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Dawn of a New Day

  • Author:

  • Shoghi Effendi

  • Source:
  • Bahá’í Publishing Trust of India, date unknown
  • Pages:
  • 228
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Pages 17-19

Widen the Scope of Activities
With the opening of this new Baha’i year our Guardian trusts that it will be marked by a new and greater effort, by a more intense cooperation among the friends in India and Burma and by an unsurpassed record of success.
Now that Mrs. Schopflocker has in many places broken the ground, it devolves upon the faithful workers in India to follow up the work, to seize every opportunity and to give to her hasty and in many places insufficient services a more permanent and lasting character.
I express the hopes of our Guardian without disregard to your many problems and difficulties, but the field is so vast and the ground so fresh and fertile that it cannot but evoke almost unreasonable expectations. This feeling and yearning, I am sure, is much more yours than ours could be.
[From the Guardian:]
I urge you to take every means at your disposal … to follow up the work that has been so splendidly begun by Mrs. Schopflocker. I would also urge you to arrange for the preparation of an annual report by the National Assembly of the activities of the friends in India and Burma, to be forwarded to the American National Spiritual Assembly for insertion in the next issue of the Annual Baha’i Year Book. A representative group photograph of the Baha’is of divers races and creeds 18 in that land would also greatly enhance the Year Book, if such a thing is possible.
April 25, 1927
He is very glad to learn of the good work of Nabilzadeh and Mrs. Schopflocker and hopes that the friends will follow up their work in order to obtain some definite and permanent results. For a teacher to fly from one end of India to another is not sufficient, there must be somebody who can stay long enough in one place and start regular gatherings.
The latter function naturally falls upon the friends in India and he earnestly hopes that the new year may bring fresh and lasting achievements.
Shoghi Effendi awaits eagerly the results of the election of the N.S.A. and he should like to see that body accomplish something more than routine work. They should take new steps and carry out a regular campaign in India and Burma.
[From the Guardian:]
It is my hope and prayer that the newly-elected National and Local Assemblies may widen the scope of their activities, initiate new and valuable measures, extend the circle of their correspondence with foreign Baha’i centres, and promote the independence and distinctiveness of the Baha’i Faith. I would urge you to inform the Year Book Committee through Mr. Holley of the results of all elections in India and to send if possible an annual report to that Committee. Wishing you success and happiness.
May 24, 1927
In the midst of his work and many responsibilities, it is a source of comfort for him to feel that the initiative and guidance of the Cause in India is in such able hands and he trusts to see in the near future greater and fuller results.
True, the minds of many are turned away from all that sounds religious, but it is only because they are ill-advised as 19 to the meaning of true religion and it is just that mission that devolves upon us—to give a new viewpoint, to revive fresh hopes and to guide by the sacred utterances the thoughts and actions of mankind.
Perhaps India has not yet reached the high mark which our hopes have made us expect, but the time still remains and the hopes of our Guardian are anxiously turned to the educated, sincere and zealous fellow-brothers he so much loves in India and Burma.
[From the Guardian:]
I have received lately your second letter dated June 10th enclosing the list of the members of the newly-elected Indian Assemblies as well as the report of the receipts and expenditures of the National Fund. Your loyal and untiring attention to the pressing manifold requirements of our beloved and steadily expanding Cause is a thing never-to-be forgotten and worthy of unqualified praise. I trust you will continue to keep in touch with the American National Assembly whose Secretary is only too anxious to incorporate in the newsletter and the Year Book every bit of news regarding the progress of the Faith in India & Burma.
July 14, 1927