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Messages to Canada

  • Author:

  • Shoghi Effendi

  • Source:
  • Bahá’í Canada Publications
  • Pages:
  • 276
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Pages 89-90

Letter of 19 February 1947

19 February 1947

To Emeric Sala1

Dear Bahá’í Brother:
Your letters dated October 16th and December 19th, with enclosures, were both received, and our beloved Guardian regrets very much the unavoidable delay in answering you, caused by pressure of certain urgent matters that arose.
He feels that there must have been some misapprehension on your part of his statements regarding future Guardians: they cannot “abrogate” the interpretations of former Guardians, as this would imply not only lack of guidance but mistakes in making them; however they can elaborate and elucidate former interpretations, and can certainly abrogate some former ruling laid down as a temporary necessity by a former Guardian.
You asked his views about your statement on the Bahá’í Faith and Communism: frankly he feels that the less the friends discuss Communism, and the Faith in connection with it, the better these days, as the subject is a burning issue, and no matter how discreet we are we run the risk of being involved in this highly political issue.
He wishes you to know that he very deeply appreciates the innumerable services you and your dear wife render the Faith. Reports of your South American work have reached him, as well as your own report of your fifth western trip, and he is delighted to see the response you are getting from the public. Your book2 has, likewise, been a very useful addition to the teaching literature of the Faith in English, and you must rejoice to see the way God is blessing your labours for His Cause.
Tremendous work still remains to be done in Canada before the approaching election of its first National Spiritual Assembly; he hopes you and Mrs. Sala will devote as much of your time to this field as you can.
Assuring you of his loving prayers on your behalf, and for the success of your services.

Yours with Bahá’í love,

R. Rabbani

P.S. Through Mr. Schopflocher3 he recently learned of your joint gift of a property to the Cause in Canada for a Summer School. This is much appreciated, and he hopes it will develop into a fine institution in the future!

[From the Guardian:]

May the Beloved, Whose Cause you are serving with such zeal, devotion and perseverance, reward you for your labours, guide every step you take in the path of service, and aid you to enrich the record of your meritorious and notable accomplishments,

Your true and grateful brother,

Shoghi
1.Emeric and Rosemary Sala—members of the National Spiritual Assembly 1948–53. During the first and second Seven Year Plans, they pioneered to Venezuela (1940–41) and travelled throughout Latin America. In 1953 they pioneered to South Africa, and returned to Canada in 1968. In 1971 they pioneered to Mexico, where Rosemary died in 1980. Emeric passed away in 1990. See The Bahá’í World Vol. XVIII, 713–715, and Vol. XX, In Memoriam.  [ Back To Reference]
2.Emeric Sala’s book was This Earth One Country (1945).  [ Back To Reference]
3.Siegfried Schopflocher—known as the “Temple Builder” because of his great contributions to the completion of the first Mashriqu’l-Adhkár of the West, appointed a Hand of the Cause of God in 1952, died in Montreal in 1953. For a review of his “numerous, magnificent services” see The Bahá’í World Vol. XII, 664–666, In Memoriam.  [ Back To Reference]