Japan Will Turn Ablaze!
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Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Abdu'l-Bahá, Japan Will Turn Ablaze!, Tokyo: Bahá'í Publishing Trust of Japan, 1992, bahai-library.com.
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Japan Will Turn Ablaze!

Abdu'l-Bahá
Shoghi Effendi
Universal House of Justice

Barbara R. Sims, compiler

Tokyo: Bahá'í Publishing Trust of Japan, 1992

single page

chapter 1

(click for larger image)

Tablets of `Abdu'l-Bahá, Letters of Shoghi Effendi and the

Universal House of Justice, and Historical Notes About Japan

(Revised Edition)

© Copyright 1996 by Barbara R. Sims

Digital text © 1999 by Barbara R. Sims and

the Bahá'í Academics Resource Library

First Edition 1974

Reprinted 1975

Revised Edition 1992

Contents

Introduction.............................................................5

PART I
The Epoch of `Abdu'l-Bahá's Ministry

1. Miss Agnes B. Alexander..................................................9
2. Dr. George J. Augur.....................................................17
3. Mr. Kanichi Yamamoto....................................................20
4. Mr. Saichiro Fujita.....................................................26
5. Tablets to Japan........................................................29
6. `Abdu'l-Bahá Speaks to a Japanese Audience..............................42
7. Excerpt from a Tablet of `Abdu'l-Bahá...................................49
8. `Abdu'l-Bahá Meets President Naruse of Japan Women's College............50
9. Excerpt from The Chosen Highway by Lady Blomfield,
Concerning `Abdu'l-Bahá and the Japanese Diplomat (1912)................51

PART II
Letters of Shoghi Effendi and Communications
From the Universal House of Justice

10. Letters and Cables to Miss Agnes B. Alexander, 1923-1957.................54
11. Letters and Cable to the Bahá'ís of Japan in the Early Days, 1922-1931...73
12. Letters and Cables to Administrative Institutions........................80
13. Letters to Individuals..................................................101
14. Shoghi Effendi Writes to Emperor Showa of Japan.........................110
15. Message from the Universal House of Justice to the North
Pacific Oceanic Conference, Sapporo, Japan, September 1971..............111

Afterword...............................................................113
Bibliography............................................................114

Hand of the Cause Miss Agnes B. Alexander (Circa 1900)

"Your name will forever remain associated with the rise of the Faith and
its establishment in Japan and the record of your incessant and splendid
endeavors will shed on its annals a lustre that time can never dim." (Shoghi
Effendi, June 8, 1933)

4

Introduction

As early as 1903 and for years thereafter, `Abdu'l-Bahá urged
Bahá'ís to travel to Japan to spread the Message of
Bahá'u'lláh. On occasion He said He Himself would like to go to
Japan, and also to some other countries.

In 1908 `Abdu'l-Bahá wrote to an American believer, Mr. Howard
McNutt*, "A trip of the believers of God to the Orient is of the utmost
importance and it will become the cause of great connection between the two
regions... Perchance, God willing, in Japan, you may lay the foundation for the
Kingdom!"

In 1910 He said to the first two Bahá'ís to visit Japan,
"Blessed results will appear from the Holy Cause established in that land. I
have sent your letter regarding the work in Japan to Mr. McNutt in New York,
that he may spread the word for some of the American Bahá'ís to
go to Japan, and there serve and teach the Cause. It is very good for teachers
to travel, and, through the love of God, give life to the people. American
Bahá'ís should go to Oriental countries as teachers."

The first Bahá'ís to make the long voyage, Mr. Howard
Struven** and Mr. C.M. Remey, 1909; Mme. Aurelia Bethlen, 1911; Mr. and Mrs.
Dreyfus-Barney, 1914, stayed for brief periods of time and continued around the
world. Dr. George Augur and Miss Agnes Alexander both arrived in 1914 — Miss
Alexander shortly after Dr. Augur. They sailed to Japan with the intention of
residing there for some time. All these believers traveled in response to the
wishes of `Abdu'l-Bahá. Besides Japan, He also encouraged travel in
those early days to China, India, Persia and other Asian countries.

In the Tablet of the Divine Plan written to the Bahá'ís of
the United States and Canada, Japan is mentioned six times and the Japanese
language itself once. In those Tablets `Abdu'l-Bahá again urged travel.
"How good would it be were there any possibility of a commission composed of
men and women, to travel together through China and Japan..."

In 1919 `Abdu'l-Bahá wrote to Mr. Roy Wilhelm*, "Attach great
importance to the Japanese people. Mrs. Magee should continually communicate
with them." And again, later in the year to the same believer, "Convey to Mr.
Nasu***, the Japanese, my greeting and say: The world of nature is darkness but
the heavenly Sun dissipates by its light this darkness that prevails over the
world. Likewise the world of mind and of souls is a dark one and nothing will
illuminate it save

__________

* Mr. McNutt, Mr. Wilhelm and Mr. Randall were staunch and devoted American
Bahá'ís who tried to help the Faith in Japan as it was
`Abdu'l-Bahá's wish.

** Mr. Struven was designated as Herald of the Kingdom by
`Abdu'l-Bahá.

*** Mr. Shiroshi Nasu, a professor of Tokyo Imperial University, was a friend
of Mr. Wilhelm.

5

the rays of the Sun of Truth. My hope therefore is that thou mayest
be the cause of the shining of the Divine Teachings in Japan, that thou mayest
vivify the dead. The people of Japan are intelligent but they are in need of a
leader that he may awaken them. I hope that thou mayest be the cause of their
awakening and may vivify them."

To Mr. William Randall*, in 1920, He wrote, "The association which has been
formed for promoting the relationship and love between America and Japan, will,
God willing, be confirmed and assisted. This association is important. It will
unquestionably, bring forth great results."

*** *** ***

"These are His very words, that still keep ringing in my ears: 'Japan will
turn ablaze!'"

The title of this book was taken from `Abdu'l-Bahá's prophecy of the
spiritual future of Japan as quoted by Shoghi Effendi, Guardian of the
Bahá'í Faith, in his first letter to the Bahá'ís of
Japan, January 26, 1922.

*** *** ***

We have taken the liberty of adding a few words, for the sake of
continuity, and also that the reader, knowing something of the individuals and
circumstances might better observe the creative power in the words of
`Abdu'l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi as reflected in the lives and actions of
the recipients.

For further information on the history of the Bahá'í Faith in
Japan, we recommend to the reader History of the Bahá'í Faith in
Japan 1914-1938 by Agnes B. Alexander, and Traces That Remain, (A Pictorial
History of the Early Days of the Bahá'í Faith Among the Japanese)
by Barbara R. Sims.

Barbara R. Sims

Tokyo, Japan 1992

__________

* See footnote, previous page

single page

chapter 1

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previous at archive.org.../compilation_japan_turn_ablaze;
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&copy; BIC, public sharing permitted. See sources 1, 2, and 3.
History
Scanned 2000 by Jonah Winters; Formatted 2000 by Jonah Winters; Proofread 2000 by Barbara R. Sims.
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-- Japan Will Turn Ablaze! (Used by permission of the curator)