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Title: Messages to the Bahá’í World: 1950–1957 Author: Shoghi Effendi Release Date: September 2006 [Ebook 19280] Language: English ***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MESSAGES TO THE BAHÁ’Í WORLD: 1950–1957*** Messages to the Bahá’í World: 1950–1957 by Shoghi Effendi Edition 1, (September 2006) Baha'i Terms of Use You have permission to freely make and use copies of the text and any other information ("Content") available on this Site including printing, emailing, posting, distributing, copying, downloading, uploading, transmitting, displaying the Content in whole or in part subject to the following: 1. Our copyright notice and the source reference must be attached to the Content; 2. The Content may not be modified or altered in any way except to change the font or appearance; 3. The Content must be used solely for a non-commercial purpose. 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Contents Baha'i Terms of Use . v Review of World Progress of the Faith . 1 An Enterprise Transcending Any National Institution . 5 Opening Door to Pilgrimage . 7 Formation of First International Bahá’í Council . 9 Spiritual and Administrative World Center . 11 Transcending in Sacredness . 13 Pilgrim Kings to Pay Humble Tribute . 15 Epoch-Making Events . 17 Reorientation . 21 Invite Valiant Co-Sharers in Holy Enterprise to Join Me in Prayers . 23 Acquisition of Area on Mount Carmel . 25 Old and New Covenant-Breakers . 27 Jubilee Centenary . 29 The Guardian Announces Appointment of Hands of the Cause . 33 Second Appointment of Hands of the Cause . 37 Triple Announcement . 39 The Historic Process . 43 God’s Avenging Wrath . 45 Irresistible March of the Faith . 47 Rapid Progress of a World Center—Decline in Fortunes of Covenant-Breakers . 51 The Summons of the Lord of Hosts . 55 Fulfilment of National Teaching Plans . 67 Launching the World-Embracing Spiritual Crusade . 69 Acquisition of Vitally-Needed Property . 75 Representatives for Intercontinental Conferences . 77 viii Messages to the Baháâà World: 1950â1957 Twofold Victory in Holy Land . 79 Treacherous Ruhi Afnan . 81 The Paramount Issue . 83 Sealing the Triumphant Festivities of Holy Year . 85 Roll of Honor . 87 Twenty-One Virgin Areas . 91 Fast-Dwindling Band of Covenant-Breakers . 93 World Crusade Forges Ahead . 95 Hand of Cause Appointment . 97 Appeal for Pioneer Settlement . 99 Hand of Cause Appointment . 101 Roll of Honor—Additional Inscriptions . 103 Institution of Hands of the Cause . 105 A Divinely-Guided Faith . 109 Glad Tidings . 119 A Succession of Victories . 121 Administrative Seats of Divinely-Appointed Institutions . 127 International Archives Building and Design for Temple in Persia . 131 Achievements of Second Year of Ten Year Plan . 133 TWO HUNDRED THIRTY-SIX TERRITORIES NOW OPENED TO THE FAITH . 135 NUMBER OF RACES, LANGUAGES, INCORPO- RATED ASSEMBLIES AUGMENTED . 137 ACTIVITIES AT THE WORLD CENTER . 139 ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE CRADLE OF THE FAITH 141 GOALS ATTAINED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA . 143 PROPERTIES ACQUIRED AROUND THE WORLD 145 SIXTEEN NEW NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES BY RIDVAN, 1957 . 147 HANDS OF THE CAUSE TO ATTEND HISTORIC CONVENTIONS . 149 Baha'i Terms of Use ix GUARDIAN’S APPEAL TO UPHOLDERS OF THE FAITH . 151 Achievements—Supplementary Report . 153 Prayers for Faith in Persia . 155 Appointment to International Bahá’í Council . 157 Implications and Requirements . 159 Archbreaker of Bahá’u’lláh’s Covenant . 161 World-Wide Reverberations . 163 Hand of Cause Appointment . 167 So Significant a Victory . 169 A REMARKABLE VICTORY . 171 PROGRESSIVE UNFOLDMENT OF THE TEN- YEAR CRUSADE . 173 FAST-AWAKENING CONTINENT OF AFRICA . 175 FORTY-THREE NATIONAL HAZÍRATU’L-QUDS . 177 TEMPLE SITES AND ENDOWMENTS . 179 DEVELOPMENT OF BAHÁ’Í WORLD CENTER . 181 EVENTS IN THE UNITED STATES . 183 OTHER VICTORIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS . 185 APPEAL TO UNITED NATIONS . 187 ENROLLMENTS IN VIRGIN TERRITORIES . 189 NEXT PHASE OF WORLD CRUSADE . 191 A MAJOR TURNING POINT . 195 Evidences of the Resistless March of the World Crusade197 PORTENTOUS PROPHECIES . 199 VICTORY OVER ECCLESIASTICAL FORCES . 201 ACHIEVEMENTS OF WORLD CRUSADE . 203 THE QIBLIH OF A WORLD COMMUNITY . 207 THE TEN-YEAR PLAN IN THE UNITED STATES . 209 IN THE AFRICAN CONTINENT . 211 IN THE PACIFIC AREA . 213 THE MOTHER-TEMPLES OF THREE CONTINENTS215 KNIGHTS OF BAHÁ’U’LLÁH AND HEROIC PIO- NEERS . 217 x Messages to the Baháâà World: 1950â1957 CONFERENCES AND INSTITUTES . 219 DYNAMIC POWER OF FAITH . 223 SOLEMN RENEWAL OF DEDICATION . 225 TASKS FOR THE CURRENT YEAR . 227 THE GUARDIAN’S APPEAL TO ALL BAHÁ’ÍS . 231 Epoch-Making Victory Won Over Covenant-Breakers . 233 Call to Hands of Cause and National Assemblies . 237 Restitution of Bahá’í Properties in Persia . 239 Purification of $aram-i-Aqdas . 241 Announcement of Series of Five Intercontinental Con- ferences and Appointment of Eight Additional Hands of the Cause . 243 PHENOMENAL ADVANCE ACHIEVED IN WORLD CRUSADE . 245 ANOTHER CONTINGENT OF HANDS OF THE CAUSE OF GOD . 249 THE GUARDIAN’S REPRESENTATIVES AT THE CONFERENCES . 251 FOURTH PHASE OF TEN-YEAR PLAN . 253 MESSAGES TO THE BAHÁ’Í WORLD 1950–1957 A Supplementary Collection . 255 New Step in Building the Báb’s Shrine . 257 Construction of Shrine Moves Forward . 259 Pilgrimage to World Center Again Permitted . 261 Administrative Headquarters in Africa . 263 William Sutherland Maxwell Passes—Rúhíyyih Khánum Appointed Hand . 265 Progress on Shrine of the Báb . 267 Achievements of Heroic Pioneers in Africa . 269 Rapid Progress of Twin Sacred Undertakings . 271 African Intercontinental Conference . 273 TRIBUTE TO PIONEERS IN AFRICAN FIELD 275 Baha'i Terms of Use xi FIRST AFRICAN PILLAR OF UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE . 277 AFRICAN PROJECTS TO BE LAUNCHED . 279 A SPIRITUALLY WELDED UNIT . 283 Fivefold Historic Celebration in America . 285 All-America Intercontinental Conference—First Message . 287 SIX DECADES OF ACHIEVEMENT . 289 SPECIAL TASKS OF FOUR NATIONAL AS- SEMBLIES . 291 PORTRAIT OF BAHÁ’U’LLÁH SENT . 293 All-America Intercontinental Conference—Second Message . 295 ELEVEN PILLARS OF THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE RAISE CEN- TERS TO 2500 . 297 PRELUDE TO PRODIGIOUS EXPANSION . 303 A PLANETARY SPIRITUAL CRUSADE . 305 BEGIN NINTH PART OF MAJESTIC PROCESS307 Appeal for Funds to Purchase Temple Site in Italy 311 Joyful Announcement of Progress . 313 European Intercontinental Conference . 315 EMERGENCE OF FAITH’S EUROPEAN IN- STITUTIONS . 317 CRUSADE PROJECTS TO BE UNDERTAKEN 319 OPENING OF A GREAT SPIRITUAL REVIVAL323 Magnificent Response by Communities of East and West . 325 Asian Intercontinental Conference . 327 EARLY STAGES OF BAHÁ’U’LLÁH’S FAITH 329 ASIA’S HOUR IN THE GLOBAL CRUSADE . 331 ON THE THRESHOLD OF A NEW SPIRI- TUAL ERA . 335 Triple Announcement on Conclusion of Holy Year337 xii Messages to the Baháâà World: 1950â1957 A TRIPLE RESPONSIBILITY . 341 Hands at New Delhi Conference to Aid in Attaining Goals . 343 Further Additions to Roll of Honor . 345 Valíyu’lláh Varqá Passes; Son Appointed . 347 Passing of George Townshend . 349 George Townshend Passes; Agnes Alexander Appointed351 Remains of Mírzá Buzurg Transferred . 353 Review of World Progress of the Faith Hail the valiant acts during the course of the last twelve months of members of firmly knit, world embracing, divinely propelled Bahá’í Community, singly, collectively, both sexes, all ages laboring in near, and distant fields, in Eastern and Western hemispheres, gathered from diverse classes, creeds and colors; as administrators, in the respective home lands or as settlers or itinerant teachers overseas; whether serving in private capacity or in official association with authorities. Second half of opening decade of second Bahá’í century befittingly ushered in. Recent exploits in virgin territories of Western hemisphere, Arabian Peninsula, South and East Asia raised to one hundred the number of sovereign states, and dependencies, enrolled under the banner of the Faith. Forthcoming celebrations, commemorating the Hundredth An- niversary of the Martyrdom of the Herald of the Faith, doubly glorious, through association this historic victory, representing an increase of no less than twenty-two countries in the brief span of six years, since the Centennial of the Declaration of His Mission. Number of centers in Australasia now exceeds sixty; Cana- dian Community nearing ninety centers already established; Alaskan territory eleven centers; European goal countries thirty- five, number of newly declared believers almost doubled during course of past year. Bahá’í literature enriched by translation into Welsh, Eskimo, Swahili, Hausa, Chinyanja, raising the total number of languages 2 Messages to the Baháâà World: