Arohanui: Letters from Shoghi Effendi to New Zealand Part 2

_Shoghi_

(6) November 4th, 1925

Dear Baha'i Sister,

Shoghi Effendi received your kind letter and wishes me to acknowledge its receipt. He hopes that on your return to New Zealand you will obtain divine a.s.sistance in your services to the Cause. That land has been newly opened to the Baha'i Movement. The work of the friends therefore, interesting and useful as it may be, is hard and most exacting to one's patience and energy. It needs great perseverance to obtain a hearing among the people and draw their attention to this Blessed Cause. But once that that has been obtained and the way smoothed then progress becomes increasingly great and the fruits of your labours appreciated.

Shoghi Effendi is very glad that you have enjoyed your trip to England.

The Friends there though they are few in number, are full of love and affection, one cannot but feel at home among them.

Shoghi Effendi thanks Miss Nora Lee for the kind contribution she has made to the Cause. It will be spent for the progress of this movement so dear to the heart of us all. Enclosed there will be a receipt for that amount.

Shoghi Effendi and the other members of the family send you their best Baha'i love and greeting and wish you success in your services to the Cause.

Your brother in His Name, Ruhi Afnan

[From the Guardian:]

_My dearest fellow-worker:_

_My prayers accompany you wherever you go. I wish you to be happy, confident and active. Rest a.s.sured of my great admiration of your zeal and steadfast labours, of my confidence in the success of your splendid pioneer services and of my eagerness to hear from you about the progress of your work._

_Your true brother, _ _ Shoghi_

(7) December 5th, 1925

_To the publisher of the Baha'i Magazine, "The Herald of the South"._

_My dear friend and fellow-worker:_

_I have just heard the welcome news of the publication of the first issue of the Baha'i Journal, recently established by the friends of Australia and New Zealand. I rejoice in this new and notable Baha'i enterprise, particularly as it is undertaken by my dearly-beloved and self-sacrificing brothers and sisters in a land which holds so great a promise for the future._

_I have followed the progress of the activities of the Baha'is of Australia and New Zealand with keen interest and ever-increasing confidence, and with a deep sense of pride and grat.i.tude. I most heartily welcome this newly-added link in the chain of the many services, so lovingly and spontaneously rendered by the pioneers of the Cause in these lands. I a.s.sure you of my steadfast prayers for the speedy expansion and consolidation of this youngest of all Baha'i Magazines, and of my earnest endeavours to enable it attain a standard worthy of the bearer of such a n.o.ble Message._

_It should be the object and purpose of its author and publisher to open its pages to the consideration and review of matters that are strictly Baha'i in character, as well as to the treatment of topics of a humanitarian, ethical and religious nature; that its readers, while witnessing to the liberal and broad-minded att.i.tude of the Baha'i Cause, may receive from it their full share of inspiration which only a clear and direct statement of the Divine Message can impart._

_Go forth, on thy n.o.ble errand, O thou Herald of the South! Join thy voice, however feeble, to those of thy sister-journals who, in various parts of the world, are raising with one accord the call of this new Day of G.o.d. Persevere in thy labours, endeavour to reach every circle and every home, that the light thou bearest may in the fulness of time illuminate with its healing rays the uttermost corners of that distant and troubled continent._

_Your well-wisher, _ _ Shoghi_

(8) March 4th, 1926

Dear Baha'i Sister,

Your letter to Shoghi Effendi and the enclosed one to Ruhi with the postal order for 10 have been received and read with keen interest and pleasure.

We are all very happy to know that you have had such a pleasant journey back home and that you had the opportunity of delivering the message on so many occasions. We hope and pray that the seed you have sown has fallen on fertile soil and that in time it will grow and bear abundant fruit.

We hope that now through your sustained zeal and effort new life will be infused into your small Baha'i group, and that it will in the near future grow sufficiently in number to enable you to form an a.s.sembly the first to be established in that land. We shall pray at the Holy Threshold for your guidance and the success of your work.

The Greatest Holy Leaf and the Holy Mother remember you well, and they and the other members of the family send their loving greetings to you.

You will be interested to know that the new pilgrim house is being completed, and it will be all ready in a month time for the new pilgrims that will come.

We still have our dear sister Effie Baker with us, and we all love her so; she is so sweet and helpful.

We have just now two American lady friends with us, Auntie Victoria Bedekian and Mrs R. Kehler--very fine Baha'is they are and we are expecting some more soon.

I always remember the happy day I spent with you and Effy in London and shall look forward to the pleasure of meeting you again some day--perhaps here in Haifa or in New Zealand, who knows?

I am back at home now for the present, and I am trying to help Shoghi Effendi a little in his enormous task.

He is keeping in good health I am glad to say in spite of his many activities and heavy and manifold responsibilities.

To you he sends his brotherly love and the a.s.surance of his prayers for your welfare and happiness.

With all good wishes and loving greetings,

Your sister in His Service, Ruh-Anguiz Rabbani

[From the Guardian:]

_My dear and precious Baha'i sister:_

_I cannot but add a few words personally expressing my deep appreciation of your persistent, self-sacrificing services to the Cause. I have devoted your gift towards the Fund for the Western Pilgrim House and I wish to a.s.sure you that when I visit the Holy Shrines I tenderly supplicate for you Divine Guidance and strength in your labours for our beloved Cause._

_Your true Brother, _ _ Shoghi_

(9) April 3rd, 1926

Dear Spiritual Sister:--