The Unfolding Destiny of the British Bahá'í Community : the Messages from the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith to the Bahá'ís of the British IslesShoghi, Effendi
Religion
The Unfolding Destiny of the British Bahá'í Community : the Messages from the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith to the Bahá'ís of the British Isles
Shoghi, Effendi
Bahai Faith -- Great Britain -- History -- Sources; Shoghi, Effendi, 1897-1957 -- Correspondence
He was, likewise, very pleased to receive the statement of Sir A.
Ramaswami Mudaliar testifying to his appreciation of the Faith, and he
will use it in the appropriate section of “Bahá’í World” in the
forthcoming edition.
The instruction he gave to the effect that committees should elect their
own officers, he feels, is universal in scope and should, therefore, apply
to Great Britain as well....
Regarding the matter of the budget of the N.S.A. he feels that both wisdom
and courage is required in this matter. You should not fix a budget which
is too heavy for the community to meet, even with sacrifice. Both the
pressing needs of the Cause and your Plan, as well as the foreseeable
possibilities of your income should guide you.
He has no objection to extracts from his letters to ... being published.
He feels that in the future it is not necessary to ask his permission to
publish such extracts. As long as the person who has received a letter,
such as he would wish to share with others, from the Guardian, has no
objection to its publication, he has no objection either. Anything
confidential he always specifies as being such.
He feels that the question of Mrs. Hofman giving up the secretaryship of
the National Teaching Committee, and who is to be chairman of it, etc. is
something to be decided there by those responsible for the work.
In one of your letters you mentioned some ... who have visited the London
Centre and their attitude: great patience must be used in dealing with the
child-like members of some of these primitive races. They are innocent in
heart and have certainly had a very bad example, in many Christians, of a
purely mercenary approach to religion, but if their hearts and minds once
become illumined with the Faith they could make very fine believers.
Regarding the matter of believers who have been deprived of their voting
rights: just as no one should ever be deprived of his voting right
lightly, it should likewise be realised that to be deprived of it is a
grave matter, and involves heavy penalties spiritually. People who have
been so deprived should not be permitted to attend any meetings involving
the administration of the Cause, such as an election or a 19 Day Feast.
They can attend the 9 Holy Days, however; they should not be married by
Bahá’í law, no money should be accepted from them, they should not be
given credentials (which imply a member of the community in good standing)
nor should they be used officially as teachers or speakers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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