1927
11 January 1927
Dear Bahá’í Sister, Mrs Dewing
Our beloved Guardian has asked me to write to you for him. He is very pleased with your letter of Dec. 8th, which reached him in Jan 10th and he is very glad to hear of your activities in New Zealand. He will pray earnestly that your sincere efforts to make Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation widely known
24. Mrs Mary Juleff was a Bahá’í in Perth in the mid 1920s. Living at Mt Hawthorne, Leaderville, she was Vice President of the Perth Assembly, then secretary from August 1926.
will bring forth much fruit and have a great result. In the newer countries minds are more open, & the people more ready and willing to receive this great message.
With regard to the Queen of Rumania’s 3 articles, he will see that you receive them correctly. He considers the last one in which she acknowledges Muhammad as a true Prophet of God to have great importance for the East, especially in Persia. This evening, personally, have had a most interesting conversation with Dr. Habib of Kirmánsháh, who is now on a visit to Shoghi Effendi with his wife and little girl. He was telling us of the Moslems of Persia - & how during two periods of the year especially, the fanatical mullahs preach against the Bahá’ís from their pulpits - saying to the ignorant “no matter what evil things you have done during your life, or what sins you have committed, if you kill a Bahá’í who is an enemy of Islam, or even if you take his property or severely injure him all your own sins will be wiped out and forgiven for the sake of this good deed of destroying such an enemy of the Faith!!” In this way they incite the people to deeds of violence and persecution. He said that the Bahá’í teachings are spreading rapidly amongst the more educated classes, but it is difficult to teach the very poor and ignorant fanatical people. Thus when they do become Believers they are very strong and faithful.
The two periods of particular danger for the Bahá’ís in Persia, are the fast month - & the period of Moharram, which lasts for 8 weeks.
Shoghi Effendi is very interested to hear of the engagement of your son to a Bahá’í young lady - and he prays that in future they may do a great work for the “Cause”. He hopes so much that you will recover your full health and strength, and he will pray especially for that. It is good to know that Esperanto is increasingly studied in New Zealand.
He will certainly pray for Miss Palter & your mother as you ask him to do - and also for your dear son and your two daughters. Please accept all best wishes from myself and believe me,
Yours in His Service, Ethel J Rosenberg
My dear and able co-worker:
I have read the issues of the “Herald” with deep joy and thankfulness. I will continue to pray at the Holy Shrines that the invincible power of Bahá’u’lláh may add to your present opportunities, extend the sphere of the Journal, and enable you, individually and collectively, to mirror forth the beauty and the power of this Divine Revelation.
Your true brother, Shoghi
30 January 1927
Dear Bahá’í Sister, Miss Evelyn Watkin:
Shoghi Effendi wishes me to thank you for the M.O. for £1- which he has safely received, sent for the help of the sufferers in Persia.
He is himself sending this money to the Nat. Assembly in Teheran, and has requested them to send him the receipt for it. When he receives this receipt he will forward it to you, and urges you to give it to the friend who sent the money. The Persian friends will be very much pleased at receiving this kind remembrance and help from far distant New Zealand.
With love & warm Bahá’í greetings from the holy household and the friends here, to the dear friends in Auckland.
In the Master’s Service, Sincerely yours, Ethel J. Rosenberg
My dear co-worker:
I am deeply touched by this further evidence of the love and devotion of the New Zealand Bahá’ís & I will gladly forward the contribution of our friend to the Teheran Assembly to be sent by them to the sufferers in Jahrum. I will ardently pray for everyone of you that the Beloved may guide your steps & lead you to glorious victory. I urge you to communicate regularly & frequently with the Bahá’í newsletter editor through Mr Horace Holley & report to him the progress of your activities. It is so essential & valuable.
Your true brother Shoghi
3 February 1927 [Clara & Hyde Dunn]
My dear Brother & Sister in the blessed Cause,
Mr & Mrs Hyde Dunn,
The beloved Guardian has asked me to write to you on his behalf, and to tell you that he has received your good letter of Jan. 3rd and he rejoices to hear of the excellent Service you have rendered in Queensland, and indeed everywhere in Australia. He will certainly pray most earnestly for the dear Sister your wife - that she might be completely restored to health and that you both may be strengthened and spared for many years to continue your great work in that continent. Our dear Effie Baker tells us that Perth is not only a very beautiful place but extremely healthy and we therefore hope that residence there for a few months will be of much benefit to Mrs Dunn’s health.
Effie Baker and Fugita thank you for your kind messages to them. They both continue their devoted service here.
Personally, I myself am much interested in your having visited
Rockhampton where my brother resided for 3 years after leaving Cambridge University, as master in the Grammar School, teaching science and mathematics there. The school authorities greatly desired he should remain in Rockhampton, but my mother was in very poor health, & he had faithfully promised to return to England at the end of three years, and consequently he felt obliged to fulfil his promise to her but he always looks back with the greatest interest to his 3 years of residence in Rockhampton.
When I return to England I will enquire if he ever met Mrs Wicus tho I suppose it is not very probable. It encourages us all to hear of the blessed confirmations you have received in the path of God. May you ever be guided and blessed in your devoted Service is my earnest hope and prayer.
Your fellow worker in the blessed service of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Ethel J. Rosenberg.
My dear co-workers:
I will continue to pray from the bottom of my heart for your success, welfare & spiritual advancement. Your names, your services, your high endeavours are graven upon my heart & your example is truly inspiring. Your collaboration lifts a considerable part of my burden from my shoulders & your zeal & constancy hasten me in my work. May health, strength & joy be abundantly bestowed upon you that you may continue your unsurpassed pioneer service to our beloved Cause. You are tenderly remembered at the Holy Shrines & we all eagerly expect, nay hunger, for the welcome news of the progress of your admirable achievements.
Your true brother, Shoghi
13 May 1927
My Dear Miss Stevenson,
I take pleasure in thanking you on behalf of our dear Guardian for your letter of April 5th.
As a far away outpost of the Bahá’í Faith in New Zealand, he is always delighted to hear from Auckland & especially yourself & your promising Assembly there. You own a warm spot in his heart and he is looking forward to the day when through the effort of the Auckland Assembly, centres will be established in every town in New Zealand. A firm faith & a golden heart is yours, there still remains to turn other hearts into gold.
Miss Baker is well & often thinks of you. Assuring you of our Guardian’s prayers and the love & best wishes of the family who always remember you.
Ever yours in His service Soheil Afnan
My dear & precious co-worker:
You should exercise your judgement & tact in delivering the message. You
should make an effort to understand the character & mind of the seeker before you speak to him on the Cause. I will pray that you may be inspired & guided to follow the path of moderation & may become an exemplary herald of His message in that far-away land.
Your well-wisher, Shoghi
18 August 1927 [Clara and Hyde Dunn]
Dear friends,
I acknowledge with great pleasure your short letter to our dear Guardian.
With regard to the plan of some friends to arrange your visit to Haifa and your question in that respect from Shoghi Effendi, he wishes me to inform you that whatever the donors decide is acceptable to him. He would thus wish the donors to express their own free desire.
I take this opportunity to assure you again of our Guardian’s deep & growing admiration for your noble work in Australia & the brilliant results that have already appeared.
With all good wishes & much love, ever yours in His service, Soheil Afnan
18/8/27
My dear and precious co-workers:
Your last two letters dated June 5, 26 have been carefully read, & I hasten to inform you that regarding Stenstrand, he is an Azalí & the friends should shun & avoid him & ignore him altogether. He is after mischief & dissension. Pending the formation of a National Assembly in Austr. & N . Zealand the friends should keep in close touch with you & seek your advice & your opinion for you are their guiding star, their loving parents. I trust you will write to me whenever you feel inclined. I shall eagerly await your news. The letter you drafted & enclosed is excellent and you have thereby rendered a distinct service to the Cause. As to the sum collected by the friends, I feel I should leave it entirely to the discretion of the donors. After prayerful meditation & consultation whatever they decide I welcome and endorse. I will pray for their guidance, for your happiness, good-health & success,
Your true brother, Shoghi
