Behold what 'Abdu'l-Baha saith: "The triumphant hosts of the Celestial Concourse, arrayed and marshalled in the Realms above, stand ready and expectant to a.s.sist and a.s.sure victory to that valiant horseman who with confidence spurs on his charger into the arena of service. Well is it with that fearless warrior, who armed with the power of true knowledge hastens unto the field, disperses the armies of ignorance, and scatters the hosts of error, who holds aloft the Standard of Divine Guidance, and sounds the Clarion of Victory..."

Be a.s.sured my dearest friends of my unfailing prayers. On this day when with bleeding hearts we commemorate the pa.s.sing of our beloved 'Abdu'l-Baha we remember you most tenderly, we pray for your success at His Holy shrine, and feel confident that you will soon achieve the greatest victory.

Awaiting eagerly your joyful news, Your true brother

LETTER OF 2 FEBRUARY 1925

2 February 1925

To my well-beloved Baha'i brethren and sisters throughout Germany.

Care of the German National Spiritual a.s.sembly.

Loyal and capable children of our beloved 'Abdu'l-Baha!

I have received with the greatest pleasure from the National Spiritual a.s.sembly, through our dearly-beloved Consul Schwarz, the report of your activities that reflect so vividly the unquenchable spirit of love and self-sacrifice which animates you in your service for the Beloved's Cause.

Your unremitting labours are worthy of the highest praise, the success you have so far achieved is well deserved. The refreshing vitality of your work, the unity of purpose and the concerted action attained recently by your fast-growing community are resplendent features of your activity.

They continually remind us of the Master's intense love for you, His high hopes in you, His often expressed admiration for the ardent devotion, the unquestioned sincerity, the unrivalled capacity of His loved ones in Germany. By what you have already accomplished, and by what you are determined to achieve in times to come, you have merited His abundant blessings and proved in the highest sense worthy of the unsurpa.s.sed affection He had for you.

The signs of the promised revival of your sorely-tried Fatherland can now be easily discerned. In material prosperity it is steadily advancing, its power and worldly prestige are being fast regained, and above all the dawn of a spiritual awakening, unparalleled in your history, seems at last to have broken upon it. His sure and often repeated promise will erelong be fulfilled.

Let your National a.s.sembly, therefore, redouble its efforts, inaugurate a fresh campaign of ever-expanding activity, and make a solemn determination not to relax till their one aim is attained. Let them, with the full and sustained support, moral as well as financial, of the vast company of the believers throughout your land, send forth their teachers far and wide, that they may scatter to the very confines of Germany and endeavour by every intelligent and effective method to lend a fresh impetus to the newly-established centres, add to their number, satisfy their needs and coordinate their efforts.

Let him who desires to hasten the advent of the day when all Germany will waken to the recognition of this one Message of Universal Salvation arise to contribute his share to the work, so gloriously begun, so effectively pursued. Let him by his written and spoken word, in private as well as in public, in the course of his travels and in his a.s.sociation with all sorts and conditions of men teach the Cause of G.o.d with purity of heart, with unflinching determination and complete understanding.

I a.s.sure you, dear friends, we shall all remember you most tenderly, most affectionately, whenever we visit the Three Holy Shrines. We will supplicate for you the aid and a.s.sistance from on high. We will implore Him Who loved you most dearly to bless you even more richly than before, shield you from the malice of the unG.o.dly, bind you closer one to the other, deepen your faith, clarify your vision, widen the scope of your activities, and reinforce your n.o.ble endeavours.

We all love you, we all pray for you, we all await the joyful tidings of your land.

Your true brother

LETTER OF 7 MARCH 1925

7 March 1925

To the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful in Vienna.

My dearly-beloved brothers and sisters in 'Abdu'l-Baha!

Your joint letter dated February 13th. 1925 has rejoiced my heart and has served to deepen my admiration for the splendid efforts displayed by your spiritual teacher, our never to be forgotten Baha'i brother Mr. Herrigel.

As I read the full list of your beloved names, I could not but feel a thrill of joy and grat.i.tude for the manifold blessings of our departed Master who has graciously called upon you and chosen you to carry on the great work to which He dedicated His whole life. It is indeed a great privilege for you all to be able to labour in this Divine Vineyard, and to lay down the basis of the spiritual as well as the material development of your ancient and beloved country.

I shall be so glad to receive frequent and detailed reports on the progress of your activities individually and collectively, and a.s.sure you of my ardent desire to help you in any way I can for the expansion and advancement of your work.

Persevere in your task, endeavour by every means at your disposal to add to your numbers, study profoundly the Writings of Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha, devote a special attention to the proper education of your children, and arise to start and maintain constant correspondence with the various Baha'i centres throughout the East and the West. Be a.s.sured of the emphatic never-failing promise of our dear Master that whoso ariseth to deliver this Message with purity of heart and sincerity of purpose the hosts of the Supreme Concourse will enable him to achieve in a short period of time what all the nations of the world combined can never accomplish.

I will specially pray for you at the Three Holy Shrines that the All-Bountiful may bless richly your efforts, that the seeds sown by our Beloved in Vienna may germinate through your persevering efforts and usher in the era of true felicity and peace for your sorely-tried and ill.u.s.trious fatherland.

Awaiting eagerly the glad-tidings of the progress of your work, and a.s.suring you of my brotherly love,

I am your true brother

LETTER OF 27 MAY 1925

27 May 1925

The beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful throughout Germany.

My dearly-beloved friends:

Our well-beloved brother and fellow-worker Dr. Esslemont acting on medical advice is proceeding to the Black Forest for treatment and recuperation.

He has been suffering of late from ill-health which has interfered with the unique and most valuable work he has been doing in Haifa. His past services, his selflessness and devotion, his book of unsurpa.s.sed excellence, his n.o.ble character and great industry ent.i.tle him to the highest esteem and warmest affection of every true Baha'i.

He has been advised to spend the hot summer months in a dry and cool climate and to secure proper medical treatment in a quiet and restful place. I am sure that the German friends who have already learned to love and admire such a precious and capable servant of the Cause will do all in their power to extend to him every facility and ensure his full and speedy recovery.

He will be accompanied by our dear Baha'i sister, Mrs. Lowell, who is returning to America via Germany and whom you will be glad to welcome in your midst.

a.s.suring you of my affection and prayers,

I am your brother in His service

LETTER OF 26 OCTOBER 1925

26 October 1925

To the esteemed editor of the "La Nova Tago", the International Baha'i Esperanto Gazette

My dear fellow-worker: