Messages to America

The American believers’ seven year enterprise consecrated to the service of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh, deriving direct inspiration from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Divine Plan, launched on the eve of the world catastrophic conflict, recognized as the greatest collective undertaking in the annals of the first Bahá’í Century, is rapidly culminating. Their sister communities of Persia, British Isles, Egypt, ‘Iráq, India, Syria, Australia and New Zealand marvel at the scale of the prodigious labors of the American Bahá’í community, gratefully rejoice at the accumulating evidences of its incomparable victories and are galvanized into action, inspired to emulate its example. The multiplication of Bahá’í centers in recent years in both East and West, the erection of administrative headquarters, the purchase of historic sites, the settlement of virgin areas, the migration into neighboring territories are all directly attributable to the potent impulse communicated through the superb action initiated and executed by the American adherents of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh. The initial stages of the momentous plan have been brilliantly executed. The most formidable obstacles impeding its progress have been courageously faced and progressively swept away. Its first fruits, exemplified by the completion of the exterior ornamentation of the Temple and the formation of a nucleus of the Faith in every Republic of Latin America, have been triumphantly gathered. The pivotal year marking the turning point of its fortunes has been immortalized by the unparalleled exploit of the formation of twenty-eight Assemblies in the States and Provinces of the North American continent. The range of its unfinished tasks is swiftly diminishing. Total victory is within sight but the six remaining virgin areas of Alaska, Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island, South Carolina, North Dakota and South Dakota, as well as the inadequately reinforced Republics of Nicaragua, 65 San Domingo, Paraguay, Bolivia, Venezuela and Peru still demand the concentrated and sustained attention of the National representatives of the American Bahá’í community, the speedy assistance of the National Teaching and Inter-America Committees, and the systematic support of all subsidiary agencies both regional and local. The goal cities and the far-off Republics are calling for fresh recruits to complete the pioneer roll of honor. Veteran believers, however brilliant their record, neophytes, however limited their experience, are alike summoned as the final hour approaches to rush forth in a last supreme effort to bridge the remaining gaps in the spiritual front extending the entire length of the Western Hemisphere. I am ardently supplicating fresh outpourings of the sustaining grace of the Lord of Hosts to enable His stalwart warriors befittingly to consummate the crowning crusade of the first century of the Bahá’í Era.

August 2, 1943