24.
A LETTER FROM FINLAND
BY VÄINÖ RISSANEN
DEAR Bahá’í Brothers and Sisters:
"Those who walked in darkness have seen a great light!”
One evening in early June of 1938 I walked aimlessly, seeking to quiet the grief which pressed heavily upon me. Death, whose traces had chilled my heart had compelled me to seek anew the solution to life’s mysteries, the answers to the eternal questionings. Thus I meditated when I saw a woman who was asking to be directed to a place in the neighborhood of my villa. So it was that for the first time I met a Bahá’í, Miss A. Josephine Kruka, who had come as a pioneer teacher to Finland. Other teachers had been in Finland but as their stay was so short they had not been able to establish the Faith here.
Miss Kruka spent several months here and through her teachings my whole life was changed. Truly this Truth seemed to me to be all-encompassing! I could scarcely believe that this great prophetic Word had really come into the world! I had been accustomed to viewing these matters from a narrow angle, seeing, as it were, only select groups who were worthy of salvation and blessing from the prophetic Word.
The greatest thing which this new Revelation offers to the world is brotherly love, notlove for one’s own family, nor love for one’s own nation, but love for the whole world, a world torn to shreds by many beliefs and sects and political factions, each hating the others. Mankind is so separated and still so close in the difficulties and trials which assail us! This Revelation brings us closer to each other and makes real brothers of us all. It is this uniting power that we need in this “war conscious age.” This phase of the‘Revelation has greatly rejoiced me.
In the spring of 1939 Mrs. Lorol Schopflocher came to Finland. She gave several lectures which were well attended and at one of her lectures a noted author said of her that “She is the world’s most wonderful peace promotor.” One of our newspapers wrote at length of her work and as a result she received many letters from other cities, and many enquirers sought her during many busy days wanting to know more of the new Revelation. She made a deep impression because of the way that she explained the connection between the present Revelation and the Bible. In her presence one felt like a thirsty traveller who had reached the Water of Life. Several people professed their belief and evidenced it by the joy in their faces.
Welcome to Finland! If anyone wishes to remember us children of the northern lights we shall be so delighted! Our little group in Helsinki will heartily receive and welcome any visitor.
