiftly dealt with, and not a moment of our infinitely precious time between now and the completion of the Crusade—just fifty-two short months away—hbe lost.

Baha’u’llah, ‘Abdu’l-Baha, and the beloved Guardian have repeatedly warned us that the time is short, that these fast-fleeting hours in which we live will come to uS no more, and we shall never again have a similar opportunity. The beloved Guardian has in no uncertain terms stated that the ‘‘pre-eminent task... in this day’”’ is ‘fa task . so urgent’? as to be “accorded priority over every other activity.” Let us each one take to heart his passionate appeal.

“However arduous the task; however formidable the exertions demanded of them; however afflictive the darts which their present enemies, as well as those whom Providence will through His mysterious dispensation raise up from within or from without, may rain upon them; however grievous the ordeal of temporary separation from the heart and nervecenter of their Faith which future unforeseeable disturbances may impose upon them, I adjure them, by the precious blood that flowed in such great profusion, by the lives of the unnumbered saints and heroes who were immolated, by the supreme and glorious sacrifice of the Prophet-Herald of our Faith, ‘by the tribulations which its Founder Himself willingly underwent, so that His Cause might live, His Order might redeem a shattered world and its glory

might suffuse the entire planet—I adjure them . . . to resolve never to flinch, never to hesitate, never to relax, until each and every objective . . . has been fully consummated.”’

Upon the immediate and continued response in each individual heart to this ringing call depend the victory of his precious and holy Crusade, the last worldencompassing Plan which his divinely-guided pen bequeathed to the believers. Never before in the history of the world have human beings been faced with such a staggering responsibility and such a blessed privilege. Now more than ever before the heroic pioneers must cling courageously to their vital outposts; a swift stream of new pioneers must flow out spontaneously, without a moment’s delay, to reinforce them; travelling teachers must dedicate themselves to the work both in far-off lands and on the critical Home Fronts; ample resources must be poured forth with unprecedented generosity from hearts consecrated to nothing less than an overwhelming victory on every front. The success of the Crusade depends upon the individual believer arising to teach. For, as the beloved Guardian himself has told us, ‘‘The unseen legions, standing rank upon rank, and eager to pour forth from the Kingdom on high the full measure of their celestial strength on the individual participants of this incomparably glorious Crusade, are powerless unless and until each potential Crusader decides for himself, and perseveres in his determination, to rush into the arena of sacrifice ready to sacrifice his all for the Cause he is called upon to champion.”’

“This challenge, so severe and insistent, and yet so glorious, faces no doubt primarily the individual believer on whom, in the last resort, depends the fate of the entire community. . . . He it is who acts as one of the multitude of bricks which support the structure and insure the stability of the administrative edifice now being raised in every part of the world. Without his support, at once wholehearted, continuous and generous, every measure adopted, and every plan formulated, by the Body which acts as the national representative of the community to which he belongs, is foredoomed to failure. The World Center of the Faith itself is paralyzed if such a support on the part of the rank and file of the community is denied it. The Author of the Divine Plan Himself is impeded in His purpose if the proper instruments for the execution of His design are lacking.’’ The beloved Guardian ends with this stern warning: ‘“‘The sustaining strength of Baha’u’llah Himself, the Founder of the Faith, will be withheld from every and each individual who fails in the long run to arise and play his part.’’

We feel confident that the friends in every corner of the Baha’i world, fully aware of the gravity of the crisis facing them, and unified as never before by the sacrifice of the life of our beloved Guardian, will arise as one soul in many bodies in a mighty forward surge to complete as an immortal monument to his memory the triumph of his holy Crusade.

The Hands of the Faith eagerly and confidently anticipate that upon the unassailable foundation of this united victory brought about by the consecrated devotion of the friends, there will be raised up the crowning glory of all, the Universal House of Justice, and once again a precious source of divine infallibility will return to the earth with the establishment of that Supreme Body on the occasion of the Most Great [Page 3]Jubilee in 1963—the World Congress called by our beloved Guardian himself, a glorious and befitting fulfillment of his life of complete sacrifice.

Of this Most Great Jubilee, the Guardian has written: “‘The Lord of Hosts, the King of Kings, has pledged unfailing aid to every crusader battling for His Cause. Invisible battalions are mustered, rank upon rank, ready to pour forth reinforcements from on High. .. . Baha’u’llah’s army of light is standing on the threshold of the Holy Year. Let them, as they enter it, vow with one voice, one heart, one soul, never to turn back in the entire course of the fateful decade ahead until each and every one will have contributed his share in laying on a world-wide scale an unassailable administrative foundation for Baha’u’llah’s Christ-promised Kingdom on earth, swelling thereby the chorus of universal jubilation wherein earth and heaven will join, as prophesied by Daniel, echoed by ‘Abdu’l-Baha: ‘on that day will the faithful rejoice with exceeding gladness.’ ”’

With grateful hearts for the love that has bound us all so closely together, with undeviating confidence and hope, the Hands of the Faith invoke the divine promise of the Revealer of our Faith: ‘‘Unloose your tongues and proclaim unceasingly His Cause. This shall be better for you than all the treasures of the past and of the future, if ye be of them that comprehend this truth. . . . I swear by Him Who is the Truth! Ere long will God adorn the beginning of the Book of Existence with the mention of His loved ones who have suffered tribulation in His path, and journeyed through the countries in His Name and for His praise. Whoso hath attained their presence will glory in their meeting, and all that dwell in every land will be illumined by their memory. . . . Vie ye with each other in the service of God and of His Cause. This is indeed what profiteth you in this world, and in that which is to come.”’

In the service of the beloved Guardian,

‘AMaTU’L-BAHA WILLIAM SEARS Ruutiyyig _KHANUM Leroy Ioas

Ametia E, CoLtLins DuHIKRU’LLAH KHADEM

CuarLes Mason REMEY JaLAL KHAzEH

Horace Houurey HERMANN GROSSMAN

Uco GIACHERY ADELBERT MUHLSCHEGEL

H. Coiiis FEATHERSTONE EwocH OLINGA

‘Att MunamMMmaD VarRGA JOHN FERRABY

‘Aui-AKBaR FURUTAN Pau E. Hanry

Hasan Batyvuzi ‘ABu’L-QASIM Farzi

Suvu’A’vu’LLAB ‘ALA’E Acnres ALEXANDER

JOHN RoBaRTS TaRAZU’LLAH SAMANDARI

Raumatu’LLAH MuHAsIR MusA BanAnt

Mansion of Baha’u’llah Bahji, ‘Akka, Israel November 30, 1958

Beloved Friends:

Your National Assembly is placing in the Hands of every member of the American Baha’i community a copy of the message issued to the Baha’is of East and West dated at the Mansion of Baha’u’llah, Bahji, November 30, 1958.

This message represents the fruitful outcome of the second annual conference of the Chief Stewards of Baha’u’llah’s embryonic World Commonwealth held in the Holy Mansion from November 21 through November 30. Its purpose is to present to the Baha’i World Community a unified spiritual understanding of the conditions existing within the community at this time and to address an impassioned appeal to every believer and every Baha’i institution to strive for the successful achievement of the Crusade goals that still lie ahead, together with complete assurance that the powers of God will reinforce the efforts of the sincere and devoted souls.

The National Spiritual Assembly urges each Baha’i to ponder this message until he grasps its full import and significance. For in these words we possess a faithful reflection of the beloved Guardian’s plans and hopes for the success of the Crusade based upon the Master’s Tablets of the Divine Plan by 1963, a date associated with the prophecy of Daniel. As has been repeated many times, these present years are dark with peril for mankind, and the consolidation of the Baha’i World Community represents the sole hope of the future. Nothing short of the election of the Universal House of Justice will suffice, for the House of Justice will apply the laws of the new era, and deal with all problems confronting the Faith of Baha’u’llah. In this sacred institution the divine gift of infallibility will again provide truth and guidance to mankind. Infallibility gives us the supreme and perfect assurance that ours is indeed the religion of God.

In addition to prayerful study by individuals, this document provides a basis for action by all Assemblies, local and national, and is to be the subject of frequent consultation as well as reference.

What unspeakable blessing is ours, dear friends and co-workers, that the beloved Guardian provided Baha’is who can serve as a bridge between the passing of Shoghi Effendi and the election of a God-inspired House of Justice!

In the light of the powers and functions conferred upon that body, in passages of ‘Abdu’l-Baha cited in this message, we are freed of any apprehension that the death of Shoghi Effendi befell us as a calamity capable of destroying our hope in a golden age, the establishment of the Kingdom on earth.

The hour of our final and irrevocable decision to fulfil or to betray our sacred trust is upon us. May we partake of the love and confirmation assured each and every follower of Baha’u’llah!

—NATIONAL SprriruaL ASSEMBLY

Insert in BaHA’i News January 1959 �