The Administrative Order is not a governmental or civic body, it is to
regulate and guide the internal affairs of the Bahá’í community;
consequently it works, according to its own procedure, best suited to its
needs. A Bahá’í who does more than visit temporarily a community is
considered for our administrative purposes as a resident and can vote and
serve accordingly. Students in foreign lands, most obviously not
residents, are registered as local Bahá’ís, and therefore entitled to do
their share of work and play their part in the local community life. This
should be pointed out to ... who seem to be confusing our internal
administration with external practices which have no relation to it. As
regards their personal attitudes the Guardian, remembering what a devoted
worker ... has been in the past, is very sorry to see she is no longer
active. He does not feel this will lead to either her happiness or that of
...; for, whenever we compromise with what is noblest and best in
ourselves, we are the losers invariably.
The Guardian was delighted to hear the friends are at last responding to
the urgent needs of the Plan and going forth as pioneers. Plans are
concrete things, and not mere honors, and victories—like all other
achievements in life—must be purchased at the cost of persistent efforts!
He feels sure the Canadian Bahá’ís, perhaps slow to get under way, will
display the counterpart of this British characteristic, and cling like
bull dogs to their tasks, once they do get under way.
PIONEER TO GREENLAND
The departure of Mr. Bond(19) for the Arctic made the Guardian very happy;
this, as well as the sailing of Mr. Bischoff(20) for Greenland, mark the
opening stage of the campaign to carry the Faith to the Eskimos, a plan
set forth by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and very dear to His heart.
Encouraging as these steps are, they do not take care of the main body of
the work—the establishment of new Assemblies and groups. In order to
accomplish this the entire Canadian Community will have to rise to a new
level of activity, consciousness, and sacrifice, just as did the British
Bahá’í Community during their Six Year Plan. Their success is perhaps one
of the most remarkable ever achieved in the Bahá’í World because they were
few in number, run down in health from the long years of suffering during
the war, and poor in financial resources. Their determination, dedication
and moral stamina, however, carried them through, and Bahá’u’lláh gave
them the victory. He will give the same victory to everyone who shows the
same characteristics. Success breeds success, and this same Community, now
rightfully proud and conscious of its importance, is carrying on its
African work in a brilliant manner. The Canadian Bahá’ís, more prosperous,
less restricted, and equally capable, can accomplish just as much if they
unitedly determine to do so.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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