Arohanui: Letters from Shoghi Effendi to New Zealand

Alláh-u-abhá

Shoghi Effendi was very pleased to receive this morning your letter of 28th April, but we were very sorry to hear you have been ill and hope your health will soon be completely 5 restored.[+E3] It was nice that you saw Shoghi’s sister and Soheil’s brother in London.

I forget whether I gave you the address of Mr and Mrs King, c/o Messrs Hayman and King, 202 Old Christchurch Rd. Bournemouth. They are very kind-hearted Bahá’ís and will be delighted to see any of you if you call. Both of them work in the business and you are most likely to see them if you call there. They live above the shop.

I gave you Sister Challis’s address at West Moors (Ferndown Lodge). You can get there by ’bus from Bournemouth Sq. or Lansdowne, which will drop you right at Sister Challis’s door (She keeps a nursing home) or you can go by train from West Bournemouth to West Moors station which is within 5 minutes’ walk of Ferndown Lodge. I hope you will be able to see her.

As I write, the Greatest Holy Leaf is on a visit to the Shrine of the Master. It is over a year, I think, since she has been able to visit the shrine and until now she has not seen the new Gardens, in the laying out of which Shoghi Effendi has taken such a deep interest. The Gardens are looking lovely now and it is easy to imagine how delighted she will be. One day during the feast of Riḍván she and the Holy Mother were able to visit Bahjí and the Garden of Riḍván.

I have quite recovered from my pleurisy now and am steadily regaining my strength.

Shoghi Effendi is still tired. I hope he will soon be able to take a rest.

All the friends here join in loving greetings and best wishes to yourself, your son and daughter, Miss Stevenson and Effie Baker.[+E4] With warmest greetings.

[From the Guardian:]

I was so glad to hear from you directly and learn of 6 your improved health and meeting with the English Bahá’ís. I need not assure you of my ardent prayers for your happiness, good health and continued success in the service of the Cause. I hope and pray you will be enabled by the guiding spirit of the Master not only to stimulate the interest of your friends and relations in this Cause but to make of some of them earnest and whole-hearted believers and supporters of the Faith.