.... n,
..........
Botee of ShOfJh1 Etteztdi t • wC4"4a taken by !III!I at the d:1xmer table in the Pil8rim Bouse
in Ba1ta, April 22Jld to ~ 12th, 1m. --

1937, JIll' lMt awning in BUra, I asked Shosh1 Mtendl at the d1lmer table What
meaeaea he would wteh lII9 to oonvey to the trienda in America. lJs replied that he had
been tMnk1"& about tbe Temple and how the JIIOIley could 'be ralaed tor Ita oOlllpletlon.
lJs said in part:
'l'lJe Am9rloan frJ,en4e have a twotold task (Jf promoting tirst teaching, and seoClDd the oompletion ot the Temple ol"ll.lU18ntatlon, the &even year plan to the end ot the first oentul7.
It the1 cooperate and persevere they will succeed. Mr. Schopflooher has ottered $100,000
~ the 1'8lII\1n1 ns BZ001mt would be $30,000 per year tor the &even years. It Is very- easy
to aoh1eve this it the friends persevere and cooperate. Two more units are needed.
by Will suoceed if ooo,eratlon Is sueta1ned to the end, and the teachins work must
not sutter. :Before the end of the f1rst century, they must establ1sh at least a group
in eV8l7 !It&te, and if a gl"oup 1a not possible, then one residential believer, not only
in every- etate and province in America, but 1n every republic in the Jimerican continent,
ADd the e1ght Islmlds ot Hawa11. A residentlal believer on each Island. 1s a pe.rt of tm
World PlIm.. Every- nation in the Baha'I world must direct 1ts attent10n to the neighboriDS cOll8!ltr1es. In every- countl7 1t 1s poss1ble to teach the Cause. It you know how to
teach, you can find a few receptive souls.
~ 12,     1931, Just before sailing from. Haifa, Shoghi EffendI sent for D8.       His first
wards .,re in part:
Tlle AmerIcans have a twofold task, an:Q' e1ght years remain and the t1llB 1s short. They
must make a treD8ndous eftort in teaching and a treD8ndous eftort to finish the second
am third units of the Temple by the end of the first oentUI7 and the inaugurat10n of
the second centul7. It is now twenty-fIve years since the Master laid the corner stone,
and It will be thirty-two yeare In erectIng. More than that would be detr1mntal to the
friends. By the end of tile tirat century they wst be throush with the O1"DI!IZDImtatlan,
pa;rtloular~ &I this will enable the fr1eXlda in Perea to &W"t the third Temple.      The
Mister la1d the cOl'D&r stcme in Chicago before there 1188 a plan and the Persian friends
can do tlle eaue. The Master said that anotmr Temple could not be built until the one
iná Chlcaso was oompleted.
The fol.lmflng 1 have classified under mad1n8B.
ADMlNIS'mATION
tAbd')1tl_Balla stressed the spiritual Bide of the Nineteen ~ Feast, but not the adminIstrat1ve side. Now we stress the admInistrative Bide. ~re is nothing in the teach1n8e
that the Nineteen Ds;r Feast should be held on the first day of the Baha'i month. It is
only the oustcm. Glve freedom in nan-esBentials. In essentials unlty; in non-essent1als divers1ty and in all things charIty.
The Local Assembly should intervene wmn the Cause suffers. In pure:Q' adm1n1strat1ve
matters, If a voting Dember disobeys the Spiritual Assembly, be ceases to be a voting
member.
Saaet:1llles it is very- difficult to ~ what constitutes leg»lat1on and wmt constItutes
interpretation.
Local Asaembl1es will become local govel'lll!ents. Natlonal AssemblieS, national governlIi!mts.
The institution of the InternatIonal lbuse of Justice and the Guardianship have different
revenues. The Master and Beha'u'llah have both stated that each have their speoific
revenues. The Baha'Is are free to offer en.d..o'alDfmts to the Loc&\ lil.t1cma1, or International, oondit1onal, or uncondit1onal. The Nat1ona1 can appeal to the lJ>.t.r.rlaUonal House of
JuStice.
We 1II18t discourage labeled contrlbutlons. •      Baha'is are free to gi'ge all their property to non-Baha'is. The Baha'l. JllUBt malIB their Wills by the Law ot Baha'uá1l8h. If
no Will 1s left, then the property lIILl.8t be divided acoording to theáLaw ot ~ 'u 'llah.
Dlvorce, althoush parmi.slble is highly d1scouraee<l. The Assembly should solve such
cases, and then tbey should obey, ed if not they lIILlBt cease to be voting Beha t lll. TlIey
should first not 11 ve toseth8r tar 0l'l8 yee:r. Soold.Dg 1s not as serious . . cU'YOI"Ce.
The Baha'i constitution is not an ~rica.n const1tution. It 1e a Baha'i conatitution,
as 'Abdu'l-Bala said the 118bt tram the East would go to the Weet. 'Abdu'l-Baha
wrote in the Tablets of the D1v1l:le Plan, "The continent of ~r1ca 1s the land where
the li8hts of the Fa1 th w111 first be revealed, the continent where the lIVster1es of
Hie Faith shall be unveiled." The Fa1th was born in the East and the child ushered in
in t!le West. The Fe,1th now has a child (administration) and the World Order 1s the
b~J::át..'l of civillzation. The term World Order was first mentioned 'by the Bab in the
B~a.::l and Baha'u'llah used the aame term in Perdan. Allmad Sohrab disassociated the
Writings of Baha'u'llah fro~ the Wo~ld Order.
The religious institutions are trembling because they were not established by the
Founders. On tmse ruins will be established the Baha'i institution which is established
by the F01.Dlder.
We must not be provocative nor be too submissive. Ventilate our feelings with franlaless
and moderation. The tone lIDlst be moderate and we lIDlst be very frank with friendliness.
F1rDIDess and at the same time f'rankness can be combined. To be brave is different from
being cautious. Over cautiousness is a defect. We must ponder before we take action.
Audacity in teaching but net in applying the principles of administration. We must be
absolutely loyal to the administrative principles. It is difficult because it involves
personalities. Spiritual principles do not involve personalities.
The reason why women cannot be members of the House of Justice will be revealed to us
in the future. The Master has said in a Tablet it will ~come as clear as the sun.
SClllet1Ioos we cannot find the reason for things, but it 1e a challense to our faith itself. A revelation implies a Wisdom which transcends the human mind.
When once the Institution begins to function, the personal 1e not 1mportant.    It is the
Institution itself which is important.
The deta1ls of the :Baba'i Revelation are left to the Bouse of Justice.
Those who deliberatsly violate a BalIa'i law cease to be voting Bala'is.
In Persia the leaders are very weak and the masses are very strong.    The 'lrustees and
the National Assembly in /\marica are the same.
Those who disregard the wishes of the National Assembly cease to be voting believers.
An adm1n1strative principle C8llnot be compromised.
If anyone disobeys an Assembly he ceases to be a voting member if he ms been repeatedly
warned.
The Bahatis must ask to be g1ven 6dm1nistrative pOSitiOns, that is, secon~ posts and
prove their ability to administrate.
BAlJA'IFAITH
The Baha'i Faith is more than a religion. It is a civilization. It is not a restatement. It 1s a civilization which will blend East and West. The past faiths could not
establlsh a civilization. "110 cannot compare it to previous religions and World Order
is mother word for civilization. God's plan for lnmnn1 ty in this revelation is fully
unfolded. It was only partially unfolded in the past.
•Abdu 'l-Baha once said in case he should leave Haifa, He would go to the Far East.
The Guardian said in regard to a Ja.panese Buddhist priest that m could not be a Baha'i
and remain a pr1est, that he should I18ke every effort to find other means of livelihood,
even though it were lees lOOney, and that it should be explained to hl:m.: Baha1u'llah is
the Bearer of a New Revelation which abrosatee the old; the Founder of a New D1spensation. We have our own laws. We must not be JXembers of 8.l'lḥ organizations, but we must
cooperate with all provided cooperation doss not imply acceptance. We lIDlst do just
what others do who enter our meetings, reciprocate like people who address Baha'i meetings. We lIDlst I18ke distimtion betwen association and affiliation. Our faith abrosates
tm laws of previous revelations, therefore we cannot be members of other organizations.
The Babo.'1 Faith ill more than & religion because it has lnatltutiane eetabliahed by the
Founder of the Faith w~ch makes it a civilization. The Klngdam of God 111 thill World
Order of Bahalu'll&h. When it is establlahed the prayer, "nw- K1.nedtm came," will be
fulfilled.
On the ninth day of Ridvan :Bah& IU Ill&h wall jo1Iled by ilis family in the garden and they
left on the tllelfth day for Constantinople. The first day He arrived in the garden. The
eovertlm3nt 0W!lS the garden and the hospltal which is on the grolmds, but the :Babe. , Is
a~ allowed by the gutelfiiibnt to meet there.     It was a four months journey fram Bagdad
to Constantinople.
~ NI.aster \'8S   the perfect Be.bI. 11.   He was the perfect mirror. :sa was a human be ing
WlnCil.'il.E1 perfect yet hUDml.     He had the attributes of the prophet, but not hls rank.
'I.be.t 1s why :sa 1s a lI\Ystery.   He Is all-mowing, and yet not a prophet.
'I~ 1ve  photographs of Be.ha' u Ille.h were dlstributed by Him in Adrianople. The Master's
phc;togt"aph is quite different fram that of Be.ha IU 'lab, or the Be.b, which 1IIU.st not be
exposed, but friends could own them.
The Cause is so much above personalities. It will survive all attacks. It Is providential Sohrab left the Cause. In a DVsterious wa;y these things help the Cause. Mrs.
Clmldler is h;ypnotized by him. He DBy have been sincere but has lost his faith.
'l'be enemies in Palestine are the Muslims, Christians and Mnbe.nmatl 'Ali's party. It 1s
only the beginning of the opposition of the church. 'Ibis opposition will gradually 1ncree.ae and spreai to the church in Engle.nd and afterwards ,,111 affect the Catholics and
w:l.ll bring the downfall of the Pope. The religiOUS opposi tlon Is shifting to the West.
In t~ West, starting wlth the religious leaders, there Is an increasing oppositlon of
the church, and later on of the State. As soon as it is realized that the Baha'ls are
farming a State within a State, they will misinterpretal our motives. Be confident tllat
whatever happens will eventually be far the good of the Cause. The Be.ha' i8 must be very
\\Q11 informed. The;, must read the books of the enemies, as well as the Be.ha'i books,
and be prepared to :refute arguments. The cha11eng:l wll1 be intellectual. What the Cause
requires ls ~severance.
The Bab was like the SUII at the vernal equinox - the spring.           Be.he.'u'llah was like the
Slm in the sign of Leo - the middle summer.            The Light of the Cause is different from
the Splendour of the Dlspenee.tion.
In the house of Abboud, inAkka, Baha'u'lle.h lived for eight years. 'Abdu'l-Be.be., before His mrr1e.ge, occupied a room next to Babe. 'u 11le.h's with twelve other persons. It
was in the roam in this house that Be.ha' u 'llah revealed the Aqde.s.
We must not imitate the missionaries in our clmlting or singing, but mlm 1t something
new. We must not imitate under ~ circumstances the Christians. Be original. In the
East there is extreue fundamentalism. In the West extreme liberalism. F8ne.tism in the
East and heresy in the West. Heresy is extreme liberalism or extreme orthodoxy.
Tm Master said that Prof. EdltlU"d G. Browne would realize before his death his mistake.
(~ being influenced by the Ezelis) Nicolai believed that the Bab was a prophet of God.
Both Gob1neau and lTicolai believed that Be.ha.'u'llah usurped the Bab's place. ,Oob1neau
did not change but Nicolai has realized that the Baha lie are the friends of the Bab.
'!he enemies of the Cause had very pa.erf'ul subtle influence on people.
In three hundred years there lIere twelve g:lnerat1ons of Be.he.'u '11ah' s family. Be 1f88
fran Abraham, one of his sons who migrated to Central Asia and eetablished h1lIIself in
Kare.san.   He was neither IsI!Be1 nar Isaac.     He 1s also fram Jesse, the son of David
who 1s fran Iee.e.c.
The Master's pho~ should be circule.ted amongst the believers. Baha'u'llah should
live in th!t m.1nde of the believers rather than for them to see a photograph. Tllen there
1e alwars the fear of worsh1pin6 the photopph. Baha'iS must COlU'entrate on th!t eiir1t
and not on the form. Even the Master UMd to refer to H1mself &8 the Channal.
'l'HB FUTURE
After the world war tb&re will be a reactIon in faTOl' of the Cause but the whole world
will not become 1mIIIediate:q Babah.
This is the caning or &8' of this planet. Just as America was discovered, so other
planets ma;y be discovered, and in conJunction with them we ma;y becane a member of a
greater entity.
After the next war the United States will unite with other nations.      Wilson was ahead
of his ase. & brousht vision.
The 1mDBd1ate future in Japan is very dark. Japan is going to suffer. The time is not
now tor great head~. The Pacific Will beCOD:e a great storm center in the caning war -
great suffering. What we require in Japan is the recognition of Baha'u'11ab and of His
Station.
Baha'is should be very careful in their investments. All will be affected. The future
is very dark. Consult experts in inves_nts. The whole world Will be involved. We
know two things, that the suffering will be intense, and all will be involved. The last
war was the great war. The next will be the greatest war. The last was onl3" a prelude
to the next. A greater war will be required to give birth to a true League of Nations.
If wa can remain in a 1'~ign country during the war, that is, if we have money enoush
to do so, we should remain. 'Blere will be a tremndous reaction afterwards. The !saser
Peace will be of non-Bahs.tle. The Greater Peace is re1'erred to in the Tablet to Queen
Victoria. As the Cause develops, the governments will embrace the Cause and embrace
peace. The greater war w111 end war. The Baha'is must be loyal to their gOTernments,
and if the government s8i1s to keep Silent on peace, as in Gel"!ll8.IW, they must keep silent
There i8 a decline in morality allover the world, especial~ in Persia. In Japan there
is a certain quality of character which restrains them. In the meantime the Baha'iS
must not 1'ollow with the current. 'lhis decline is providential. It must set in in
order that the people will learn through bitter experience. It is a preparation for the
Cause. God has offered the Cause to mankind for a hundred years. In the "Hidden Words"
it eays, "A great caJ.am1ty followeth you and a great retribution awaiteth you."
Asked i t he considered it wise to invest in real estate: On tm whole it is much wiser
to invest in real estate remote from the centers of population that bcmbs ma;y not fall.
The friends must not be misled by temporary prosperity for the crash will come later.

GENERAL 'roPICS
SocrateM himself' got his phil08oph;y from the Jewish scholars.    The Master said so.     li!l
was eventually poisoned as his ideas were ahead of his time.
We must remember what the Jews were before Moses and what they beCaIre.     They were
robbers.
Arabic beautifies and enriches the Persian language.      'Abdu'l-Babe. called them milk
and honey,

The Summer Schools should invite non-Baha'is.     It is a place of association as well as
study.
The Bosches have rendered great service to the Cause. The spirit which animates them
is the greatest. They have surrendered their will and all to the Cause. Whatever lie
offer to the Cause, we should cease to oppose the will of the Spiritual Assemb~. Green
Acre is not as prosperous as other S\lIIIIIZIr Schools. If the whole property should bsCOIle
National property it would solve the problem.
SOOgbi Effendi said that dghty per oent of his t:!me 1s devoted to correspomenoe and.
eishty per cent of that to indIviduals. In Persia there are 600 localities 8.tId the
Cause is established in forty-three oountries in the world (1931). Three k1nds of cor-
CZNERAL TOPICS (Con.)
resp0n4ence: local Aseemblies, 1Jl~iv1duals and National Aseemblies.    There are so mBZli1
problems now tbat he has not t1lze enough for them all.
At present India is politioally minded like Pers1a.
Canf"uOiUB was not only a philosopher, but a saintly man, and any person who has saintly
attributes, their attributes will remain. Ninety per cent of the scholars have said
that Buddha. was not a prophet. Hinduism and Buddhism are the only existlns true religions of the Far East.
Baba'u'llah has sald no thins about the p1.mishl:!ent of the child. The Ibuse of Justice
will have to decide that in the future. Refrain from severe punishment, but to SOlm extent ptmishment ie required, though not necessarily bodily punislumnt. Severe ptmishment pa.re.lizee the faculty of the child. Discipline though is necessary. Society cannot function without the princIple of punishment and re.ard given by Baha'u'llah in Bis
Tablets. Discipline always implies punisllment and reward. Justice depends on punishment and reward. Encourasement is not sufficient. Encourasement without punishment
spoils the child, and punishment without encouragement ldlls inItiative. Keep the
balance between the two. Mlch depends upon the child and the envirorment, etc.        '!'be
mother should be active .tnetil.l1llg Baha'i pr1nQ1ples in the child and W!U'rl it from
following the standards of fellow students. Teach the chlld truth before eveI7thing.
Truth is the foundation of faith.
Christian Soience and other movements may be steppins stones, but that does not mean
the founders are instruments of God. The greater movements are diSinte8l"atins and the
people eeek these movements. They think they believe in truth, but it is 1lIag1na.tian.
Many of these movements are tainted by pol1tics. They are likB the teachings of the
ohurch whioh have no relation to Jeeue. Christian Scientists are sincere but misled.
What the Catholics, Christian Scientists and Theosophists teach are superstitIons.
Other worlds are the phfasical universe or the spiritual realm. There are remarkable
teachings in "Gleanings I about both the pl:\Yslcal and the spiritual world. Sir Oliver
Lodse is ahead of the aCientists, but he will never be able to analyze or reveal the
spiritual world. Moat of men's visions are pure euperstition or fancy.

In the third volume of 'Abdu'l-:Baha.'s Tablets in Persian, printed in Egypt, the Master
states that the birth of Jesus was extraordinary. 53 explains first what has been the
usual way, the germ in 1lBl'l, but states that as to Christ l,e was born from the Spirit of
God through a breath of Bis Spirit in an extraordinary manner different from the way
whioh is the 1.miversaliy mown rule. (Translatins from the Persian Tablet.) "Christ,
the Spirit of God, was born through a breath of Bis Spirit in an extraordinary nanner."
Every revelation has its ~steries.
Zoroaster conversed with the Jewish prophets one thousand years before Christ. 53 lived
at the t1lze of the Jewiehprophets who were not endo'l\ed with constancy. The Sabean religion existed before Abraham. Abraham appeared among the Sabeans just as Jesus appeared among the Jews. In the Qur'an Zoroaster is mentiomd but not by name, - Rass.
Prof. Jackson is the leading authority on Zoroaster.
The greatest of all inheritance is that of prophethood.    Not only the male but the
eldest son.

lAWS
~ person considering    to becaDe a believer must make up his m1l1d to give up drink.
Baba'u'llah sa;ys, "do not approach it," that is, you must not drink it. A believer is
expeoted to aocept the law of Baha'u'lla.h without questionins. 'I.e have no perfect
Baha.'is. Only the M!.ster was perfect. A Baha'i is a person who accepts the law with
ent1rety. ihe Jews were fanatically attach8d to the Sabbat;h and the laws of Moses, but
IAWS (Con.)
Christ did not compromise. He we.s very severe. It is a question of having implicit
faith in the wisdom of the Manifestation end accepting all that He reveals. The teachings themselves are the standard of justice. In Gl., page 175, "All that are in
heaven, " refers to the spirits who have ascended.
I f the woman is not given the right to divorce, it is not equality of men end women and
there fore it would not be according to Babe.' i law.
Obligatory pr~er orig1na.ted in Islam. "Strengthen "l!J3 hand", means help us from acting
dishonest~.   The law of God is sustained by two pillars, ~r end fasting.
Marriage without the consent of the parents does not promote unity, and there is also
another reason w~ it is not permitted. The Ba.ha.' i Revelation is to promote un! ty.
SlOOking is highly discoura.ged but not prohibited.
In Gle page 175, "His laws" is the House of Justice which will be on Mt. Carmel.     In
the "Tablet of the World" on page 23, "\'lhat fear ye, - whom are ye a.fra.id of."
Fa.1th is a great gift of God. Cbara.cter and faith are different but both are necessary. They are ccmpl1menta.ry. Men may have faith in God, end yet not have cbara.cter.
A Ba.ha.' i is a person who feels the necessity to give up a habit. He must make en effort. Not to drink is a conSCientious obligation which is left to the individual. It
is breaking a law to drink. \\e must not make a compromise. Balla' is must prove by their
action that their religion is alive. The adherence of Baha'is to their laws has great
influence. Character and adhering to the laws of Ba.ha. 'u' lJ,ah is different, that is,
fai th is different from character.
Same of the Bab's laws were severe as the Bab wished to bring the Mus11llls from their
old beliefs. The laws of the Aqda.s cannot be abrogated, at least for 1000 years. bra
is no rigidity except with the laws which Ba.ha.'u'lla.h has already revealed, that is,
p~r, fasting, nonalcohol and the consent of tile parents in marriage.       There are three
classes of laws in the Aqdas. First, soc1aJ. crime, such as bigamy; second, spiritual
obligation; third, advice, such as smoking.
Alcohol 19 alcohol whether in cooking or drinking, end the Ba.ha' is shOl1l.d know this.
Speaking of wine in more thB.n one Tablet Ba.ha 'u 'lla.h has said, "Do not approach it."
(Shoghl Effendi said he had the originals of these Tablets.) Woman particuar~ should
refrain from wine. They should go to parties end enjoy the rest. ~ not write to the
hoste ss and s~, ''we are not dr1nk1ng wine." We DI11St not be a.sha.ned. One extreme is to
stay a.way end the other extreme is to drink. Be frank, reasonable and brave. It often
happens that what to us appears to be an embarrassing situation turns out to be to the
a.4vanta.ge to the Cause. Timidi ty is en evidence of la.ck of faith. I f faith is strong
o~ is full of courage end e,udac1ty.    Association is a fundamental. principle of the
Cause, as it is in the words of 13a.ba'u'lla.h, "Consort ye with all people with joy and
fl'agrence." Association does not imp~ affiliation. We must not collaborate with them.
We associate ourselves but we do not accept membership.

PALESTINE
Palestine is the heart of the world, the meting place of tllree continents. No country
in the world has such a unique pla.ce as the met~ place of three continents; Ablca,
Asia 8nd Europe.
Ono million pounds has been spent on Haifa Port. Jerusalem is the religiOUS center in
Palostine end Haifa the oomme:roial port. Formerly Jaffa was the leading port but now
Haifa has taken its plaoe. The posit1on of Haifa is muoh more favorable then Jaffa.
Haifa wUl be tm tel1!linus of a railroad line whioh will follow along the pipe l1J:le to
Persial through M~lstan to Caloqtta. Anothel' line 1dll run from. &1fa to Cairo,
and to the Sudan, and from there 1"\ will be extended to Centorsl Africa and to Capetown.
BUESTINE (Con.)

We want tat National Assemblies to own land in Palestine and this must be done by es.
tabl1sh1n8 branCatS in Haifa. In tble _ will have all tm National Assemblies own1n8
l.a.t!J. rure in Haifa and. in AlIka. Also in Persia tmy will own land.

'Abdu'l-Baba said that always from the beg1tm1ng until now it ha.s been the case that
tbe Lisht of God haa been 13hed tJ;tom. the East to tlle West. Ib referred to tat Cbristien
Dispensation whioh was shed from the East, but was more pow&rful in tlle West. b       administrative center always shifted from the East to tlle West. In Ws Cause the
sp1ritual and administrative center will always be here in Palestine. 'lhe Christian
center shifted at last to Reme, and the Muslim from Meooa to Med1na, ~cus, :Bagdad,
E8YPt, and then Constantinople.
The Ibbrew Ullversity in Jerusalem, the lersest Hebrew university in the world, is open
to all religions. Prof. Norman Bentwioh of this uni versi ty referred to the Beha'i
Faith as the fourth faith in Palestine. (Balla!i World Vol. VI, :pe.a!t 345) Professors
have now been forced to ccme from GerIll8.lV, but in the future they w11l com from America
and EngJe.nd and the Christians and Arabs will attend. this university.
'Abdu'l-Babe. said that the site of tbe manger in Bethlemm is tm only authentIc
Christian site in PalestIne.
There are two reasons for visiting Jerusalem. First to see tm ho1y places, and s&Cond
to oontrast tmm to those in Hai:f8. and Ba.hji. Jerusalem will be the last stronghold
of Christianity. There are very pO\llerful forces now at work there allied with the
government. Som of the mm.bers of tm government in Jerusalem. are missionaries. They
are first imperialists and then missionaries.
'1bt first service for which tm Baha'is should express gratitude for what the British
government has done; Gellen! Allenby reoeived an order from Mr. Balfour that wmn tmy
entered Haifa, 'Abdu-I'13aba. should be protected. He gave directions to Genera.! Allenby
and to tm military offioial in charse, and the first one 1n Haifa that General Allenby
called on was 'Abdu-l 'Baha. It surpriSed everyone in Haifa. He asked the Master what
He desired. 'Abdu'l-Baha said just one word, to cable Persia that 18 was safe, and it
was the military official who sent the oable. Then General Allenby and his wite drove
with the Master to Akka, and it was a great surprise.
The second servioe was when tm British government establ1smd the faot that the Shrine
of Ba.bs.'u'llah was the property of the Baha'is in 1922. Mlhanrofld 'Ali's party had
seized the key forcibl:;v' from the gardener at night and for over a year the police were
stationed at the Shrine. Then the High Commissioner of Jerusalem reoeived letters and
telegrams from all QO'lmtries stating that the Shrine was the property of the Baha'is.
The British officer was then ordered by the High Commissioner to deliver the key from
tm police to tm same gardener. The third service. Mllb8l!!!!!8d ~Al1 is owner of onesixth of the Mansion through bribery and they hoped to get the rest but failed. They
are very W311 off but they would not restore the Mansion. In 'A"bdufl-Ba.ba.'s time, although MIlMlIlI!l8A 'Ali owned one-third of tm ManSion, m lived in it for forty years and
'Abdu 'I_Babe. allo~d him to do it, but now they oannot occupy it. The British government
guarantees the place as a sacred place, so it is not onJ.y useless, but a lOBS to Mllbe.mmail
'Ali. The third servioe was that tm British government recognized the place and exempted
it from taxation, also all the property in Ha.1i'a.

PERSIA
The vast Xlajority of centers in Persia. are villages.   'There are 600 localities and out
of these 500 are villages.
In the East the reforms are very superficial. They change dress but not their hearts.
Bahe,'u'lle.h speaks of cleanliness. The Baha'is of Persia must introdllC6 these th.1nge
as baths, etc.
PEBSIA (Con.)
Baha'u'lle.h's father's house in Ma.zinda.ra.n has not on.ly been restored, but the land
adjoining has been bought.
When Ia1a.m is separated from the State, then the Baha'is of Persia will reoover their
freedom. The Nat ional Assembly will beoome the legal OlVl:ler o'f the Ba.ha.' i property.
They will be National End~nts except the house of the Bab.
The oondition is very upset in Persia and anything might happen. To sus]?611d all Baha'i
aotivities would not humiliate the Cause, but 'for a Baha'i to tell a lie would humiliate
it.
Baba'u'llah referred to TtlJran as the mother of the world.    Neooa. is referred to by
MuhallImad as tb:l motb:lr of villages.
J:ra.nkness and courase ImlSt be adopted by the Ba.ha.'is in Persia with the government.
In the Assemblies tb:l Baha'is must discuss how to win the government. Seoreoy breeds
suspioion. Never make any statelOOnt which is against truth. We oannot disobey the
Assembly, but an order from an offiCial on behalf of the governmmt must be obeyed before the Assembly. The Persian government is a recogniied governIOOnt. There is no
prinoiple, no cooperation in Persia.
(Re'ferring to the Baha Ii celOOtery in Tihra.n). It is excellent to have the Jews,
Zoroastrians and Muslims all buried in one place. The oondition among the Baha. tis is
better in Russia now than in Persia.
In a Tablet addressed to the Ba.ha.lis of Korasan, thirty-seven years ago, 'Abdu'l...Baha
wrote that AlOOricans would go to Persia and promote trade, aQ:'iculture, o~rce, etc.
The llaha. 'i School was closed in Perpia because God wished it to be done.   We cannot
trust the politicans, prinoipally in Persia.
The standard of Beirut University has deolined. Students from Persia should not go to
Franoe, and AlOOrica is too far away. They should go to Ge:rma.lV first and England second.
Efficienoy and organization are required in Persia. Inertia is the greatest problem.
One revolution would be enough to bring Peraia baok.
The Master in a Tablet oompared the politioians of Persia to Ashes.

SACRED WRITlN<E
The first part of Nabil's Narrative is translated into German and Arabic.
Sales Qur'an is most soholarly and Rodwell's most literary.
The Gleanings were takBn from about twelve books, scme of which were in manuscript.
The "Epistle to the Son of the Wolf" was the last book revealed by Baha 'u 'llah in JI1s
room in the Mansion. He passed away in this Sa.m3 room.
In the Bab's oommentary of the "Surat of Joseph" there are 112 chapters and each
chapter is a oommentary of one verse.
The la.st translation of the Iqan is an attempt to approach the 'lUlattaimille God.
The Arabas had a culture, that is, a literary culture before MIlba.mmad.. They composed
;pc.e1;ory but could not write.
It is the task of the Ba.ha.'is to interpret the Qur'an acoording to the Baha'i Teachings.
The "JI1dden Words" are translated and printed in twelve languages.
"Persian Hidden WordS", verse 19, "The oomb I have given thee •••• " What I have given
you to use as a means of establishing peaoe you have misused. Not the abuse, but the
-,.
SACRED WRITINGS (Con.)
misuing of it. Reltgl.on ms often b&en miSUed by tm leaders of re11gion and "comb"
meims religIon, or the Wr1tinSs of Bella 'u 'llah which should be the 1nstrunBnt for the
establ1shnlelnt of peace. It is the misinterpretat10n of tm Writings of Ba.ba'u'llah.

THE ~ AlIDTFACHlNG
The Master laid two cond1tions on the Temple. It must be circular and have n1l'B sides.
The element of sacrifice Vital1zes the contr1bution. It must be alike for the rich
and poor. The structure will tmn have much greater spiritual po~r.
The l8:reest dome in tm world is that of St. Peters; the second is St. Pauls; third,
too cathedral of Seville; fourth, - and tm fifth, the dome of the Temple in W1J..Iootte.
$150,000 has been spent for tm dane; $120,000 for the structure; $150}000 for the
Ol"tl8lIIentation.
The effect of t Abdu 'l-:Baba r s Tablets to the blind in Japan ~ are now beg1n:n1ng to
witness. The Braille Committee has been internationally extended. The blind. should
be told that the Cause will be the greatest oantort and the words of ISlen Ireller should
be quoted, and they should be told what too Baha'iS are doing for the blind, in particular that it 1s intel'lnat10nal in scope. There will be lllf\.lV more blind after the war.
A Baha'i teacher must be active in searChing for those who will be spir1tu.aJ.:VIninded,
religious, but not orthodox. The method of approach depends on the individual. Do not
lose time with those who come out of curiosity or for personal sain.
Tbe ideal way is for Baha'is to work one-half of their t1Ine for their living and the
other half of tOOir t1Ine give to the Cause.
IE lEI! 1()1 1111

Some of the words of Shoghi Effendi to me just before I sailed from JIaifa on ~ 12,
1937. are the following:
Stress obedience to the government to the friends.
Do not dissipate your energies but concentrate on a few and make them firm. Baha'is.
Tbe pcm;,r of faith has great force. It is very mysterious.
Japan has a very groeat future. It is very much like Germany, full of vitality and in
the future it will be devoted to the Cause. Now it is the transition t1Ine. They
need a rude awakening.
Tbey must be shaken before they awe,lam. Nationalism and mil1 tarism are all 1nst:ruJmnts
which ~d is utilizing for the use of His purpose. This turmoil is a preparation. The
coming war will ~ld the nations into a Kingdom. of God. The Baha'is are preparing the
W8iY' at present for this great fusion. E1entual~ they will all unite.
To teach the Cause is tm paramount duV of t$ friends. Every Baha'i should teach, if
not publiCly, then by their actions. The more they teach, the more manifest the confirmations will come. They are suspended be~en earth and heaven, and what is required is a magnet, and that magnet is the actions of too Baharis. Tbey are re~ to
descend and it is the deeds of tm Baha'is which will attract as a ~et tmse confirmations which are suspended ready to fall.
It is not what ~ aChieve, but the purity of our motives.
Tm AIoorica.n Baha'is are now feeling the eIrect of too Divine Pla.n of the Master's
Tablets. Like Nab~lls N~tive it was not appreciated at that time.
I f you are able to,encourage friends, not o~ to visit Japan, but to settle there.
Travelers ~re not able to aohieve Mlat was wanted. I am urging the iWe:rican Baha'iS
now to scatter, as the Master did in His Will, to settle and stavr to the end of life
and never feel discouraged. C~ asain with Japanese Baba.tis, not only interested, but
Baha'is, for I do vu.t the Japanese :Babatis to take actiw share in tm international
affairS here in the future when the International House of Justice is farmed. Its seat
will be here in Palestim. I hope ~ will have pilgr1ms from Japan.
(Referring to two soul.a who had passed on). 'lbere is no doubt that the souls in the
other world are in a closer touch than in this world tor the b~ is an obstacle.