He has also been greatly encouraged to see the progress made in Austria during the past year. The formation of four Assemblies marks a tremendous step forward in the work in that country, which has too long lagged behind the progress made in Germany. At last, Austria is beginning to bear fruit, and he hopes, through the activities of the Austrian believers and the pioneers who have rallied to their support, as well as through the wise guidance of your Assembly, that the centres will be increased very rapidly and the Spiritual Assemblies multiplied to such a point that he can fix a date for Austria to have her independent National Body. The achievement of this goal rests entirely upon the teaching work and is dependent on the creation of more Assemblies. He was glad to see that there is great need in Germany for more publications, for more of the literature to be made available in German. Naturally these things are dependent on financial means. However, he was happy to know that a News Letter had been consistently published in Frankfurt, and had been of help to the friends, especially in connection with their Nineteen Day Feasts. Such activities should be stimulated and encouraged by your Assembly. The Bahá’ís are widely spread over the whole country, many of them far from well-to-do, and, however humble the instrument that reaches them, it nevertheless fulfils a great purpose in stimulating and encouraging them. Travelling teachers should be sent out more regularly to visit the different centres, as the two Hands of the Cause in Germany are so overburdened as to make it impossible for them to travel as much as they would like to or should do in the interests of the Faith. Therefore your Assembly should encourage itinerant teachers or teaching trips by any of the friends who are able to offer a certain amount of time to such activities. He has also been very pleased during the past year to see from the press clipping book he received, how much publicity the Faith has received free of charge, not only in the press but generally in some of Germany’s best-known newspapers. Were it not for the violent opposition met with in connection with the purchase of the Temple land, this would not have been possible, and the friends can clearly see that our activities, when we carry them on persistently and energetically, arouse opposition, which has an extremely salutary effect. In fact, some of the reports in the German newspapers about the opposition the Bahá’ís were meeting with in connection with their Temple site were published in leading French newspapers. The friends should be very encouraged by these evidences of the rising fame of the Faith. They should welcome opposition, and stand firm on all questions of principle. By doing so, they will attract new people to the Faith and encourage the skeptical to embrace our Teachings. He appreciated receiving the photo of the new N.S.A. and hopes it will accomplish great things during the coming months.