Wellspring of Guidance/Preface

Wellspring of Guidance Preface

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[Page v]

Preface

On April 21, 1963, the momentous first International Bahá’í Convention yielded the long-awaited crown of the Bahá’í Administrative Order: the Universal House of Justice. This institution came into being at an unprecedented landmark in Bahá’í history known as the Most Great Jubilee, which, all at once, displayed the rich harvest of the Ten Year World Crusade inaugurated by the beloved Guardian of the Cause of God, Shoghi Effendi, in 1953; brought to an auspicious conclusion at the Bahá’í World Congress in London the dynamic ninth part of the spiritual evolution of man that began with the Adamic Cycle; and ushered mankind to the threshold of the tenth part of that divine process destined to culminate in the Christ-promised Kingdom of God on earth.

Although the Guardian had passed away at the midway point of the Ten Year Crusade, the Bahá’ís executed with unflagging determination the goals of the Crusade in keeping with his explicit instructions. The Hands of the Cause of God, the “Chief Stewards of Bahá’u’lláh’s embryonic World Commonwealth,” impelled by the impending necessity to restore unerring guidance to the day-to-day affairs of the swelling Bahá’í community, called for the election of the supreme legislative institution of the Faith as set forth in the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.

Ever since its first reassuring message to the believers from the platform of the Jubilee celebration in London, the Universal House of Justice has been communicating its guidance to the Bahá’í world through letters and [Page vi]cablegrams. This volume contains major messages from April 1963 through October 1968, six months following the second election of the Universal House of Justice. Except for eight, these messages are addressed to all national spiritual assemblies or to the Bahá’ís of the world, in such terms as “Bahá’ís of the East and West,” “Followers of Bahá’u’lláh throughout the world,” etc. Those addressed to the national spiritual assemblies are marked by an asterisk (*) beside each date.

Three messages are addressed to conferences; two to the Bahá’í youth in every land; one to a specific national spiritual assembly; and two to an individual believer. The latter three have been made available to the Bahá’ís throughout the world by special permission of the Universal House of Justice.

These messages enunciate the Nine Year Plan, analyze its progress, and reflect the attention the Universal House of Justice has given to the development of the institutions of the Faith and individual believers to better equip them for the worldwide tasks of the Nine Year Plan.

National Spiritual Assembly
Bahá’ís of the United States

[The titles and subtitles of messages other than those entitled “Teaching the Masses” and “Universal Participation” do not form part of the original messages.] [Page vii]

Contents

Preface v
First Statement from the Universal House of Justice 1
Message to National Conventions—1963 4
Seat of the Universal House of Justice; New Arrangements for Pilgrims 9
The Guardianship 11
Second World-Encircling Enterprise 12
A Service Every Believer Can Render 19
Call to Action—Nine Year Plan 22
Dedication of the Mother Temple of Europe 28
Teaching the Masses 31
Universal Participation 37
Development of the Institution of the Hands of the Cause of God 40
Unassailable Foundation of the Cause of God 44
Majestic Process Gathering Momentum 57
Call for Pioneers 68
Observance of Bahá’í Holy Days 69
Arming for Third Phase of the Nine Year Plan 71
The Guardianship and the Universal House of Justice 81
Unique Opportunity in Human History (Letter to Bahá’í Youth) 92
Three More National Assemblies to be Formed Riḍván 1967 98
Vital Needs of the Bahá’í World Center 99
Worldwide Proclamation—A New Dimension 102
One Hundred Fiftieth Anniversary of Birth of Bahá’u’lláh 116 [Page viii]Nature and Purpose of Proclamation 117

The Time is Ripe (Message to the Six Intercontinental Conferences) 119

Third Phase of Nine Year Plan Begins 122

Significant Step at United Nations 123

The Paramount Goal of Teaching 124

Convocation of First Oceanic Conference 130

Relationship of Bahá’ís to Politics 131

Newly Elected Universal House of Justice 137

Message to National Conventions—1968 138

Continental Boards of Counselors Established 139

Appointment of Continental Boards of Counselors 140

From Gallipoli to the Most Great Prison (Message to First Oceanic Conference) 145

All May Share Laurels of Accomplishment 150

Pathway of Service for Bahá’í Youth in Every Land 152

In Memoriam

Ioas, Leroy 157

Grossmann, Hermann 157

Ḥakím, Luṭfu’lláh 158

Samandarí, Ṭarázu’lláh 158

[Page ix]

WELLSPRING OF GUIDANCE