He was very happy to see the names of so many friends gathered in Plochingen, and feels sure that your efforts to spread the Message of Bahá’u’lláh there are meeting with success. Now is the time to teach and to lead the hungry souls of mankind to the heavenly banquet of this Mighty Revelation. He assures you one and all of his most loving prayers for the success of your services to the Faith... [From the Guardian:] May the Beloved bless your efforts, guide your steps, remove all obstacles from your path, and enable you to promote, effectively and at all times, the vital interests of His Faith and its institutions, Your true and grateful brother, Shoghi LETTER OF 30 MARCH 1947 30 March 1947 Bahá’í Gemeinde Plochingen—Gôppingen Dear Bahá’í Friends: Your joint letter to our beloved Guardian, dated Jan. 19th, and announcing the formation of your joint Assembly, reached him, and he has instructed me to answer you on his behalf and congratulate you on this great step forward you have taken. He hopes that in the near future your numbers will grow sufficiently to enable you to form two separate Spiritual Assemblies, and he assures you all that he will pray in the Holy Shrines that this objective may speedily be achieved. Your services, in these days of toil and trouble for your native land, are of the utmost importance and upon them depends the future course of events in its spiritual unfoldment... [From the Guardian:] May the Beloved of our hearts bless, guide and sustain you in your devoted endeavours and continued services to His Cause, aid you to extend the range of your activities, and enable you to win mighty victories for His Faith, Your true brother, Shoghi March 1947 Bahá’u’lláh has given His wonderful teachings and His New World Order to all men; it is up to each individual to accept this Divine Message and promote its healing laws and principles for himself. No one can decide for you what you must do. Your own heart must tell you that your place is serving this struggling new Faith in the days when it is still, for the most part, unrecognized by the masses. In the future, when it has won more adherents, and its true stature becomes obvious to all, it will not require the courage to sponsor it which it does today! We must always remember that the administrative Order is a means to an end, an instrument to co-ordinate and unify the efforts of the Bahá’ís. It is still imperfectly understood by them, but very great progress has been made already. Now, through this administration, it is becoming possible to at last bring the knowledge of Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings to the masses, and this is a field you could render great services in. Your fire, your love for your fellow men, are qualities much needed in our work, and Shoghi Effendi hopes you will feel the urge to plunge yourself into the service of this glorious Cause.