Chapter 6

Chapter 62,058 wordsPublic domain

Letters to Individuals, 1939-1943. These were written prior to the formation of the first Local Spiritual Assembly and reflect the early development of the Faith in Alaska.

(1) March 12, 1939

(1) March 12, 1939(1)

Dear Baha'i Friend,

The Guardian has received your most welcome and inspiring message of the 19th February, and is inexpressibly delighted to know that you have spontaneously offered your services for pioneer teaching in Alaska.(2) He can well imagine the feelings of immeasurable satisfaction and unbounded gratitude with which both the N.S.A. and the National Teaching Committee must have welcomed your determination to teach and establish the Faith in that far-off and hitherto unexplored territory, and he wishes me to express also his own appreciation and gratitude for this remarkable step which you have, notwithstanding the well-nigh insuperable obstacles in your way, been inspired to take to carry the Message to that distant land. The spirit of heroic self-sacrifice, and of unflinching resolve that has prompted you to undertake so noble and sacred a mission, and make such a warm and immediate response to his recent teaching call addressed to the American believers cannot but fill all hearts with admiration and praise, and evoke the memory of those acts of unrivalled heroism, of selfless and unstinted devotion that have characterized the lives of the immortal heroes of the Apostolic age of our beloved Faith.

Though labouring in an age and under circumstances wholly different from those in which those early pioneers of the Cause have been privileged to labour, yet it is that selfsame spirit of entire self-forgetfulness, of whole-hearted and unwavering loyalty, and of absolute consecration that is now, in this Formative period, inspiring you, and all our dear American Baha'i pioneers, to forsake their all and undergo such privations and suffering in order to speed up and ensure the triumph of the Cause of God.

Rest assured that the Guardian will incessantly and most fervently supplicate on your behalf, that the invisible hosts of the Kingdom may continually reinforce and guide your efforts, and enable you to attain this assuredly high and noble goal you have set yourself to attain in service to Baha'u'llah and His Cause.

In the hope that this letter will find you well, happy and well on the way of the realization of your plans, and with most cordial greetings,

Yours ever in His Service, H. Rabbani

[From the Guardian:]

Dear and prized co-worker:

I am thrilled by the news you give me. How proud I feel of the spirit that so powerfully animates you. My prayers will, I assure you, accompany you on your great and historic adventure. Persevere no matter how great the obstacles in your way. Future generations will glorify your deed and emulate your example. The Concourse on high acclaims your resolve and will richly bless your endeavours. Be happy and confident.

Your true brother, Shoghi

(2) February 12th, 1940

Dear Baha'i Sister,

The Guardian has received your most welcome message of December 31st, and feels truly delighted to know of your recent confirmation in the Faith, and of the pioneer work you are now undertaking in Alaska,(3) in collaboration with our beloved sister Miss Honor Kempton.

He is indeed grateful to you for having offered to teach and establish the Cause in that far off land, and feels confident that through the promised confirmations of Baha'u'llah and your own persistent efforts you will eventually succeed in completely attaining your goal.

The various measures you have already taken with the view of giving widespread publicity to the Teachings have been noted with deep interest and appreciation by the Guardian who indeed trusts that they will result in attracting to the Cause people of capacity and understanding.

He would urge you and also dear Miss Kempton to persevere, and through your joint exertions endeavour to pave the way for the formation of a local assembly in Alaska. Rest assured his prayers will be specially offered on behalf of you both, that you may receive ever-increasing strength, capacity and guidance to carry out your high teaching mission to complete success.

With the renewed expression of his abiding gratitude for your devoted services, and with loving greetings,

Yours very sincerely, R. Rabbani

[From the Guardian:]

Dear and valued co-worker:

Your letter cheered and heartened me in the conduct of my arduous duties and responsibilities. I rejoice to learn of your high endeavours in that distant field, and I will specially pray with increasing fervour for your protection and success. How great your privilege, how laborious your task, how noble your mission! Do not feel disheartened. Persevere and be confident always.

Your true and grateful brother, Shoghi

(3) February 13th, 1940

Dear Baha'i Sister,

The Guardian has received your most welcome communication of the 31st December, and his heart was greatly cheered and refreshed by the perusal of its contents, and at the evidences of the slow yet steady progress of your teaching work in Alaska.

The very illuminating report you had given him covering the general social and religious conditions prevailing in that land clearly reveals the nature and extent of the obstacles which you have to face and surmount in the prosecution of your teaching task. But surely for such valiant and steadfast pioneers like you there is no difficulty, however seemingly insurmountable, which cannot be effectively overcome, as Baha'u'llah is assuredly guiding and reinforcing your labours through the unseen hosts of His Kingdom.

The Guardian was particularly encouraged to know of the contact you have established with the editor of the "Alaskan," and of his very generous offer to publish in his paper various materials on the Teachings. His hope is that this will prove a most effective medium for the spread of the Cause, and will bring in a large number of earnest inquirers.

Also the Guardian cherishes very bright hopes regarding the bookshop which you have opened in Anchorage, which he trusts will serve to attract widespread attention to the Faith.

Renewing to you his abiding and heartfelt gratitude for your invaluable teaching services, and assuring you again of his continued prayers for the confirmation of your efforts, and also for your own welfare and protection in these dark and gloomy days,

Yours in His Service, H. Rabbani

[From the Guardian:]

Dear and valued co-worker:

Your most welcome report brought immense joy to my heart. With feelings of increasing pride, admiration and gratitude I follow your activities and pray continually for your success. Do not relax in your efforts. The Concourse on high is watching over you and the Blessed Beauty will reinforce and guide you.

Your true and grateful brother, Shoghi

(4) December 12th, 1942

Dear Baha'i Sister,

Your letter of Aug. 5th has been received, and the Guardian was very pleased to hear from you. He has instructed me to write and answer you on his behalf, and also thank you for the photographs you enclosed.

He feels that this is a very important opportunity which you have now obtained of teaching the Faith to the Eskimo people,(4) and he hopes your efforts will be crowned with success.

He would not advise you to teach them Esperanto, as we have no way of knowing whether it will ultimately be chosen as the auxiliary language of the world. He thinks the most direct and quickest way of communicating with them in a common tongue should be chosen; in other words either you should learn their language or they yours, whichever will yield the quickest results.

As they are a relatively uncivilized people, unused to the modern cosmopolitan forms of life, and consequently not au courant with the thoughts which to us have become mere commonplace, he would advise you to approach them through love, friendliness, and association, until you are in a position to enter into their confidence, and gradually teach them, in a simple way, the great truths of our Faith.

To confirm them in the Faith should be your main objective, always bearing in mind that faith and belief are different from learning and a full grasp of the implications of such a vast Cause as ours.

You may be sure his loving prayers will be offered for the success of your historic mission, and he will be interested to hear how you are progressing.

With Baha'i love, R. Rabbani

[From the Guardian:]

Assuring you of my abiding gratitude and appreciation for the magnificent services you are rendering, and for the laudable spirit you are demonstrating in your historic activities and achievements in these days of stress and peril, and assuring you also of my special and constant prayers for the success of every effort you exert, and every step you take in the path of service,

Your true and grateful brother, Shoghi

(5) July 24th, 1943

Dear Baha'i Sister:

The Guardian was very happy to receive your letter of May 29th; and he has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.

It is with great joy that he welcomes you into the Faith of Baha'u'llah, and he hopes that you will be the means of attracting many other souls to this glorious life-giving Message.

'Abdul-Baha was most anxious that the Eskimo people should be taught the Message of this New Day, and it is a source of happiness to all Baha'is that you, a member of that race, have arisen to spread these teachings.(5) God has surely guided your steps and blessed your search for divine Truth.

If people only realized it, the inner life of the spirit is that which counts, but they are so blinded by desires and so misled that they have brought upon themselves all the suffering we see at present in the world. The Baha'is seek to lead people back to a knowledge of their true selves and the purpose for which they were created, and thus to their greatest happiness and highest good.

You may be sure the Guardian will pray that you may render the Cause many valuable services and become a gifted and confirmed Baha'i teacher.

With warm Baha'i love, R. Rabbani

P.S. It will interest you to know that there are now Baha'is active in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and the Eskimo village of Tuluksak, Alaska.

[From the Guardian:]

Dear Baha'i Sister:

Your most welcome letter has rejoiced my heart. I extend to you a most hearty welcome into the ranks of the followers of Baha'u'llah, and will greatly value your support and cooperation. Your conversion to His Cause is indeed a historic event, and will greatly rejoice the hearts of the believers. I will pray for your success and spiritual advancement from the depths of my heart. Rest assured and be confident.

Your true brother, Shoghi

(6) October 14, 1943

Dear Baha'i Sister:

Your letter of July 9th has reached the Guardian safely, and he has instructed me to answer it on his behalf.

He feels that the most important thing at the present time is, of course, the establishment of the first Baha'i Spiritual Assembly of Alaska.

He hopes that, after the assembly is well established and has a sufficient number to maintain its status, you will again be able to do pioneer teaching work among the Eskimos.

Your talk on the Faith in the church of Tuluksak may, indeed, have reached some of them, and left a seed of Truth in their minds.

As the Centenary Celebration of the Faith draws near the Guardian finds himself busier than ever before and barely able to keep pace with his work. However, his thoughts are often with the friends, and he is very proud of their achievements.

He assures you of his deep appreciation of your devoted and self-sacrificing services, and that his loving prayers will continue to be offered on your behalf.

With warm Baha'i greetings, R. Rabbani

[From the Guardian:]

Dear and valued co-worker:

I admire and feel proud of your historic achievements. I am deeply grateful to you and will continue to pray from the depths of my heart for your protection, happiness, and the speedy and full realization of every hope you cherish in such an important sphere of Baha'i activity.

Your true and grateful brother, Shoghi