To all National
Spiritual Assemblies
Dear Bahá'í friends,
The historic and
dazzling accomplishment last year of a feat in pioneering unparalleled in the
annals of our Faith should not blind us either to the need of filling the
remaining gaps which are still open, or to the ever-present necessity of
reinforcing the settled territories with a well-conceived programme of
consolidation.
The tasks that lie
ahead of us in this particular field of Bahá'í activity are as follows:
1. As pointed out in
the Ridvan Message, the settlement of the minimum number of pioneers called for
under last year's goals should be completed. A recent letter has been sent to
all National Assemblies responsible for supplying manpower, calling on them to
find and dispatch as soon as possible the pioneers to the few remaining territories
for which no offers have as yet been received and to expedite the completion of
those projects which are in process.
2. The pioneers who
have already settled or are settling in their posts, particularly in virgin and
unoccupied territories must be reminded that their movement to their goals is
far from being a short stay designed to class a particular territory or island
as opened, or label it as having received one or more pioneers, even if, in
some cases, new believers native to the land have been enrolled. It is
basically and clearly intended to establish the Faith of God securely and
firmly in the hearts of people of the area and to ensure that its divinely
ordained institutions are understood, adopted and operated by them. The
perseverance of the pioneers in their posts, however great the sacrifices
involved, is an act of devoted service, which, as attested by our teachings,
will have an assured reward in both worlds. The admonitions of the Guardian on
this subject are too numerous to cite and amply demonstrate the vital nature of
this clear policy.
3. The pioneers and settlers, as well as the National Assemblies responsible for the administration of the Faith in areas assigned to them, should ever bear in mind that in the initial stages of the establishment of the Faith in any territory, the obscurity surrounding the work of the pioneer or the local Bahá'ís is in itself a protection to the Faith. Patience, tact and wisdom should be exercised. Public attention should not be attracted to the Faith until such time as the believers see the Faith touch more and more of the hearts of receptive souls responding to its Divine Call.
4. As the numbers
fixed last year for settlers in goal areas were minimum figures, each National
Assembly should carefully assess the needs of the territories assigned to its
jurisdiction. If more pioneers are needed for any of these territories, a full
report should at once be sent to the House of Justice, including
recommendations as to numbers required and preferred nationalities of the
prospective pioneers.
5. The practical
aspects of these pioneering projects are of vital importance. The financial
responsibilities assigned under last year's goals do not end because the
pioneer has arrived at his post. These responsibilities continue until the
objectives are permanently and securely attained. In any case where the
National Assembly assigned the responsibility is unable to meet its obligation,
application to fill the ascertained need should at once be made to the House of
Justice for assistance from the Deputization Fund.
We assure you of our
prayers at the Holy Shrines that the friends in every land may rise above their
local and personal problems, realize the needs of the Cause of God at this
juncture of its inexorable onward development, and offer on the altar of
sacrifice their measure of service and assistance with complete self-abnegation
and wholehearted devotion to His infinitely precious Cause.
With loving Bahá'í
greetings,
The Universal House
of Justice
(Messages from the Universal
House of Justice 1963 to 1986)
