Spiritual Receptivity Compilation

8/4/2019 Spiritual Receptivity Compilation

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The Notion of Spiritual Receptivity in Individuals and Populations: ACompilation from the Sacred Scriptures of the Baha’i Faith and the Letters of Shoghi Effendi, The Universal House of Justice and the InternationalTeaching Centre. 1

From the Writings of Baha’u’llah

1. Beseech God to grant unto men hearing ears, and sharp sight, and dilated breasts, andreceptive hearts, that haply His servants may attain unto their hearts' Desire, and set their faces towards their Beloved.(Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 44)

2. Behold how the generality of mankind hath been endued with the capacity to hearkenunto God's most exalted Word -- the Word upon which must depend the gatheringtogether and spiritual resurrection of all men....(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, Tablet of the World, p. 96)

3. These Essences of Detachment, these resplendent Realities are the channels of God's all- pervasive grace. Led by the light of unfailing guidance, and invested with supremesovereignty, They are commissioned to use the inspiration of Their words, the effusionsof Their infallible grace and the sanctifying breeze of Their Revelation for the cleansingof every longing heart and receptive spirit from the dross and dust of earthly cares andlimitations. Then, and only then, will the Trust of God, latent in the reality of man,emerge, as resplendent as the rising Orb of Divine Revelation, from behind the veil of concealment, and implant the ensign of its revealed glory upon the summits of men'shearts.(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 66)

4. Consider that which hath been sent down unto Muhammad, the Apostle of God. Themeasure of the Revelation of which He was the bearer had been clearly foreordained byHim Who is the Almighty, the All-Powerful. They that heard Him, however, couldapprehend His purpose only to the extent of their station and spiritual capacity . He, inlike manner, uncovered the Face of Wisdom in proportion to their ability to sustain the

burden of His Message. No sooner had mankind attained the stage of maturity, than theWord revealed to men's eyes the latent energies with which it had been endowed --energies which manifested themselves in the plenitude of their glory when the AncientBeauty appeared, in the year sixty, in the person of Ali-Muhammad, the Báb.(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, XXXIII, p. 77)

5. Know of a certainty that in every Dispensation the light of Divine Revelation hath beenvouchsafed unto men in direct proportion to their spiritual capacity . Consider the sun.How feeble its rays the moment it appeareth above the horizon. How gradually itswarmth and potency increase as it approacheth its zenith, enabling meanwhile all createdthings to adapt themselves to the growing intensity of its light. How steadily it declineth

1 Compiled May 2005 by Steve Cooney



until it reacheth its setting point. Were it, all of a sudden, to manifest the energies latentwithin it, it would, no doubt, cause injury to all created things.... In like manner, if theSun of Truth were suddenly to reveal, at the earliest stages of its manifestation, the fullmeasure of the potencies which the providence of the Almighty hath bestowed upon it,the earth of human understanding would waste away and be consumed; for men's hearts

would neither sustain the intensity of its revelation, nor be able to mirror forth theradiance of its light. Dismayed and overpowered, they would cease to exist. (Baha'u'llah,Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, XXXVIII p. 87)

6. It is clear and evident, therefore, that any apparent variation in the intensity of their lightis not inherent in the light itself, but should rather be attributed to the varying receptivityof an ever-changing world. Every Prophet Whom the Almighty and Peerless Creator hath

purposed to send to the peoples of the earth hath been entrusted with a Message, andcharged to act in a manner that would best meet the requirements of the age in which Heappeared. God's purpose in sending His Prophets unto men is twofold. The first is toliberate the children of men from the darkness of ignorance, and guide them to the light

of true understanding. The second is to ensure the peace and tranquility of mankind, and provide all the means by which they can be established.(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 79)

7. Say: Die in your wrath, O malicious ones! Verily He Whose knowledge nothing escapethhath appeared. He Who hath caused the countenance of divine knowledge to be wreathedin smiles is come. Through Him the kingdom of utterance is embellished, everyreceptive soul hath set his face towards the Lord of Revelations, everyone resting on hisknees hath stood up, and every indolent one hath rushed forth to attain the Sinai of assurance. This is the Day that God hath ordained to be a blessing unto the righteous, aretribution for the wicked, a bounty for the faithful and a fury of His wrath for thefaithless and the froward. Verily He hath been made manifest, invested by God withinvincible sovereignty. He hath revealed that wherewith naught on the earth or in theheavens can compare.(Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 103)

8. Every receptive soul who hath in this Day inhaled the fragrance of His garment and hath,with a pure heart, set his face towards the all-glorious Horizon is reckoned among the

people of Baha in the Crimson Book. Grasp ye, in My Name, the chalice of My loving-kindness, drink then your fill in My glorious and wondrous remembrance.(Baha’u’llah, Kitab-i-Ahd, Tablets of Baha’u’llah, p.220)

9. In the Bayan We directed everyone in this Most Great Revelation to see with his owneyes and hear with his own ears. However when the horizon of the world was illuminedwith the resplendent light of this Revelation, many people forgot this divinecommandment, lost sight of this heavenly exhortation and immersed themselves in thevain imaginings which their minds had devised. Indeed the face of the sun of justice andfairness is hidden behind the clouds of idle fancy which the foolish ones have conceived.Therefore it is not to be wondered at that the movements of the birds of darkness attractattention. Through the potency of the Name of the Best-Beloved, invite thou the



receptive souls unto God's holy court, that perchance they may not remain deprived of the heavenly Fountain of living water. He is in truth the Gracious, the Forgiving.(Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 236)

10. Say: The Books have been sent down for naught but My remembrance. Whosoever is

receptive to their call shall perceive therefrom the sweet fragrances of My name and My praise; and he who hath unstopped the ear of his inmost heart shall hear from every wordthereof: "The True One is come! He indeed is the beloved of the worlds!"(Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 86)

11. God hath prescribed unto everyone the duty of teaching His Cause. Whoever ariseth todischarge this duty, must needs, ere he proclaimeth His Message, adorn himself with theornament of an upright and praiseworthy character, so that his words may attract thehearts of such as are receptive to his call. Without it, he can never hope to influence hishearers. Thus doth God instruct you. He, verily, is the Ever-Forgiving, the MostCompassionate.

(Baha’u’llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, Tablet to Napoleon III s.148, p.



From the Writings of Abdu’l-Baha

12. In brief, this world-consuming war has set such a conflagration to the hearts that no wordcan describe it. In all the countries of the world the longing for universal peace is taking

possession of the consciousness of men. There is not a soul who does not yearn for concord and peace. A most wonderful state of receptivity is being realized. This isthrough the consummate wisdom of God, so that capacity may be created, the standard of the oneness of the world of humanity be upraised, and the fundamental of universal peaceand the divine principles be promoted in the East and the West.(Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of the Divine Plan, p. 42)

13. But these stories did not have any effect on the resolution of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. He, trusting inGod, turned his face toward Montreal. When he entered that city he observed all thedoors open, he found the hearts in the utmost receptivity and the ideal power of theKingdom of God removing every obstacle and obstruction. In the churches and meetings

of that Dominion he called men to the Kingdom of God with the utmost joy, andscattered such seeds which will be irrigated with the hand of divine power. Undoubtedlythose seeds will grow, becoming green and verdant, and many rich harvests will begathered. In the promotion of the divine principles he found no antagonist and noadversary.(Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of the Divine Plan, p. 94)

14. It is evident that the Esperantists are receptive and thou art familiar with and expert intheir language. Communicate also with the Esperantists of Germany and other places.The literature which thou circulatest should deal only with the teachings. Thedissemination of other literature is at present not advisable. My hope is that the divine

confirmations may continually assist thee....(Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 308)

15. As commanded by the Blessed Beauty, Mirza Javad of Turshiz went to their house onenight. Mirza Javad had hardly opened his mouth when they accepted the Faith. They didnot hesitate for an instant, for they had amazing receptivity . This is what is meant by theQur'ánic verse: "...whose oil would well nigh shine out, even though fire touched it not! Itis light upon light." 2 That is, this oil is so fully prepared, so ready to be lit, that it almostcatches fire of itself, though no flame be at hand; which means that the capacity for faith,and the deserving it, can be so great, that without the communication of a single word thelight shines forth. This is how it was with those pure-hearted men; truly they were loyal,

staunch, and devoted to God.(Abdu'l-Baha, Memorials of the Faithful, p. 77)

16. I hope that thou wilt ... endeavour to teach some high-ranking and influential persons, for the hearts of the people have become attracted to the Cause of God and their minds

bewildered and enthralled by its awesome grandeur. Those who occupy high positions,too, have become profoundly receptive to its message. The loved ones of God should

2 Qur'án 24:35



therefore make a determined effort and guide these distinguished souls to the Cause.(From a Tablet to an individual believer - translated from the Persian, The Compilation of Compilations vol II, p. 258)

17. From the world of dust till the heights of the heavens I spurred on the charger of

martyrdom and from this luminous horizon I call out and say:

O my loved ones! The portals of His most great favour are flung open and the hearts of the people of Baha are dilated with joy. The chalice of His bounty is being borne roundand the sweet melodies of the birds of the all-highest Paradise reach every receptive ear.The reviving breeze wafting from the garden of the Abha Kingdom is laden with perfumeand everyone who hath suffered long is granted intimate communion within the retreatsof the Lord of Truth. From the Threshold of the Almighty, the All-Wise, His summonshath gone forth unto all men, and from the realm of the Concourse on high the voice of glad-tidings: Happy are ye! is continually raised.(Abdu’l-Baha VI, Compilations, Fire and Light, p. 22)

18. The friends of God should weave bonds of fellowship with others and show absolute loveand affection towards them. These links have a deep influence on people and they willlisten. When the friends sense receptivity to the Word of God, they should deliver theMessage with wisdom. They must first try and remove any apprehensions in the peoplethey teach. In fact, every one of the believers should choose one person every year andtry to establish ties of friendship with him, so that all his fear would disappear. Only then,and gradually, must he teach that person. This is the best method.(Abdu’l-Baha, From a Tablet- translated from the Persian, in The Individual and

Teaching: Raising the Divine Call, p. 12



From the Addresses of Abdu’l-Baha

19. In some respects woman is superior to man. She is more tender-hearted, more receptive ,her intuition is more intense. It is not to be denied that in various directions woman at

present is more backward than man, also that this temporary inferiority is due to the lack of educational opportunity. In the necessity of life, woman is more instinct with power than man, for to her he owes his very existence.(Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 161)

20. Upon another occasion 'Abdu'l-Bahá said to a group of friends around him: "Taken ingeneral, women today have a stronger sense of religion than men. The woman's intuitionis more correct; she is more receptive and her intelligence is quicker. The day is comingwhen woman will claim her superiority to man.

Woman has everywhere been commended for her faithfulness. After the Lord Christ

suffered, the disciples wept, and gave way to their grief. They thought that their hopeswere shattered, and that the Cause was utterly lost, till Mary Magdalene came to themand strengthened them saying: 'Do you mourn the body of Our Lord or His Spirit? If youmourn His Spirit, you are mistaken, for Jesus lives! His Spirit will never leave us!' Thusthrough her wisdom and encouragement the Cause of Christ was upheld for all the daysto come. Her intuition enabled her to grasp the spiritual fact."(Abdu'l-Baha, Abdu'l-Baha in London, p. 104)

21. Sterile soil will produce nothing, even if the cloud of mercy pours rain upon it a thousandyears. We must make the soil of our hearts receptive and fertile by tilling in order thatthe rain of divine mercy may refresh them and bring forth roses and hyacinths of

heavenly planting. We must have perceiving eyes in order to see the light of the sun. Wemust cleanse the nostril in order to scent the fragrances of the divine rose garden. Wemust render the ears attentive in order to hear the summons of the supreme Kingdom. Nomatter how beautiful the melody, the ear that is deaf cannot hear it, cannot receive thecall of the Supreme Concourse. The nostril that is clogged with dust cannot inhale thefragrant odors of the blossoms. Therefore, we must ever strive for capacity and seek readiness. As long as we lack susceptibility, the beauties and bounties of God cannot

penetrate. Christ spoke a parable in which He said His words were like the seeds of thesower; some fall upon stony ground, some upon sterile soil, some are choked by thornsand thistles, but some fall upon the ready, receptive and fertile ground of human hearts.When seeds are cast upon sterile soil, no growth follows. Those cast upon stony ground

will grow a short time, but lacking deep roots will wither away. Thorns and thistlesdestroy others completely, but the seed cast in good ground brings forth harvest andfruitage.(Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 148)

22. Material civilization is likened to the body, whereas divine civilization is the spirit in that body. A body not manifesting the spirit is dead; a fruitless tree is worthless. Jesusdeclares that there is spiritual capacity in some people, for all are not submerged in the



sea of materialism. They seek the Divine Spirit; they turn to God; they long for theKingdom. It is my hope that these revered people present may attain both material andspiritual progress. As they have advanced wonderfully in material degrees, so may they,likewise, advance in spiritual development until the body shall become refined and

beautiful through the wealth of spiritual potentiality and efficiency.

(Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 104)

23. Among these children many blessed souls will arise, if they be trained according to theBahá'í Teachings. If a plant is carefully nurtured by a gardener, it will become good, and

produce better fruit. These children must be given a good training from their earliestchildhood. They must be given a systematic training which will further their developmentfrom day to day, in order that they may receive greater insight, so that their spiritualreceptivity be broadened.(Talk by Abdu’l-Baha given in Stuttgart, Germany, April 28, 1913 Star of the West, Vol.7, p. 142)



From the Writings of Shoghi Effendi

24. Having . .. obtained a clear understanding of the true character of our mission, themethods to adopt, the course to pursue, and having attained sufficiently the individual

regeneration -- the essential requisite of teaching -- let us arise to teach His Cause withrighteousness, conviction, understanding and vigor. Let this be the paramount and mosturgent duty of every Bahá'í. Let us make it the dominating passion of our life. Let usscatter to the uttermost corners of the earth; sacrifice our personal interests, comforts,tastes and pleasures; mingle with the divers kindreds and peoples of the world;familiarize ourselves with their manners, traditions, thoughts and customs; arouse,stimulate and maintain universal interest in the Movement, and at the same time endeavor

by all the means in our power, by concentrated and persistent attention, to enlist theunreserved allegiance and the active support of the more hopeful and receptive amongour hearers. Let us too bear in mind the example which our beloved Master has clearlyset before us. Wise and tactful in His approach, wakeful and attentive in His early

intercourse, broad and liberal in all His public utterances, cautious and gradual in theunfolding of the essential verities of the Cause, passionate in His appeal yet sober inargument, confident in tone, unswerving in conviction, dignified in His manners -- suchwere the distinguishing features of our Beloved's noble presentation of the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh.("Bahá'í Administration: Selected Messages 1922-1932" [rev. ed.], (Wilmette: Bahá'íPublishing Trust, 1980, November 24th, 1924)

25. It was He, our beloved 'Abdu'l-Bahá, our true and shining Exemplar, who with infinitetact and patience, whether in His public utterances or in private converse, adapted the

presentation of the fundamentals of the Cause to the varying capacities and the spiritual

receptiveness of His hearers. He never hesitated, however, to tear the veil asunder andreveal to the spiritually ripened those challenging verities that set forth in its true light therelationship of this Supreme Revelation with the Dispensations of the past. Unashamedand unafraid when challenged to assert in its entirety the stupendous claim of Bahá'u'lláh,Bahá'ís, whether laboring as individuals or functioning as an organized community, feelcertain that in the face of the apathy, the gross materialism, and the superficiality of society today, a progressive disclosure of the magnitude of the claim of Bahá'u'lláh wouldconstitute the most effective means for the attainment of the end so greatly desired byeven the staunchest and most zealous advocate of the Faith.("Bahá'í Administration: Selected Messages 1922-1932" [rev. ed.], (Wilmette: Bahá'íPublishing Trust, 1980, 12 February 1927)

26. I would urge you to concentrate from now on upon the essentials of Bahá'í belief and thedistinguishing features of the Administrative Order and endeavour to teach these truths towhomsoever may seem to you to be receptive . It would constitute a magnificent act of service in your long record of devoted endeavours on behalf of this glorious Cause.(Shoghi Effendi, from a letter dated 31 July 1934 to an individual believer cited TheImportance of Deepening our Knowledge and Understanding of the Faith: A Compilation



of extracts from the Bahá'í Writings Prepared by the Research Department of theUniversal House of Justice Bahá'í World Centre)

27. Let him, while such contacts are being made, bear in mind the claims which his Faith isconstantly making upon him to preserve its dignity, and station, to safeguard the integrity

of its laws and principles, to demonstrate its comprehensiveness and universality, and todefend fearlessly its manifold and vital interests. Let him consider the degree of hishearer's receptivity , and decide for himself the suitability of either the direct or indirectmethod of teaching, whereby he can impress upon the seeker the vital importance of theDivine Message, and persuade him to throw in his lot with those who have alreadyembraced it. Let him remember the example set by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, and His constantadmonition to shower such kindness upon the seeker, and exemplify to such a degree thespirit of the teachings he hopes to instill into him, that the recipient will be spontaneouslyimpelled to identify himself with the Cause embodying such teachings.(Shoghi Effendi: Advent of Divine Justice, p. 52 )

28. Every laborer in those fields, whether as traveling teacher or settler, should, I feel, makeit his chief and constant concern to mix, in a friendly manner, with all sections of the population, irrespective of class, creed, nationality, or color, to familiarize himself withtheir ideas, tastes, and habits, to study the approach best suited to them, to concentrate,

patiently and tactfully on a few who have shown marked capacity and receptivity and toendeavor, with extreme kindness, to implant such love, zeal, and devotion in their heartsas to enable them to become in turn self-sufficient and independent promoters of theFaith in their respective localities.(Shoghi Effendi, The Advent of Divine Justice, p. 54.

29. If the Light that is now streaming forth upon an increasingly responsive humanity with aradiance that bids fair to eclipse the splendor of such triumphs as the forces of religionhave achieved in days past; if the signs and tokens which proclaimed its advent have

been, in many respects, unique in the annals of past Revelations; if its votaries haveevinced traits and qualities unexampled in the spiritual history of mankind; these should

be attributed not to a superior merit which the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, as a Revelationisolated and alien from any previous Dispensation, might possess, but rather should beviewed and explained as the inevitable outcome of the forces that have made of this

present age an age infinitely more advanced, more receptive , and more insistent toreceive an ampler measure of Divine Guidance than has hitherto been vouchsafed tomankind.(Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 60)

30. This same prophecy, we must furthermore recognize, attests the independent character of the Bábí Dispensation and corroborates indirectly the truth that in accordance with the

principle of progressive revelation every Manifestation of God must needs vouchsafe tothe peoples of His day a measure of divine guidance ampler than any which a precedingand less receptive age could have received or appreciated. For this reason, and not for any superior merit which the Bahá'í Faith may be said to inherently possess, does this

prophecy bear witness to the unrivaled power and glory with which the Dispensation of



Bahá'u'lláh has been invested -- a Dispensation the potentialities of which we are but beginning to perceive and the full range of which we can never determine.(Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 102)

31. With the return to more normal conditions, with the improvement of the means of travel

and communication, with the lifting of the deadening weight of fear and care and thegrowing receptivity of the masses schooled in adversity and groping for the means of ultimate salvation, opportunities without number and unprecedented in their significance,

present themselves to those whose privilege and obligation it is to pave the way for thelaunching of the succeeding stage of their historic and ever unfolding task.(Cablegram August 10, 1945, Shoghi Effendi, Messages to America, p. 83)

32. Through the prompt settlement of nine wholly dedicated souls, aglow with enthusiasmand keenly aware of the plight of the peoples for whose sake they are abandoning thecomfort and security of their homeland, and who will head the Roll of Honor as thecurtain rises on this new and glorious phase of American Bahá'í enterprise; through the

dispatch of itinerant teachers who, either delegated by the American National SpiritualAssembly or of their own accord, will cross and re-cross the vast distances, now providentially shrunk, which separate the old and new worlds, who will assiduouslywater the seeds sown by these pioneers, consolidate the work already started by isolated

believers, and act as intermediaries between the various groups which, as the present Plandevelops, must evolve into Spiritual Assemblies; through the vigorous dissemination of literature, properly translated, promptly printed, and comprehensive in range, in French,Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Dutch and each of the Scandinavian languages;through a steady process of concentration on a few receptive souls, who can be reliedupon to embrace, wholeheartedly and with alacrity, the truth of the Faith, identifythemselves unreservedly with its tenets, actively support its institutions, and join informing its initial Assemblies; through the persistent efforts, at a later stage, of aconsiderable number of settlers who, joining forces with the original pioneers and thenative and newly enrolled believers, will provide the necessary requisites for theconstitution of properly functioning local Assemblies; through the participation, as thesituation on the continent improves and the restrictions are relaxed, of these settlers,itinerant teachers, native and isolated believers in conferences and organizations,humanitarian, educational and otherwise designed to promote ends akin to our own;through the liberal supply of funds to those who have forsaken their homes and kindredin the new world, and journeyed so far afield in the service of both their Faith and their fellowmen; through the exertion of a special effort, as the present Plan approaches itsclose and the general condition in most European countries improves, aimed at securing,through the radio and the press, the widest possible publicity for the Faith, its tenets andinstitutions, to serve as a means of reinforcing the number of its avowed promoters and of consolidating the basis of its evolving institutions--through these, and similar measureswhich the American National Spiritual Assembly and its European Teaching Committeemay initiate and promote, the American Bahá'í Community must demonstrate, in this newfield of their inter-continental enterprise, an initiative, a tenacity, a resourcefulness, aself-sacrifice and an audacity comparable to, and even exceeding, the qualities evinced bythose who, ever since the inception of the Faith in the West, have, haphazardly, single-



handed and with no organization to sustain them, labored with such fidelity and devotionin various countries throughout that continent.(Letter dated 15 June 1946. Shoghi Effendi, Messages to America, pp.95-97)

33. These pioneers, in their contact with the members of divers creeds, races, and nations,

covering a range which offers no parallel in either the North or South continents (of America), must neither antagonize them nor compromise with their own essential principles. They must be neither provocative nor supine, neither fanatical nor excessivelyliberal, in their exposition of the fundamental and distinguishing features of their Faith.They must be either wary or bold, they must act swiftly or mark time, they must use thedirect or indirect method, they must be challenging or conciliatory, in strict accordancewith the spiritual receptivity of the soul with whom they come in contact, whether he bea nobleman or a commoner, a northerner or southerner, a layman or a priest, a capitalistor a socialist, a statesman or a prince, an artisan or a beggar. In their presentation of theMessage of Bahá'u'lláh they must neither hesitate nor falter. They must be neither contemptuous of the poor nor timid before the great. In their exposition of its verities they

must neither over stress nor whittle down the truth which they champion, whether their hearer belong to royalty, or be a prince of the church, or a politician, or a tradesman, or aman in the street. To all alike, high or low, rich or poor, they must proffer, with openhands, with a radiant heart, with an eloquent tongue, with infinite patience, withuncompromising loyalty, with great wisdom, with unshakable courage, the Cup of Salvation at so critical an hour, to the confused, the hungry, the distraught and fear-stricken multitudes, in the north, in the west, in the south and in the heart, of that sorelytried continent."(5 June 1947 written by Shoghi Effendi to the Bahá'ís of the West, published in Citadel of Faith: Messages to America 1947-1957, p.26)

34. The field now stretching before the believers constituting the major part of a sunderedcommunity is, however, still so vast, its needs so great and its spiritual receptivity so

pronounced that they cannot afford to either relax for a moment in their efforts or hesitatein the prosecution of their sacred task.(Shoghi Effendi, Postscript dated 8 March 1951 in a letter written on his behalf, dated 2March 1951, The Light of Divine Guidance, v I, p. 170)

35. ...The emergence of a new Regional Spiritual Assembly in the North Pacific Area 3, withits seat fixed in the capital city of a country which by reason of its innate capacity and thespiritual receptivity it has acquired, in consequence of the severe and prolonged ordealits entire population has providentially experienced, is destined to have a preponderatingshare in awakening the peoples and races inhabiting the entire Pacific area, to theMessage of Baha’u’llah, and to act as the Vanguard of His hosts in their future spiritualconquest of the main body of the yellow race on the Chinese mainland -- the emergenceof such an assembly may be said to have, at long last established a spiritual axis,extending from the Antipodes to the northern islands of the Pacific Ocean -- an axiswhose northern and southern poles will act as powerful magnets, endowed withexceptional spiritual potency, and towards which younger and less experienced

3 National Spiritual Assembly of North East Asia, with its seat in Tokyo, Japan.



communities will tend for some time to gravitate.(Shoghi Effendi, Postscript, Letter to the National Spiritual Assembly of Australia 19July 1957, Letters from the Guardian to Australia and New Zealand, p. 138)

36. It is upon the individual believer, constituting the fundamental unit in the structure of the

home front, that the revitalization, the expansion, and the enrichment of the home frontmust ultimately depend. The more strenuous the effort exerted, daily and methodically, by the individual labouring on the home front to rise to loftier heights of consecration,and of self-abnegation, to contribute, through pioneering at home, to the multiplication of Bahá'í isolated centres, groups and Assemblies, and to raise, through diligent, painstakingand continual endeavour to convert receptive souls to the Faith he has espoused, thenumber of its active and whole-hearted supporters; the sooner will the vast and multipleenterprises, launched beyond the confines of the homeland, now so desperately callingfor a greater supply of men and means, be provided with the necessary support that willensure their uninterrupted development and hasten their ultimate fruition .(From a letter of Shoghi Effendi, 21 September 1957 to the National Spiritual Assembly

of the United States, Citadel of Faith: Messages to America 1947-1957, p. 155)



From Letters written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi

37. It is true that your group is now still small, but he assures you that your group will beforelong grow larger and larger day by day. It has been always the case with the growth of

every religion. Some pure soul or souls go to some land and sow the seeds of theheavenly teachings in the hearts of few who are most pure and so most receptive . Theseeds will germinate and grow in them. The fruits of these seeds appear in theregeneration of the lives of these primary adherents. These primary adherents share the

bounties they have received with other souls, who through them obtain new life and lightand in turn illumine other people.

The primary adherents are the stars of great magnitude in every land in thefirmament of the Kingdom of God. They are the chosen people. They are like candleswhich, through their sacrificial efforts, are weeping their lives away in order to give lightto the world and establish the purpose of their Lord and Saviour, which purpose is thesalvation of mankind. His Holiness, Jesus Christ! see how small the group of His

disciples was! No matter how few the number of the disciples was, yet they through His power illumined the world. Our Era is similar to that, but through the development of humanity it is greater, and through the evils of the material civilization and negligence of mankind our sacrifices must be greater. Divine light must make itself manifest in our daily life deeds.(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual, 22 June 1923, citedArohanui: Letters from Shoghi Effendi to New Zealand, Suva, 1982 pp.3-4)

38. He hopes that after this long vacation you have had you are ready to begin againspreading the Cause in New Zealand with even greater energy than before. The peoplethere seem to be broad in their outlook, receptive to any idea which helps the human

faculty from decreasing its burden.(From a letter of Shoghi Effendi, 3 April 1926 to an individual cited Messages to theAntipodes: Communications from Shoghi Effendi to the Bahá'í Communities of Australasia)

39. He was most gratified to learn that the Cause is becoming more and more known andappreciated by the people in New Zealand. This is as important as the actual increase of the number of the friends, for it means that the principles are gradually permeating thethoughts of the people and making them more ready and receptive to the fullidentification of their beliefs with the precepts of the Cause. Shoghi Effendi wishes me toassure you of his prayers for you as well as for the other friends in New Zealand. He

hopes that they will increase both in number as well as in spiritual understanding andinsight. The reports that we occasionally receive from there are most encouraging andhopeful. It seems that the people there due to their breadth of mind and lack of traditionaldraw-backs show better prospect than many other places.(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual, 23 October 1926,cited Arohanui: Letters from Shoghi Effendi to New Zealand, Suva, 1982 pp.3-4)



40. He hopes that these receptive souls you have succeeded to attract into the movement willthrough deep study and living the life become like firm rocks upon which the Cause can

build its future spiritual temple -- the temple of the hearts. In one of His very beautifuland stirring poems written in the early days of His Mission Bahá'u'lláh bids us stay awayand not become an encumbrance if we desire to live and have our well-being. In case,

however, we are ready to sacrifice our all in the path of God then we should hasten toHim and follow His way. What the Cause needs is such ardent and self-sacrificingservants and not lukewarm followers who are ready to reap the fruit but unwilling to takea part in winning that victory. Shoghi Effendi, therefore, hopes that you will endeavour tomake of your spiritual children of the type Bahá'u'lláh sought to have and create not

passive admirers but active servants of the New World Order."(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, November 6,1932, Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 113)

41. Shoghi Effendi was very glad to hear of your work among the ranchers. He sincerelyhopes that they will advance in spirituality and become imbued with the spirit of

Bahá'u'lláh. Country people should be much readier for the Message, for they are not socompletely carried away by material civilization and its blinding influence. They ought to be more receptive and more pure in heart.(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, 13 May 1932cited Agriculture and Rural Life Additional Extracts, prepared by the ResearchDepartment of the Universal House of Justice)

42. This work once completed will become a great stimulus to the teaching activities of thefriends, for books can do infinitely more work than teachers. Sitting in a chair in asolitary corner one is infinitely more receptive to truth than in a lecture hall or in adiscussion group. The public has learned the habit of reading. It is through that channeltherefore that we have to approach them.(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 19 November 1932, Dawn of a NewDay, p. 39)

43. He is gratified to learn of your contact with the . . . family, and particularly with thatgentleman whom you found to be somewhat receptive to the Teachings. Your closeassociation with him, and with the other members of his family, who seem to have beenso severely afflicted by some sad events, will, it is hoped, win them to the Cause andopen before them a new field of constructive activity.(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 19 November 1932, Messages toCanada, 2 nd ed, p. 43)

44. Religious conservatism, particularly in England, constitutes indeed a serious obstaclewhich the friends have to meet when spreading the Message, and not until such anobstacle has been completely removed can the Cause effectively spread and establishitself in the West. This religious conservatism is in many respects far more dangerous andmore difficult to wipe out than the religious apathy which is so rapidly invading allclasses of society. In view of that, it is, at least for the present, more advantageous toteach the Message in an indirect way, so as to gradually attract and confirm those who



have the spiritual capacity of appreciating the Cause in its fullness.(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 8 February 1935, The UnfoldingDestiny of the British Baha'i Community, p. 433)

45. The believers ought to give the Message even to those who do not seem to be ready for it,

because they can never judge the real extent to which the Word of God can influence thehearts and minds of the people, even those who appear to lack any power of receptivityto the Teachings.(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 14 January 1938 to an individual

believer, The Compilation of Compilations vol II, p. 310)

46. Those serving as Temple guides should, in all their contacts with the visitors, maintainthe full dignity of the Cause, and provide the inquirers with accurate informationregarding the Faith, and stress the universal aspects of the Teachings such as world unity,and its various implications. Political questions and all controversial subjects touchingcurrent political affairs should be strictly avoided. The conflicting political systems and

philosophies of the day should neither be praised, nor censured, but the fact should bestressed that whatever the political regime under which it is enforced no purely national programme can be considered as adequate and self-sufficient. It is on the higher plane of international co-operation that the problems and difficulties now facing the world should

be discussed and solved, and nothing short of the fire of a universal ordeal can succeed ininfusing the right spirit in the hearts of the masses and leaders alike.

The station of Bahá'u'lláh, and the significance of the age in which He has appeared,together with the supreme and infallible remedy which His Teachings offer to ailinghumanity should be equally stressed, in a clear and unequivocal language.Those inquirers who are found to be receptive should be given more detailedinformation, and presented, on demand, with comprehensive and authoritative literatureon the Faith.(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 28 April 1939, Messages to Canada,2nd ed, p. 62)

47. He has noted with deep pleasure the various promising contacts you have alreadyestablished, and notwithstanding the difficulties with which you will have increasingly tocontend in the future, you should confidently, earnestly and resolutely continue tomaintain, nay widen and enrich, such associations and contacts, and thus gradually pavethe way for the formation of a study group which would eventually develop into a groupof interested and confirmed believers, and possibly into a duly-constituted and properly-functioning Bahá'í Assembly in a not too distant future.

Regarding Mr. . . . : the Guardian would urge you to strive making him a firm believer,and to create in him the desire to dedicate himself heart and soul to the service of theCause. Also with regard to your contacting the women's clubs of Nova Scotia: therewould be certainly no objection to your desire to do so, but it would be preferable thatyou concentrate on a selected few individuals who are sincere and truly receptive and toendeavour confirming them in the Faith. Personal contacts with limited, but eager and



spiritually-minded persons, are often much more effective and fruitful than addressinglarge audiences. In your talks and lectures you should, for the present, avoid referring tolabour problems, or to any governmental scheme regarding labour issues, as suchconsiderations might lead you into the discussion of political questions which, of course,as a believer, you should by all means strictly avoid and disregard.

(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 18 July 1939, Messages to Canada, 2nd

ed, p. 64)

48. It is certainly a much greater responsibility to reject the Manifestation in this day than itwas in the past Dispensations, inasmuch as man, and indeed humanity as a whole, have

been endowed with a greater measure of spiritual receptivity than ever before, andconsequently it would be a much graver sin to repudiate the revealed Truth now than itwould have been the case in by-gone ages and centuries.(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, to an individual believer, November 14, 1939, Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 480)

49. It should be the paramount concern of your Committee to foster this aim through everymeans available. Not only the coloured people, who because of the increasing receptivitythey are evincing to the Message and truly deserve special attention, but all other minorities, whether racial or religious, Jews, Red Indians, all alike should be contactedand confirmed. The greater the receptivity of a particular class or group, the stronger should wax the desire and determination of the believers to attract and teach its members.At a time when the whole world is steeped in prejudices of race, class, and nation, theBahá'í, by upholding, firmly and loyally, this cardinal principle of their Faith, can besthope to vindicate its truth, and establish its right to bring order and peace out of the chaosand strife of this war-torn world.(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to and individual believer, January 30,1941, Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p.532)

50. The Cause in Australia and New Zealand seems, from all reports received, to be goingahead by leaps and bounds. The people also appear to be more receptive to the teachingsthan before. This greatly heartens Shoghi Effendi, as he has the brightest hopes for thefuture part the Bahá'ís of that continent will play in the ordering of world-wide Bahá'íaffairs. They have displayed a soundness of understanding of the Teachings, a devotion,

balance, and sanity that he greatly admires. His ardent prayers are often with them andtheir wonderful work.(From a letter of Shoghi Effendi, 1 August 1941 to an individual cited Messages to theAntipodes: Communications from Shoghi Effendi to the Bahá'í Communities of Australasia)

51. He was sorry to hear that Mrs. ... is in an unhappy state of mind. She should certainly notgrieve if she finds that her family are not receptive to the teachings -- for not every soulis spiritually enlightened. Indeed, many members of the families of the Prophetsthemselves have remained unconverted even in face of the example and persuasion of theManifestation of God; therefore, the friends should not be distressed by such things butrather leave the future of those they love in the hand of God, and by their services and



devotion to the Faith, win the right to plead for their spiritual re-birth.(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to and individual believer, March 9,1942, Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 223)

52. The Bahá'ís should deal with the members of all religious sects, however, with the

greatest tolerance and friendliness, and try to point out to them the significance of theRevelation of Bahá'u'lláh to the world in this great Day. The Guardian would advise youto teach the Mormons like everyone else, the Faith, when you find them receptive . Theyhave many good principles, and their teachings regarding chastity, not drinking or smoking, etc., are quite similar to ours, and should form a point of common interest.(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, August 18,1942, Bahá'í News, No. 416, November 1965, Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 511)

53. He hopes the way will open for you to find and teach some receptive souls, in your neighbourhood, this blessed message. As you say, all are not yet ready for it, and thoughthey need it their eyes are not yet open.

(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 22 June 1943, Messages to Canada,2nd ed, p. 79)

54. In connection with the radio work ... he would suggest that the main consideration is to bring to the attention of the public the fact that the Faith exists, and its teachings. Everykind of broadcast, whether of passages from the writings, or on typical subjects, or lecture, should be used. The people need to hear the word 'Bahá'í' so that they can, if receptive , respond and seek the Cause out. The primary duty of the friends everywhere inthe world is to let the people know such a Revelation is in existence their next duty is toteach it.(Letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, July 24, 1943, forma compilation on the 'Use of Radio and Television in Teaching', April 1, 1975, from theWorld Centre, Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 583)

55. He will also pray that the way may open for you to serve it in ever wider fields, evensome day, God willing, in your beloved France. The French people have a great capacityfor religious feeling, and the Guardian hopes that after their great sufferings during thiswar their hearts will gradually become receptive to this Divine Message which alone canheal the ills of all mankind.(Letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, 6 August 1944,Germany, France, Italy, and Switzerland A Compilation of Bahá'í Writings Prepared bythe Research Department of the Universal House of Justice)

56. The reports he received of the young peoples' Summer School and the Summer School atEsslingen were most encouraging, and he is delighted to see that in spite of so manyhandicaps the friends are so devoted and active! He was also very happy to note that newspiritual assemblies are in the process of formation, and hopes you will concentrate ontheir establishment and the formation of many new groups. In spite of the conditions inGermany it is of the utmost importance to teach the Cause as widely as possible,especially to the youth, now that through suffering and disillusionment the hearts of the



people are more receptive .(Letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, 26 February 1947,The Light of Divine Guidance v I, p. 118)

57. Actual politicians, he feels, will for the most part never be willing to forget their

ambitions, work and prestige in order to embrace the Faith, but association with all people, in government occupation or otherwise, who are progressive minded, isadvisable, as we publicize the Faith this way and may meet receptive souls. There is noobjection to Bahá'ís serving in government jobs that are purely non-political.(Letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, May 30, 1947,Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 441)

58. The marvelous increase in the number of newly-enrolled believers, the multiplication of groups and assemblies throughout the length and breadth of your land, the purchase and

projected restoration of the national Haziratu'l-Quds in the city of Frankfurt, the impetuslent to the translation and publication of Bahá'í Literature, the receptivity shown by your

country-men to the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh, the consolidation of the various agencies of asteadily expanding Administrative Order in the various zones of your country - all theseaugur well for the complete fulfillment of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's glorious prophecies regardingits future.(Letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, 11 May 1948,Shoghi Effendi, The Light of Divine Guidance v I, p.137)

59. He would have answered you before, but pressure of work, and the recent very disturbedstate of the country, has held up his correspondence. He hopes this letter will reach yousafely. The progress being made by the Faith in Germany is excellent. It is if at last theCause were let out of the cage and can spread its wings there and fly - and the hearts of the German people are a very rich field in which to sow the Divine Seeds. He has alwaysforeseen for Germany a great future in the Bahá'í world...He was particularly glad to hear the working people, the backbone of every nation, are receptive to the Cause and beingtaught.(Letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, 10 June 1948, TheLight of Divine Guidance v II, p. 73)

60. We should never insist on teaching those who are not really ready for the Cause. If a manis not hungry you cannot make him eat. Among the Theosophists there are, no doubt,many receptive souls, but those who are satisfied should be just associated with in afriendly way, but let alone. Once a seeker comes to accept the concept of progressivereligion, and accepts Bahá'u'lláh as the Manifestation for this day, the reincarnationconcept will fade away in the light of truth; we should try and avoid controversial issuesin the beginning, if possible.(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, 23 June1948, The Compilation of Compilations vol II, p.314)

61. Nothing will further your ends more quickly than the greatest love, unity and co-operation amongst yourselves. These are the very soul of the order Bahá'u'lláh has come





To be the first native believer is a great distinction and privilege. He hopes that Mr. …will cling fast to the Faith he has found, at such a bitter moment in his life, and he willcarry its light to other receptive , disillusioned and suffering souls.(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, 30September 1951 to an individual believer cited Raising the Banner in Korea: An Early

Bahá'í History, Sims, Barbara. Tokyo, Japan. 1996 p.6)

67. He is delighted to see you are settled in such a virgin region (from our Bahá'í standpoint),and, although the teaching work will no doubt go very slowly at first, the effects of your labours will sooner or later be felt and be fruitful.

He will pray that the way may open for receptive souls to be found, especially among theIndians, and that you may soon claim at least one Bahá'í.(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 31 October 1951, Messages toCanada, 2nd ed, p. 150)

68. What is needed to achieve success in the teaching field is a complete dedication on the part of the individual, consecration to the glorious task of spreading the Faith, and theliving of the Bahá'í life, because that creates the magnet for the Holy Spirit, and it is theHoly Spirit which quickens the new soul. Thus, the individual should be as a reed,through which the Holy Spirit may flow, to give new life to the seeking soul. One shouldsearch out those who are receptive to the Faith, and then concentrate on those persons intheir teaching.(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer December 181953, High Endeavours - Messages to Alaska, p. 54)

69. The Guardian feels you should be very, very wise and discreet in teaching the Faith inthat virgin area; otherwise, you may find you have been asked to leave the country, after having, with such difficulty, succeeded in getting into it. . . .The best thing would be to make friends, and, through your liberality and tolerance of their point of view . . . win over the hearts of the people, and then gradually, when youfind those who have faith and are receptive , to teach them quietly in your home.(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 28 December 1953, Messages toCanada, 2nd ed, p. 188)

70. He urges you to use tact and discretion in your teaching work, so as not to alienate theofficials or the missionaries, but to seek out and find those souls who are receptive to theMessage, rather than giving any publicity in the beginning, to your activities.

The most important thing for the pioneers to do is to consolidate their position, andarrange if possible to remain permanently in these goal territories. Gradually they canfind ways and means of spreading the Message, and building Spiritual Assemblies andGroups.(From a letter of Shoghi Effendi, 3 May 1954 to an individual cited Messages to theAntipodes: Communications from Shoghi Effendi to the Bahá'í Communities of Australasia)



71. I need not tell you that the work in Africa, and more particularly in Uganda, is very dear to his heart. The progress made there during the last year has borne him up andencouraged him greatly when he was often weighed down with work. He feels that thiscountry and its peoples, in the very heart of Africa, are a most precious trust. Their

receptivity to the Teachings, their great desire to serve their new Faith, the number of them who have arisen to go out as pioneers, mark them as a people apart in the Bahá'íworld, at least for the time being. May many others in neighbouring countries prove asworthy, and follow their example.(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, 17 June1954, The Unfolding Destiny of the British Baha'i Community, p. 334)

72. It is very unlikely that you will be able either to successfully argue with, or to convert,any of the people who study these topics you have mentioned in your letter. They aremore interested in mystical things, and in mystery itself, than in this present world inwhich we live, and how to solve its problems. They enjoy abstractions and complications.

Minds such as these are not going to be able to accept the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh,which is for here and now, and which involves the purification of the mind, and anapplication of His teachings to daily life. He therefore urges you to set aside all of thesethoughts from your mind, to turn with a loving and prayerful heart to Bahá'u'lláh, and ask him to guide you daily to souls that are receptive to, and ready to receive, His Message,and not harass yourself anymore with these idle questions, which in the first place, cannot

be answered, and in the second place, for the most part do not require an answer, becausethey are not sufficiently important in themselves(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, 22 April1954, cited The Universal House of Justice, 1999 Dec 13, Two Compilations onScholarship - 1979 and 1983)

73. I need not tell you that the work in Africa, and more particularly in Uganda, is very dear to his heart ... He feels that this country and its peoples, in the very heart of Africa, are amost precious trust. Their receptivity to the Teachings, their great desire to serve their new Faith, the number of them who have arisen to go out as pioneers, mark them as a

people apart in the Bahá'í world, at least for the time being. May many others inneighbouring countries prove as worthy, and follow their example.(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to a National Spiritual Assembly, 17June 1954, cited Cultural Diversity in the Age of Maturity Compiled by ResearchDepartment of the Universal House of Justice)

74. The progress of the Faith in Japan is a source of great joy to the Guardian. It is trulymaking rapid strides among these keen-minded and receptive people.(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, March 1,1955, Japan Will Turn Ablaze, p. 70)

75. In spite of the fact that Mr. ... has been expelled from Gilbert and Ellice Islands, theremarkable progress of the Faith there has been a source of great satisfaction. It showsthat a spiritual receptivity , a purity of heart and uprightness of character exists



potentially amongst many of the peoples of the Pacific Isles to an extent equal to that of the tribesmen of Africa. It is indeed an encouraging and awe-inspiring sight to witnessthe spread of our beloved Faith amongst those whom civilised nations misguidedly term"savages", "primitive peoples" and "uncivilised nations".(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, 11 July

1956, The Unfolding Destiny of the British Baha'i Community, p. 365)

76. We should try not to introduce any set patterns into our teaching methods ; however, if this form of group meditation produces unity and a deeper understanding of theteachings, he sees no reason why it should be not used at least in the beginning of ateaching class – providing the people want to, like it, and fully understand it has nothingto do with the teachings of the Faith, but is a method which sometimes proves helpful…

You should try to reactivate those you taught, but if there continues to be no response youhad better concentrate on more receptive souls. He thinks your teaching efforts have

been very fruitful, and you should be very happy.

(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 30 July 1956, Messages to Canada,2nd ed, p. 246)

77. The work of the pioneers is very close to his heart, and he remembers you in his loving prayers, that Bahá'u'lláh may strengthen and guide you, and enable you to meet and teachthose of His servants in that land whose hearts will be receptive to the news of Hisappearance.(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 16 September 1956, Messages toCanada, 2nd ed, p. 248)

78. Perhaps one should not approach the people in that country 4 on the basis of religion, butrather through the social teachings of the Faith and its Laws, and make them understandthe need for World Order, rather than giving them the religious aspect first, when they areso fanatically attached to their church. He will certainly pray that you may find receptivesouls, and the slow work of conversion be begun. No doubt once they embrace the Faith,they will be very staunch.(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, January 24,1957, High Endeavours - Messages to Alaska, p.61)

79. The teaching work carried on by the Australian friends throughout the region of thePacific under their jurisdiction, has been very satisfactory, and he is proud of the trulyimmense progress which has been made. The publication of literature in so manyadditional languages, the School opened by Mrs. Dobbins in the New Hebrides, theincrease in the number of native believers throughout the islands, are all indications, notonly of the great power of this Faith to touch the hearts of those who are spirituallyreceptive , but also of the consecration and devotion of the Australian believers.(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 19 July 1957, Letters from theGuardian to Australia and New Zealand, p. 136)

4 Aleutian Islands.



80. It is upon the individual believer, constituting the fundamental unit in the structure of thehome front, that the revitalization, the expansion, and the enrichment of the home frontmust ultimately depend. The more strenuous the effort exerted, daily and methodically,

by the individual labouring on the home front to rise to loftier heights of consecration,and of self-abnegation, to contribute, through pioneering at home, to the multiplication of

Baha'i isolated centres, groups and Assemblies, and to raise, through diligent, painstakingand continual endeavour to convert receptive souls to the Faith he has espoused, thenumber of its active and whole-hearted supporters; the sooner will the vast and multipleenterprises, launched beyond the confines of the homeland, now so desperately callingfor a greater supply of men and means, be provided with the necessary support that willensure their uninterrupted development and hasten their ultimate fruition ...(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 21 September 1957 to the NationalSpiritual Assembly of the United States, Compilations Living the Life)



From Letters of the Universal House of Justice

81. When the masses of mankind are awakened and enter the Faith of God, a new process isset in motion and the growth of a new civilization begins. Witness the emergence of Christianity and of Islam. These masses are the rank and file, steeped in traditions of their

own, but receptive to the new Word of God, by which, when they truly respond to it,they become so influenced as to transform those who come in contact with them.(Letter from the Universal House of Justice to all National Spiritual Assemblies, 13 July1964, cited in The Universal House of Justice, 1998 Dec 16, Traditional practices inAfrica)

82. Since writing to the National Spiritual Assemblies of the world regarding the importanceof teaching the masses, we have received reports from all over the world indicating thesteady increase in the number of believers, the concentration of the friends on the morereceptive areas, however remote these may have been, and the opening up of new andchallenging fields for expansion and service. In this letter we wish once again to stress

the importance of this subject, share with you our thoughts regarding the supreme need to preserve the victories you have already won and the necessity to pursue the vital work inwhich you are engaged and to which the eyes of your sister communities in East andWest are turned with admiration.(From the Universal House of Justice To all National Spiritual Assemblies engaged inmass teaching work, 2 February 1966, Messages 1963 to 1986, p. 71 )

83. The pioneers and settlers, as well as the National Assemblies responsible for theadministration of the Faith in areas assigned to them, should ever bear in mind that in theinitial states of the establishment of the Faith in any territory the obscurity surroundingthe 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 Faithuntil such time as the believers see the Faith touch more and more of the hearts of receptive souls responding to its Divine Call.(From the Universal House of Justice to all National Spiritual Assemblies, June 5, 1966,Lights of Guidance, p.577)

84. ... Recall with Profound Emotion Message Beloved Guardian occasion 1953 Conferencewherein he extolled pure hearted spiritual receptive indigenous people Africa whomBahá'u'lláh compared pupil eye through which light of spirit shineth forth and for whoseconversion both Guardian and Master before Him yearned and laboured...(From the cable of the Universal House of Justice to the Africa International Conference,

October 6, 1967, Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 525)

85. In the worsening world situation, fraught with pain of war, violence and the suddenuprooting of long-established institutions, can be seen the fulfillment of the prophecies of Bahá'u'lláh and the often repeated warnings of the Master and the beloved Guardianabout the inevitable fate of a lamentably defective social system, an unenlightenedleadership and a rebellious and unbelieving humanity. Governments and peoples of boththe developed and developing nations, and other human institutions, secular and



religious, finding themselves helpless to reverse the trend of the catastrophic events of theday, stand bewildered and overpowered by the magnitude and complexity of the

problems facing them. At this fateful hour in human history many, unfortunately, seemcontent to stand aside and ring their hands in despair or else join in the babel of shoutingand protestation which loudly objects, but offers no solution to the woes and afflicting

plaguing our age.

Nevertheless a greater and greater number of thoughtful and fairminded men and womenare recognizing in the clamour of contention, grief and destruction, now reaching suchhorrendous proportions, the evidences of Divine chastisement, and turning their facestowards God are becoming increasingly receptive to His Word. Doubtless the presentcircumstances, though tragic and awful in their immediate consequences, are serving tosharpen the focus on the indispensability of the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh to the needs of the present age, and will provide many opportunities to reach countless waiting souls,hungry and thirsty for Divine guidance.(From a letter of the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá'ís of the World, November

16, 1969: Messages from the Universal House of Justice, pp. 33-34, Compilations, Lightsof Guidance).

86. South East Asia, whose gifted and industrious peoples have embraced four of the world'smajor religions, have produced in all ages civilizations and cultures representative of thehighest accomplishments of the human race, now experiencing with the rest of the worldthe disruptive, revolutionizing, "vibrating influence of this most great, this new WorldOrder ... the like of which mortal eyes have never witnessed," lies open and receptive tothe Word of God, ready once more to nourish in its fertile soil that potent seed and to

bring forth, in its own characteristic manner and as an integral part of the worldcivilization, the institutions, the fabric, the brilliant edifice of Bahá'u'lláh's World Order.(The Universal House of Justice To the friends of God assembled in the OceanicConference in Singapore, Malaysia, January 197I, Messages 1963 to 1986, p. 181)

87. This International Teaching Centre now established will, in due course, operate from that building designated by the Guardian as the seat for the Hands of the Cause, which must be raised on the Arc on Mount Carmel in close proximity to the Seat of the UniversalHouse of Justice.

The duties now assigned to this nascent institution are:

- To co-ordinate, stimulate and direct the activities of the Continental Boards of Counsellors and to act as liaison between them and the Universal House of Justice.

- To be fully informed of the situation of the Cause in all parts of the world and to beable, from the background of this knowledge, to make reports and recommendations tothe Universal House of Justice and give advice to the Continental Boards of Counsellors.

- To be alert to possibilities, both within and without the Bahá'í community, for theextension of the teaching work into receptive or needy areas, and to draw the attention of



the Universal House of Justice and the Continental Boards of Counsellors to such possibilities, making recommendations for action.(From letter of the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá'ís of the World June 8, 1973,Lights of Guidance, p.323)

88. When choosing localities to be opened to the Faith and when deciding which localitiesshould have Local Spiritual Assemblies, you should bear in mind the need to have theBahá'í community represented broadly across the area under your jurisdiction. It is likelythat some areas will show themselves particularly receptive and numerous Bahá'ícommunities will speedily arise there, but while fostering such growth you should notneglect those areas in which the Faith is as yet unrepresented.(The Universal House of Justice To all National Spiritual Assemblies, Messages 1963 to1986, p. 266 Elucidation of Five Year Plan Goals Naw-Ruz 1974 )

89. ...there is a challenge of great urgency facing the world-wide Bahá'í community. Whenlaunching the Ten Year Crusade, Shoghi Effendi urged the believers to "carry the torch of

the Faith to regions so remote, so backward, so inhospitable that neither the light of Christianity or Islam has, after the revolution of centuries, as yet penetrated." A number of such regions still exist in places like New Guinea, the heart of Africa and the AmazonBasin in South America. As the influence of civilization spreads, the age-old ways of lifeof the inhabitants of these regions will inevitably perish, and they will rapidly be infectedwith the materialistic ideas of a decadent civilization. It is our pressing duty to carry theMessage of Bahá'u'lláh to such people while they are still pure-hearted and receptive ,and through it to prepare them for the changed world which will come upon them....Inaddition to the tribes in these remote regions of the world, there are tribes and minoritieswho still live in their traditional ways in the midst of other cultures. All too often such

peoples are despised and ignored by the nations among whom they dwell, but we shouldseek them out, teach them the Cause of God, and enrich through their membership theBahá'í communities of the lands in which they live. (The Universal House of Justice to all

National Spiritual Assemblies, 25 May 1975 cited in, 1998 Dec 16, Traditional practicesin Africa).

90. In other lands, such as those in Western Europe, the faithful believers have to struggle toconvey the message in the face of widespread indifference, materialistic self-satisfaction,cynicism and moral degradation. These friends, however, still have freedom to teach theFaith in their homelands, and in spite of the discouraging meagerness of outward resultsthey continue to proclaim the Message of Bahá'u'lláh to their fellow citizens, to raise highthe reputation of the Cause in the public eye, to acquaint leaders of thought and those inauthority with its true tenets, and to spare no effort to seek out those receptive souls inevery town and village who will respond to the divine summons and devote their lives toits service.

In many lands, however, there is an eager receptivity for the teachings of the Faith. Thechallenge for the Bahá'ís is to provide these thousands of seeking souls, as swiftly as

possible, with the spiritual food that they crave, to enlist them under the banner of Bahá'u'lláh, to nurture them in the way of life He has revealed, and to guide them to elect



Local Spiritual Assemblies which, as they begin to function strongly, will unite thefriends in firmly consolidated Bahá'í communities and become beacons of guidance andhavens of refuge to mankind.Faced by such a combination of danger and opportunity, the Bahá'ís, confident in theultimate triumph of God's purpose for mankind, raise their eyes to the goals of a new

Seven Year Plan.(The Universal House of Justice, from a letter dated Naw-Ruz 1979, to the Bahá'ís of theWorld, Compilations, Quickeners of Mankind, p. 25)

91. In lands where people have accepted the Faith in large numbers, the process of economicand social development, linked with the establishment, consolidation and strongfunctioning of Local Spiritual Assemblies, is attaining ever greater importance and is

placing upon the international resources of the Faith a heavy demand for manpower andfinance. In the countries of the former Eastern Bloc the need for assistance in the form of Bahá'í literature, pioneers, traveling teachers, the establishment of local centres, is madethe more urgent by the extraordinary receptivity to the Message of Bahá'u'lláh shown by

the spiritually thirsty populations. The opportunities for the promotion of the Cause of God in these areas cannot be allowed to go unheeded.(Letter of The Universal House of Justice To The Baha’is of the World, 18 November 1991, A Wider Horizon, Selected Letters 1983-1992, p. 92.

92. To assist the National Spiritual Assemblies and all the friends to understand, welcome,initiate and sustain this process, we are enclosing a compilation entitled "Promoting Entry

by Troops" and a covering statement prepared by the Research Department. Whoever studies these illuminating passages will perceive that entry by troops is not merely a stageof the progress of the Cause destined to occur in its own good time, dependent on thereceptivity of the population as a whole -- it is a phenomenon which the Bahá'ícommunities, by their own activities, can prepare for and help to bring about. It is also a

process which, once started, can be sustained. By a wise allocation of resources and theenergetic pursuit of simultaneous plans of expansion, deepening and consolidation, the

process of entry by troops should bring about a rapidly increasing supply of active believers, soundly based local communities, and steadily evolving local and nationalBahá'í institutions.(The Universal House of Justice to all National Spiritual Assemblies, , 09 November 1993, Promoting Entry by Troops)

93. Paradoxical as it may seem, the prospects towards the breakthrough you anticipate in theteaching field are conspicuous in the current, distressing state of society. You mustrealize that the worse conditions become, the more plentiful are the opportunities to teachthe Cause, the greater the degree of receptivity to the Divine Message. Bahá'u'lláhcertainly gave ample foreknowledge about the radical, worldwide disturbance which HisRevelation is creating as a part of the transition towards the unity and peace that are theultimate goal of His Faith. Your awareness of this inevitable transition should enableyour members to detach themselves from the debilitating emotions aroused by the turmoilwhich characterizes this process and to equip your Assembly as the highest governing

body of the Bahá'í community in the United States to demonstrate to the fiends a



confident outlook, which the persistence and vigor of their teaching activities will fully justify. From the Universal House of Justice, dated May 19, 1994, to a National SpiritualAssembly (Compilations, NSA USA - Developing Distinctive Baha'i Communities)

94. In these republics, through the combined efforts of native and visiting teachers,

extraordinary advances can be expected. A pattern for the rapid growth of the Cause hasalready been established in the region: locality after locality has been opened to the Faithand, because of the high receptivity of the people, the number of believers in each placehas quickly risen, resulting in the election of a Spiritual Assembly to guide the affairs of the nascent community. Integral to this pattern, almost from the very outset, has been theholding of regular institute courses, which have assisted the friends in becoming strong

promoters of the Cause. If the expansion and consolidation activities are vigorously pursued according to this same pattern in the coming years, the growth of the Faith willaccelerate, greatly increasing the number of believers and centres.(Ridvan 1996 message to the Followers of Bahá'u'lláh in Western and Central Asia, citedin The Universal House of Justice, Extracts from Messages re training institutes).

95. The Bahá'í community of Myanmar, which traces its roots back to the time of Bahá'u'lláh,has in recent years been able to pay increasing attention to the expansion of the Faith.The results have been encouraging indeed. The large body of believers in Myanmar,faithful to the Covenant and with hearts filled with love for Bahá'u'lláh, who stand readyto serve His Faith, can be helped by the institute programme now being established thereto enter the field of teaching with confidence. The effects such an endeavour will have, ina land so receptive to the Divine Message, are incalculable.(The Universal House of Justice, Ridvan 153, 1996 - Cambodia, Hong Kong, Macau,Malaysia...)

96. Together with your increased involvement in the affairs of society, you will need to makea concerted effort to attract receptive souls from diverse groups, teaching them andconfirming them in the Faith. In this respect, the climate of search prevailing among boththe leaders and the masses in your countries, which has emerged following theideological upheaval of recent years, is of special significance. Two sectors have been

particularly and differently affected and are athirst for the life-giving waters of Bahá'u'lláh's Revelation: on the one hand, the teachers in the national school systems and,on the other, university students and their professors. Historically, both have exertedwidespread influence in your societies, and should you teach them systematically, youwill certainly reap abundant fruits.(The Universal House of Justice, Ridvan 153, 1996 - Latin America and the Caribbean)

97. As you respond to the requirements of the plans soon to be formulated by your institutions, you must ever bear in mind that you will contribute to the central aim of theFour Year Plan only if you teach persistently, prayerfully, lovingly and wisely. Youshould endeavour to bring into your ranks individuals from every stratum of society asyou vigorously advance in the process of entry by troops. Receptive souls should besought among the affluent and the indigent, in the various circles of urban society and inschools and universities, in centres of industry and commerce and in the vast rural areas



of your countries. You should also remember that your exertions are not to be limited toyour own home fronts, but that from among you must continue to arise an increasingnumber of souls to serve as pioneers and travelling teachers in the international field.(The Universal House of Justice, Ridvan 153, 1996 - Bangladesh, India, Nepal...)

98. There are areas which cry out for pioneers and travelling teachers; the mind turns, for example, to the work among the Sami and the other peoples of the arctic and sub-arcticareas as far north as Spitsbergen. We contemplate the significance of teaching the Faithin the islands of the Mediterranean, the Atlantic and the North Sea; the continent-wideimportance of the Romany peoples, who have begun to show such receptivity to the callof Bahá'u'lláh; the opportunity for the European Bahá'í communities to demonstrate thesalutary nature of the Teachings in relation to minorities of every kind; the specific tasksdescribed by the beloved Guardian as the destiny of certain communities, and their responsibilities in far-flung lands where their languages are spoken; the implications of the advancement of the Faith in Italy where is to be found "the heart and stronghold of the leading, the most ancient and powerful Church of Christendom" 5;the need to rapidly

increase the number of Bahá'í centres in the vast areas of the Ukraine and EuropeanRussia; and, beyond this, the special responsibilities and opportunities of the Bahá'ícommunity of the Russian Federation, the larger part of whose area lies in Asia and mustcontinue to benefit from collaboration with neighbouring communities of central,southern and eastern Asia as well as Alaska, Canada and the United States. All these are

but some examples of the challenges which you face in the years ahead.(The Universal House of Justice, Ridvan 153, 1996 - Europe

99. Dear Friends, now must you commit yourselves to the work of the Cause afresh, liberatedfrom any doubts, uncertainties or hesitations which may have impeded you in the past.Every stratum of society must be brought within your embrace, as you vigorouslyadvance toward the goal of entry by troops at this time when powerful spiritual forces areat work in the hearts of the people. Neither the affluent nor the indigent should beexcluded from your purview. Receptive souls should be sought in the sophisticatedcircles of urban society, on the campuses of colleges and universities, in centres of industry and commerce, on the farms and villages of the mountains, plains and prairies -wherever are to found human beings in search of the divine Truth. You should strive tocreate a Bahá'í community which will offer to the entire world a vibrant model of unity indiversity. The influence of your exertions can extend well beyond the confines of NorthAmerica; in particular, French Canadian believers can perform an invaluable service tothe Faith in the French-speaking nations and islands throughout the world, the Bahá'ísdwelling in the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions can powerfully reinforce the work of theCause in the circumpolar areas, and the friends of Hispanic background have fertile fields

before them throughout Latin America. Let all believers consider the extent to which theycan use familial and ethnic ties to other regions of the world for the fulfillment of theglobal mission conferred on the recipients of the Tablets of the Divine Plan.(The Universal House of Justice, Ridvan 153, 1996 - North America)

5 Unpublished letter. The exact source is not available at present



100. As a turbulent yet luminous century draws to a close, the Bahá'í community isembarking on another campaign in the progressive unfoldment of the Divine Plan. Theglobal enterprises thus far executed by the consecrated adherents of His Cause havesystematically spread the light of Bahá'u'lláh's Revelation to every corner of the earth andhave firmly established the institutions of His Administrative Order. The Four Year Plan,

whose primary aim is to effect a significant advance in the process of entry by troops, is being launched at a time when the Cause of God has emerged from obscurity, when itscontributions to society are being increasingly acknowledged, and when humanity's

prolonged and continuous suffering has created an atmosphere of search for spiritualvalues and has raised the level of receptivity to the Cause…..

In these republics, through the combined efforts of native and visiting teachers,extraordinary advances can be expected. A pattern for the rapid growth of the Cause hasalready been established in the region: locality after locality has been opened to the Faithand, because of the high receptivity of the people, the number of believers in each placehas quickly risen, resulting in the election of a Spiritual Assembly to guide the affairs of

the nascent community. Integral to this pattern, almost from the very outset, has been theholding of regular institute courses, which have assisted the friends in becoming strong promoters of the Cause. If the expansion and consolidation activities are vigorously pursued according to this same pattern in the coming years, the growth of the Faith willaccelerate, greatly increasing the number of believers and centres.(The Universal House of Justice, Ridvan 153, 1996 - To the Followers of Bahá'u'lláh inWestern and Central Asia)

101. The Cause of Bahá'u'lláh stands at the threshold of a new epoch, at a moment inhistory when, despite confusion and outbursts of fresh hostility, the world has made realstrides towards peace. One clearly sees an increasing receptivity to His all-pervasive andresplendent Spirit.(The Universal House of Justice, Ridvan 158, 9 January 2001, to the Conference of theContinental Boards of Counsellors)

102. At all levels and in every direction the Cause is achieving marked progress --from gains in expansion and consolidation at the grassroots to institutional developmentsof an international scope. Such encouraging signs of the growing solidarity of thecommunity come at a time when evidences of the decline in society are, alas, all tooapparent. No need to review here the features of the breakdown in which a demoralizedworld is entrapped. Yet it should not be forgotten that it is precisely these circumstanceswhich increase receptivity to the Teachings and create new opportunities for their diffusion.(The Universal House of Justice, Ridvan 162, 2005)



From Letters written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice

103. The important aspect for the Bahá'ís is that their attitude and actions and responseto the pending catastrophe be correct. We all know that the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh is theworld's only salvation, and that our duty is to actively teach receptive souls, and to do

our utmost to help in the consolidation of the institutions of the Faith. Only in this waycan we contribute our share of servitude at His Threshold, and we should then leave therest to Him.(From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual

believer, 18 November 1980, Lights of Guidance, p.129)

104. It is the conviction of the House of Justice that the powers of heaven and earthwill, as repeatedly asserted in the attached extracts, mysteriously and unfailingly assist allthose who will arise with love, dedication, and trust in their hearts to teach the Cause, to

promote the Word of God, to deliver its healing message to receptive souls, and to serveits vital interests.

(From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House To all National SpiritualAssemblies, 24 August 1981, Release of a Compilation on the Assistance of God,Messages 1963 to 1986, p. 504)

105. The House of Justice, as you know, does not consider it wise for the Bahá'íinstitutions to set numerical goals with regard to new believers, because significantfactors, such as the receptivity of individuals and the prevailing conditions in society,which influence enrollments are beyond the control of the Bahá'í community. However,the aim of every Bahá'í community should be a large increase in the number of adherentsto the Cause. It is for this reason that the teaching work is a major concern of everySpiritual Assembly. The believers are, of course, free to adopt individual numerical goals

and endeavor to fulfill the tasks they have assigned to themselves.(Letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, to a National SpiritualAssembly 30 July 1987, cited NSA USA - Developing Distinctive Baha'i Communities )

106. It is the ardent prayer of the House of Justice that careful study of the passagesincluded will assist the believers to appreciate the importance of fostering cordialrelations with accomplished and distinguished figures, with people of capacity and withthose occupying prominent positions in society. The aim of the believers should be tomake of them friends of the Faith, dispelling any misconceptions they may have andunfolding before their eyes the vision of world solidarity and peace enshrined in theteachings of Bahá'u'lláh. The friends should be confident that the spiritually minded and

receptive souls among such people will eventually accept the truth of the Baha'iRevelation and join the ranks of its active supporters.(Department of the Secretariat on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, 28 September 1990, The Universal House of Justice, A Wider Horizon, Selected Letters 1983-1992, p.207)

107. While it is the responsibility of the Bahá'í institutions to coordinate teachingactivities, and to encourage the believers in their services, teaching the Faith is each



individual's sacred duty, prescribed by God...When receptive souls have recognized Bahá'u'lláh as the Manifestation of God for

this age, the Bahá'í institutions and members of the community should warmly welcomethese new believers into the Bahá'í fold, seek to expand their as yet limited understandingof the Cause, and execute practical plans to deepen and assist them in becoming

torchbearers of the Faith.(Letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, March 6 1991, cited SelectedCommunications from the Universal House of Justice Concerning the North East AsiaArea Including Japan, Compiled by Barbara R. Sims)

108. Above all, it is essential for the friends to have the confidence that a newreceptivity is dawning in the hearts of Europeans, and to have faith that the seeds theysow will germinate. They must know that the time is coming when the number of their fellow-countrymen who accept the Faith will suddenly increase, and they must be readyand eager to welcome these new believers.(From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to a National Spiritual

Assembly, 12 September 1991, cited The Universal House of Justice, 1993 Nov 09,Promoting Entry by Troops, p. 18)

109. For the present, the Faith is not growing at the same rate throughout the world.The Universal House of Justice has observed that there is an "eager receptivity " to theFaith in many lands 6, and that certain segments of the population may, initially, tend to bemore responsive than others to the Cause. 7 In those areas where the receptivity is just

beginning to dawn, the House of Justice counsels the believers to have confidence that"the time is coming when the number of their fellow-countrymen who accept the Faithwill suddenly increase" 8

With regard to the immediate future, the Universal House of Justice affirms that the rateof growth is destined to accelerate. It states that "the stage is set for universal, rapid andmassive growth of the Cause" 9, and it envisages that all national communities will reapthe harvest of entry by troops. 10

(Promoting Entry by Troops A Statement Prepared by the Research Department of theUniversal House of Justice October 1993 , cited The Universal House of Justice, 1993

Nov 09, Promoting Entry by Troops, p. ii)

110. In the western world in recent decades, Bahá'ís have grown used to thinking thatthe process by which a person accepts the Faith takes a long time, and that it isunthinkable for someone to intelligently accept Bahá'u'lláh within minutes of hearing of Him. This may be the pattern to which they have become accustomed, but it is far from

6 Naw-Ruz 1979 message written by the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá'ís of the world (Extract 32 in thePromoting Entry by Troops Compilation); see also extracts (34) and (44) in the same compilation http://bahai-library.com/compilations/troops.html 7 See Extract 42 in the compilation above.8 Letter dated 12 September 1991 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to a National SpiritualAssembly (See extract 46 in Promoting Entry by Troops Compilation).9 Ridvan 1987 message written by the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá'ís of the world (Extract 38)10 See extract 44 Promoting Entry by Troops Compilation)

http://bahai-library.com/compilations/troops.html








being a universal one. When people accepted the Faith quickly in Africa and other partsof the Third World, western Bahá'ís sometimes explained it away by saying that such

people were less educated and had fewer ideas to work their way through. Now the same process is happening in the countries of the former Eastern Bloc, and highly educated people are accepting the Faith as soon as they hear of it, embracing it enthusiastically,

and rapidly deepening their understanding of its Teachings by reading every Bahá'í book they can lay their hands on. So it is clear that receptivity to spiritual truth is, asBahá'u'lláh indicated, a matter of purity of heart, not of education or lack of it.

In the west of Europe, too, there are signs of greater receptivity towards the Faith amongthe people, and some are ready to join the community of the Most Great Name if approached in the proper manner. In such cases when an individual hears the Message of Bahá'u'lláh and is moved to declare his faith, there should be no obstacle placed in hisway. Great care must be taken that when the heart of the individual is touched by the

power of Bahá'u'lláh's Message and the declarant has expressed his desire to embrace theFaith, the process of deepening be followed almost immediately. Deepening the

knowledge of the new believer in the verities of the Faith is the most vital part of teaching; but deepening is not merely the imparting of knowledge -- it requires also toimbue the soul of the person with the love of Bahá'u'lláh so that his faith may grow day

by day and he becomes a steadfast believer.(From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual

believer 30 June 1993, cited The Universal House of Justice 1993 Nov 09, PromotingEntry by Troops, p. 21)

111. This two-pronged purpose will be universally adopted by the Bahá'í communityand become the focus for our diplomatic and public information work at the international,national and local levels. Diplomatic work involves the management of our relations withthe United Nations and with governments, while public information work involves themanagement of our relations with the public in general. A collateral outcome of the work in these two aspects will be to attract to the Faith "capable and receptive souls" with theaim of enrolling some of them.(Letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, 19 September 1994, to all

National Spiritual Assemblies, NSA USA - Developing Distinctive Baha'i Communities)

112. For your community to grow at a pace commensurate with the receptivity of the people of Panama, your Assembly will need to pay close attention to certain fundamentalareas of Bahá'í activity throughout the country. One of the primary forces that propelsgrowth is teaching undertaken by the friends on their own initiative. To properly flourish,however, personal teaching requires stimulation from the institutions; it must be fostered

by National and Local Spiritual Assemblies, on the one hand, and the Counsellors andtheir auxiliaries, on the other. The friends everywhere need encouragement. Regular gatherings, at various levels, need to be held to maintain and heighten their enthusiasmfor teaching. Opportunities have to be created for them to share stories of the successesthey have achieved and the methods they have used, so that they can learn from oneanother. Literature and teaching materials must be made available to them in abundance.Without concerted efforts of this kind, it is difficult to increase continually the number of



believers arising to discharge their sacred duty to teach.(Letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to the National SpiritualAssembly of Panama, 14 April 1995 cited in Training Institutes April 1998,Commissioned by The Universal House of Justice)

113. The fundamental principle of the oneness of mankind, and the aim of the Faith to promote unity in diversity, underlie the Bahá'í approach to indigenous peoples. Their rights are inseparable from human rights for all, and the Bahá'í Faith upholds the right of indigenous peoples to develop and take pride in their own identity, culture and language.Great importance is attached to teaching the Faith to the indigenous populations in acountry, more especially since they have so often been neglected or downtrodden byother segments of society; in many instances their suffering has made them particularlyreceptive to the Message of Bahá'u'lláh...A unique feature of the Bahá'í Administrative Order is the manner in which it enablesall the diverse elements of the Bahá'í community, drawn from a variety of ethnic, racial,cultural and educational backgrounds, to work together in a mutually supportive and

spiritually beneficial manner. This is in direct contrast to the declining social order external to the Bahá'í community, in which each segment seeks to pursue a separate pathin its social and political organization and activities.(25 July 1995, written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual

believer cited in Compilation Traditional Practices in Africa)

114. The following extract from a letter written on behalf of the House of Justice to anindividual believer also addresses this point:

That after so many years of constant effort throughout the Bahá'í world methods andapproaches have been found to train at least a certain number of believers enrolled fromamong the receptive masses themselves -- to deepen their knowledge of the Teachings of the Faith and to help them acquire skills and abilities to serve it effectively -- is no smallaccomplishment, and these methods and approaches should now be fully exploited andutilized more extensively. Therefore, the emphasis on the establishment and operation of training institutes in the Four Year Plan is not only the expression of a great need in theFaith but also an acknowledgment of the capacity within the worldwide Bahá'ícommunity to meet it on a large scale. 11 (Commissioned by The Universal House of Justice, April 1998, Training Institutes)

115. It is our prayer at the Sacred Threshold that the greater attention to the spiritualheart of the Teachings which these laws 12 express will enhance the devotion of the friendsto the Source of all bounties and attract to the Cause the receptive souls among Hisspiritually famished children.(The Universal House of Justice to the Baha’is of the World, 28 December 1999, Further Application of Devotional Laws)

11 Letter dated 29 August 1996 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer 12 These are the laws which pertain to obligatory prayer, fasting and recitation of the Greatest Name ninety-fivetimes a day.



116. Stimulating individual initiative is one of the paramount duties of the AuxiliaryBoard members, a duty they can perform with the help of assistants they must carefullyselect, train and nurture. It involves constant encouragement of the friends, evoking thevalour of the heroes of the Faith and bringing to their attention the importance of exemplifying in their lives the glory of the Teachings. It calls for fervent and moving

appeals to the believers to be the cause of unity and harmony at all times, to attractreceptive souls to the Cause, to teach them, nourish their faith and lead them to theshores of certitude. It requires building confidence and changing fear and hesitation intocourage and perseverance. It asks of the Board members and those they serve alike toforget their own weaknesses and fix their reliance on the power of divine confirmations.Further, it implies accompanying the friends in their endeavours as they develop thecapabilities of effective service.(The Universal House of Justice, 1 Jan 2001,The Institution of the Counsellors, p. 12)

117. By 1946, the end of hostilities had opened the way for the launching by ShoghiEffendi of a second Seven Year Plan, which benefited from the new receptivity to the

message of the Faith produced by the shift of consciousness that was by then alreadyapparent.(Commissioned by The Universal House of Justice, Century of Light, 2001, p. 76)

118. As believers from urban centres set out on sustained campaigns to reach the massof the world's peoples living in villages and rural areas, they encountered a receptivity toBahá'u'lláh's message far beyond anything they had imagined possible. While theresponse usually took forms very different from the ones with which the teachers had

been familiar, the new declarants were eagerly welcomed. Tens of thousands of newBahá'ís poured into the Cause throughout Africa, Asia and Latin America, oftenrepresenting the greater part of whole rural villages. (Commissioned by The UniversalHouse of Justice, Century of Light, 2001, p. 99)

119. In many parts of the world, bringing large numbers into the ranks of Bahá'u'lláh'sfollowers has traditionally not been a formidable task. It is therefore encouraging to seethat, in some of the more developed clusters, carefully designed projects are being addedto the existing pattern of growth to reach receptive populations and lift the rate of expansion to a higher level. Such projects accelerate the tempo of teaching, already onthe rise through the efforts of individuals. And, where large-scale enrolment is beginningto result, provision is being made to ensure that a certain percentage of the new believersimmediately enter the institute programme, for, as we have emphasized in severalmessages, these friends will be called upon to serve the needs of an ever-growing Bahá'í

population. They help deepen the generality of the Bahá'ís by visiting them regularly;they teach children, arrange devotional meetings and form study circles, making it

possible to sustain expansion. (The Universal House of Justice, 2003 Jan 17, Progress of Five Year Plan -- Learning in Action)

120. There is every reason for confidence that the period of history now opening will be far more receptive to efforts to spread Bahá'u'lláh's message than was the case in thecentury just ended. All the signs indicate that a sea change in human consciousness is



under way.(Commissioned by The Universal House of Justice, One Common Faith)



From the Letters of the International Teaching Centre

121. Inviting Seekers to Embrace the Cause.A growing consciousness of Bahá'u'lláh, augmented by the many events being heldduring the Holy Year, will quicken efforts in the teaching field for years to come. As the

teaching intensifies, all believes can anticipate being surrounded by an increasing number of people who are attracted to the Cause but in need of encouragement while they strivetoward the recognition and acceptance of Bahá'u'lláh.

Systematic teaching initiated by individuals or organized by institutions has always beenmost effective when the central message put before the seekers is the station of Bahá'u'lláh and His redeeming power.

The call thou didst raise, O 'Ali, is highly acceptable in My sight. Proclaim with both thy pen and tongue My Cause. Cry out and summon the people to Him Who is the SovereignLord of all worlds, with such zeal and fervour that all men may be set on fire by thee.

("Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh," pg. 310)

The spiritual authority to summon others to the Faith is a sacred gift bequeathed to every believer in every land. We must strive then to actively lead others to embrace the Causeand to reflect deeply on the responsibilities inherent in so wondrous a calling.

Open, O people, the city of the human heart with the key of your utterance. Thus haveWe, according to a pre-ordained measure, prescribed unto you your duty. (Gleaningsfrom the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh," pg. 304)

Through the potency of the Name of the Best Beloved, invite thou the receptive souls

unto God's holy court, that perchance they may not remain deprived of the heavenlyFountain of living water. He is in truth the Gracious, the Forgiving. ("Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed After the Kitáb-i-Aqdas," pg 236-37)

Those in our Bahá'í history who achieved distinction in the art of teaching had suchinfluence that the souls they contacted not only embraced the Cause but became itschampions. This influence was largely due to the capacity of these teachers to attract the

power of the Holy Spirit and become its instrument. 'Abdu'l-Bahá has assured us thatdirecting mankind to the right path is the magnet which will attract to us the help of God.If the friends learn to rely upon the power of Divine Assistance, they will be enabled to

persuade others to throw in their lot with those who have already embraced the

Teachings. |

Should one of them turn his face toward some direction and summon the people to theKingdom of God, all the ideal forces and lordly confirmations will rush to his support andreinforcement.? !? (Abdu'l-Bahá, "Tablets of the Divine Plan," 1977 Edition, pg. 47)

Bahá'u'lláh has explained that response to the Manifestations of God occurs on a number of levels; all have capacity to recognize His signs.



The first and foremost testimony establishing His truth is His own Self. Next to thistestimony is His Revelation. For whoso faileth to recognize either the one or the other Hehath established the words He hath revealed as proof of His reality and truth. This is,verily, an evidence of His tender mercy unto men. He hath endowed every soul with the

capacity to recognize the signs of God. How could He, otherwise, have fulfilled Histestimony unto men. If ye be of them that ponder His Cause is their hearts. He will never deal unjustly with anyone, neither will He task a soul beyond its power. He, verily, is theCompassionate, the All-Merciful. ("Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh," pg. 105-106) . All have the capacity to respond; however, receptivity can vary. Some will enter the Cause quickly if invited. Others will need to be nurtured and even challenged tointensify their search. Still others are not yet in a condition to 'listen' and 'hear.'

The accumulations of vain fancy have obstructed men's ears and stopped them fromhearing the Voice of God, and the veils of human learning and false imaginings have

prevented their eyes from beholding the splendour of the light of His countenance. With

the arm of might and power We have rescued a number of souls from the slough of impending extinction and enabled them to attain the Dayspring of glory. ("Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed After the Kitáb'i'Aqdas," pg. 240-41)

It is the souls already prepared by Bahá'u'lláh whom we must be seeking. They exist evenwhere receptivity may not be expected.

"Be unrestrained as the wind," is Bahá'u'lláh's counsel to every would-be teacher of HisCause, "while carrying the Message of Him Who hath caused the dawn of DivineGuidance to break. Consider how the wind, faithful to that which God hath ordained,

bloweth upon all regions of earth, be they inhabited or desolate. Neither the sight of desolation, nor the evidences of prosperity, can either pain or please it. It bloweth inevery direction, as bidden by its Creator." (Shoghi Effendi, "Advent of Divine Justice,"

pg. 50-51)

The ardent search for receptive souls should not be confused with proselytizing, aboutwhich the Universal House of Justice has clearly stated:

Proselytizing implies bringing undue pressure to bear upon someone to change his Faith.It is also usually understood to imply the making of threats or the offering of material

benefits as an inducement to conversion. (From a letter dated 5 May 1982 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer)

The Blessed Báb has explained that at the time of the appearance of every Revelationthose who open their hearts to the Author of that Revelation will recognize the Truth.When the teacher is inspired and teaches with the utmost love, a process is set in motionthat has the power to transform both the one being taught and the teacher. The resultingcondition of purity, selflessness, devotion, detachment and enkindlement will helpremove the seeker's doubts and will elicit a positive response.



Wert thou to open the heart of a single soul by helping him to embrace the Cause of HimWhom God shall make manifest, thine inmost being would be filled with .the inspirationsof that August Name. It devolveth upon you, therefore, to perform this task in the Days of Resurrection, inasmuch as most people are helpless, and wert thou to open their heartsand dispel their doubts, they would gain admittance into the Faith of God. ("Selections

from the Writings of the Báb," pg, 133)

Inviting people to embrace the Cause requires courage, but Bahá'u'lláh has assured usthat, "The source of courage and power is the promotion of the Word of God andsteadfastness in His Love." ("Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh," pg. 156)

Action both on the part of the teacher and on the part of the seeker seems to be anecessary aspect of the conversion process as "...our duty as definitely stated byBahá'u'lláh, is to show them the right track, invite them to tread it, tell them of theglorious place it leads to, and then, leave them to their own judgement." (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, 24 December 1925)

Beyond the teacher's strategy and approach to the seeker, there is the issue of thecommunity's demonstration of a welcoming spirit. Shoghi Effendi explains that theBahá'ís are in great need of loving and inspiring fellowship, necessary for widespread andcontinuous expansion of our numbers. The Guardian encourages Bahá'í communities totake the high ground of a spiritual fellowship of such warmth as to bring aboutspontaneous enlistment in the Faith.

Nothing will further your ends more quickly than the greatest love, unity and co-operation amongst yourselves. These are the very soul of the Order Bahá'u'lláh has cometo establish in the world; and when the people see these qualities and characteristicsactively demonstrated in our midst, those who are receptive will hasten to join our ranks.(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the Bahá'ís of Norwich, England, 30September 1949)

The members of the Auxiliary Board and their assistances, in the fulfillment of their dutyto lead the friends to new teaching victories, will need to initiate consultation on thistheme. Since they have often been chosen to serve because of their own success in theteaching field, they will be able to create a learning environment within which theyexplore with others the sensitivity and skills associated with attracting souls andconfirming them in the Cause. (International Teaching Centre to the Continental Boardsof Counsellors, May 9 1992, Inviting Seekers to Embrace the Cause)

122. In clusters that have experienced large-scale expansion, an approach that has proved effective is for a teaching team to reestablish contact with responsive friends andgradually introduce institute courses in the area. In recommending such an approach to a

National Assembly that faced the challenge of having areas with great numbers of believers who had not been contacted for years, the House of Justice explained:

In many countries of the world, meeting this challenge requires that attention be



concentrated on those localities for which long lists of believers often exist, but which,with the passage of time, have ceased to have any Bahá'í activity. In your case you woulddo well to establish a specific program according to which teams of able teachers wouldvisit such communities one after another, spend time with the believers they can locate,and teach receptive souls until the conditions become favorable for the institute to enter

and offer its courses.13

(International Teaching Centre , Building Momentum - ITC 23 April 2003, p. 5)

123. The experience in the state of Tamil Nadu in India offers an example of asuccessful approach. Bahá'ís who had completed institute training for children's classteachers visited selected villages in their cluster and held public meetings at which they

presented to the public, through the use of skits and posters, the dangers facing childrenin today's society and the importance of spiritual education. Scores of parents enrolledtheir children in Bahá'í classes, resulting in an unprecedented increase in children'sclasses in each of the target clusters. In five clusters where previously there had been 28classes, the total rose to 136.

Wherever systematic efforts were made to invite receptive parents who had children inBahá'í classes or individuals who were attending devotional meetings to join studycircles, the results were also encouraging. For these souls, their introduction to the Bahá'íFaith has been first and foremost the Word of God. Connecting the seekers immediatelywith the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh has been a uniformly effective approach, one that recallsadvice from the Guardian: "we are enjoined to constantly refer the seeker to the Worditself." 14 (International Teaching Cente, Building Momentum, 23 April 2003, p. 10)

13 18 Letter dated 3 June 2001 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assemblyof the Union of Myanmar.

Spiritual Receptivity Compilation

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