ble joy to my heart and cheered me in
my arduous task. Persevere in your efforts for the spread of our beloved
Faith, and rest assured that my prayers will continue to be offered in
your behalf. I cherish the brightest hopes for the extension of your
deeply valued activities and will supplicate the Almighty to bless and
sustain your high endeavors.

Your true brother, Shoghi

(January 9, 1932)

12: Letters and Cables to Administrative Institutions

[Letter of April 1957]

To the First National Convention of the Baha'is of North East Asia--1957

To the Delegates and Visitors assembled at the Convention of the Baha'is
of North-East Asia.

With feelings of exultation, joy, and pride I hail the convocation of this
history-making Convention of the Baha'is of North-East Asia, paving the
way for the emergence of a Regional Spiritual Assembly with an area of
jurisdiction embracing Japan, Korea, Formosa, Macao, Hong Kong, Hainan
Island and Sakhalin Island.

This auspicious event, which posterity will regard as the culmination of a
process initiated, half a century ago, in the capital city of Japan, under
the watchful care and through the direct inspiration of the Centre of the
Covenant of Baha'u'llah, marks the opening of the second chapter in the
history of the evolution of His Faith in the North Pacific area. Such a
consummation cannot fail to lend a tremendous impetus to its onward march
in the entire Pacific Ocean, a march which will now, no doubt, be greatly
accelerated by the simultaneous emergence of the Regional Spiritual
Assembly of the Baha'is of South-East Asia and of the National Spiritual
Assembly of the Baha'is of New Zealand.

I particularly welcome the establishment of this highly important
institution in the capital city of Japan, as it affords a splendid
opportunity for the diffusion of the Lights of the Faith, and the erection
of the structure of its Administrative Order, among a people representing
the overwhelming majority of the yellow race, living in the islands of the
Pacific Ocean, and in a country regarded as one of the strongholds of the
Buddhist Faith.

I feel a warm tribute should be paid, on this historic occasion, to the
members of the American Baha'i Community, as well as to their elected
national representatives, who have, for so long and so devotedly, promoted
the interests of the Faith in that country, and, in recent years in its
neighbouring islands.

I call upon the