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Guardian's Supplementary Message to the Four Africa Conventions, April 1956

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Guardian's Supplementary Message to the Four Africa Conventions, April 1956 NO. 306 BAHA'I YEAR 113 AUGUST, 1956 GUARDIAN'S SUPPLEMENTARY MESSAGE TO THE FOUR AFRICA CONVENTIONS, APRIL 1956 At this historic hour, marking the opening of the third National Administrative Headquarters has been estab­ phase of the global Spiritual Crusade so courageously lished in each one of its four pivotal centers, while three undertaken by the followers of the Faith of Baha'u'llah, Temple sites situated within its confines have been re­ I hail the convocation of the four epoch-making Baha'i cently purchased, on one of which the Mother Temple Conventions now being held in the African Continent. of Africa is soon to be erected. My heart brims with joy and my soul is uplifted with The Concourse on high cannot but laud such remark­ thankfulness as I contemplate on this auspicious occa­ able, soul-stirring exploits. The Captain, guiding from sion, the magnificent feats which have been accom­ His throne of glory in the Abha Kingdom the march of plished in recent years over the entire length and breadth the army of Baha'u'llah's Crusaders, undoubtedly ap­ of a rapidly quickening continent, feats which, in their plauds the fidelity, the valour, the zeal and the perse­ range, number, quality and swiftness, have eclipsed verance of the executors of His Design, while the Found­ the signal victories which have distinguished the cam­ er of the Faith Himself, the wellspring of the energizing paigns successively launched in the Continent of Europe influences nourishing the lives, and sustaining the ac­ and in Latin America. tivities, of these Crus aders, confers His benediction upon, and lays up treasures for, those who have so con­ C ontinent Boasts Many Supporters spicuously contributed to the glory and honor of His Name. This vast, highly receptive, spiritually famished and long down-trodden continent-the nest of the Negro race. I feel impelled, on so memorable an occasion, to pay a constituting so large a proportion of the world's popula­ warm and heartfelt tribute to the Hand of the Cause ap­ pointed for the African Continent ; to the members of tion-which was first opened, in an hour of trial and adversity, in the lifetime of Baha'u 'llah; whose south­ the British, the American, the Persian. the Indian, the Egyptian and the Iraqi National Spiritual Assemblies; to ern fringes were, during the last epoch of the Heroic the members of the African Auxiliary Board; to the nu­ Age of the Faith, illuminated by the rays of a divinely merous a ssemblies, committees and pioneers who have, established Covenant ; on whose northern shores the singly and collectiv ely, contributed in such a large meas­ standard of Baha'i emancipation has been hoisted and ure to the expansion of so colossal an enterprise, and the struggle for the recognition of the independent char­ who have had so decisive a share in directing its course, acter of the Revelation of Baha'u 'llah has commenced-­ in stimulating its unfoldment, and in consolidating its such a continent now boasts, by virtue of the dynamic foundations. influence exerted by a rising divinely conceived Order, and the propelling forces generated by a world-embrac­ Assemblies W ill Lend Impetus ing, three-year-old Spiritual Crusade, over three thou­ I cannot but feel confident that the emergence of four sand avowed supporters, five-sixths of whom belong to regional National Spiritual Assemblies, as a result of the Negro race, scattered throughout more than fifty the deliberations of the delegates attending these four territories and islands, and residing in over four hun­ Baha'i Conventions-Assemblies designed to pave the dred localities . Representatives of no less than one hun­ way for the erection of the pillars which must support dred and forty of its tribes have, moreover, enlisted un­ the future Universal House of Justice - will, by en­ der the banner of the Faith. Over a hundred and twenty abling the activities of the Faith to be directed and co­ Baha'i local assemblies are already functioning through­ ordinated from within the Continent itself, lend a tre­ out its territories. Into more than fifty of its indigenous mendous impetus to the progress and eventual fruition languages Baha'i literature has been and is being trans­ of the stupendous undertaking launched from coast to lated. The process of incorporating the newly formed coast through the concerted and systematic efforts of local assemblies has furthermore been inaugurated. A the followers of the Faith of Baha'u 'llah. 2 AUGUST, 1956 I call upon these Regional.National Spiritual Assemblies to celebrate ''Fervently Praying Great Victories" their birth, and signalize the open­ ing of the third phase of this World Dear Baha'i Friends : Spiritual Crusade, through the for­ mulation of four subsidiary Seven­ The beloved Guardian on June 22 cabled the NSA: "Fervently praying Year Plans, designed to multiply the great victories (on) home front. Appeal (to) entire community (to) arise, number of the avowed supporters of participate (and) insure attainment (of) goals." the Faith and of the isolated centers, His prayer for great victories, and his appeal, are not directed primari­ groups and local Assemblies; to con­ ly to Assemblies and Committees but to every individual Baha'i. Shoghi solidate the work already achieved Effendi has brought all of us within the realm of his spiritual influence, in the newly opened virgin territo­ and made each one of us responsible for participation and assuring suc­ ries within the confines of that Conti­ cess in winning the goals set for the home front. nent and in its neighboring islands; to initiate the institution of the Na­ Baha'i institutions have their essential and important functions to carry tional Baha'i Fund; to stimulate the out, for example in defining particular goals for a particular period, co­ twin processes of establishing Baha'i ordinating the efforts of individual Baha'is, of communities and of groups, endowments and of incorporating and supplying both information and material; but it is the resolution of local spiritual assemblies; to hasten individual Baha'is which endows the institutions with power to act. the construction of the first Ma@­ riqu'l-A<i_l:J.kar of the African Conti­ Of what does the home front work consist? What are the goals to attain? nent; to ensure the establishment of (1) Restoration of dissolved Assemblies or substitution of new goals in the the Baha'i Publishing Trust in same States; (2) bringing to Assembly status by April 21, 1957, as many Egypt; and to speed up the trans­ groups as possible; (3) increasing the number of enrollments by all local lation of Baha'i literature i1'lto the Assemblies and Area Teaching Committees. remaining African languages listed What methods are employed? Area conferences; circuit teaching; pioneer­ in the Ten Year Plan, as well as the ing; extension teaching ; intensified local teaching by communities and incorporation of the newly formed groups. Regional National Spiritual Assem­ blies. What materials are available and helpful? Releases by Baha'i Press Service for the observance of the selected Special Events for 1956-1957; Lend Continued Support Baha'i Summer School courses, discussions and research; National and I appeal to the British, the Ameri­ Area Teaching Committee bulletins; Baha'i literature for study and for can, the Persian, the Indian, the free distribution; and the Institute book on The Covenant and Administration Egyptian and the Iraqi National which the National Spiritual Assembly has urged all Assemblies to use Spiritual Assemblies, who have set this year for community study and discussion, to deepen the understanding in motion these vast undertakings, of fundamental Baha'i teachings and to derive strength and resolution for not to abandon these fledgling Afri­ ardent service to the Faith. can Baha'i communities to their fate, Among the materials special attention is called at this time to the pam­ but to lend their support and assist­ phlet The Power of the Covenant which the National Assembly has compiled ance to the newly emerged Regional and is sending to every American Baha'i with a letter setting forth its National Spiritual Assemblies, en­ meaning and purpose. Copies are also being sent to pioneers in posts out­ riching thereby the record of the su­ side the United States. perb and historic services rendered by them, throughout that continent, Now let us recall with awe the fateful words written by the beloved to its diversified peoples, tribes and Guardian in his letter dated July 28, 1954, issued as an insert in BAl!A'i NEws races. under the title " American Baha'is In The Time of World Peril." May the manifold blessings of "The administrative agencies of a divinely conceived Administrative Baha'u'llah, glorifying in His King­ Order at long last erected and relatively perfected stand in dire need of dom the African victories won in the individual believer to come forward and utilize them with undeviating His Name in such rapid succession. purpose, serene confidence and exemplary dedication. The heart of the rest upon the deliberations of all Guardian cannot but leap with joy, and his mind derive inspiration, at every the delegates attending these four evidence testifying to the response of the individual to his allotted task. history-making Conventions. May The unseen legions, standing rank upon rank, and eager to pour forth the combined efforts of the faithful, from the Kingdom on high the full measure of their celestial strength on laboring now and in the days that lie the individual participants of the incomparably glorious Crusade, are power­ ahead, yield, in the years to come, less unless and until each potential crusader decides for himself, and per­ a harvest which will infinitely enable severes in his determination, to rush into the arena of service ready to the record of unforgettable achieve­ sacrifice his all for the Cause he is called upon to champion." ments associated with the rise of the Faith of Baha'u'llah and the estab­ Where else outside His Faith is there a promise so overpowering, a re­ lishment of His World Order in the inforcement so assured, a reward so glorious as the Guardian offered us African Continent.
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