; Robert
Powers, Jr., and Cynthia Olson, Mariana Islands; Habib Esfahani, French
West Africa.

The Roll of Honor, after the lapse of one year since the launching of the
World Crusade, is now closed, with the exception of pioneers who have
already left for their destination, as well as those first arriving in the
few remaining virgin territories inside and outside Soviet Republics and
satellites.

The Concourse on High will continue to applaud the highly meritorious
services rendered by future volunteers arising to reinforce the historic
work so nobly initiated by the Knights of Baha'u'llah in the far-flung,
newly opened territories. Posterity will likewise record with admiration
and gratitude the initial victories destined to be won in the course of
the spiritual conquest of the continents and islands of the globe.

--Shoghi

[Cablegram, May 4, 1954]

A SUCCESSION OF VICTORIES

The opening months of the second phase of the Ten-Year Plan have
witnessed, on the American, the European, the African, the Asiatic and the
Australian fronts, a succession of victories rivalling, in their variety,
rapidity and significance, the prodigious efforts exerted, and the superb
exploits achieved, during the first twelve months of the Global Crusade,
by the mighty company of the stalwart Knights of Baha'u'llah in well nigh
a hundred virgin territories scattered over the face of the planet.

Seven virgin territories have been opened to the Faith since the
announcement on the morrow of the Ridvan Festival, raising the total
number of the Sovereign States and Dependencies enlisted under the banner
of the Cause of God to two hundred and thirty-five. The number of the
unopened territories outside of the Soviet Orbit has now shrunk to eight,
namely: Spitzbergen, Anticosti Island, St. Thomas Island, Nicobar Islands,
Cocos Island, Socotra Island, Loyalty Islands, and the Chagos Archipelago.
The following pioneers have been inscribed on the Roll of Honor since my
last sixth periodic announcement: Elizabeth Stamp, St. Helena; Mr. and
Mrs. Harold Fitzner, Portuguese Timor; Elise Schreiber, Spanish Guinea;
Violet Hoehnke, Admiralty Islands; Shahpoor Rowhani and Ardeshir Faroodi,
Bhutan; Mehraben Sohaili, Comoro Islands; Marcia Atwater, Marshall
Islands.

The number of Baha'i centers scattered over the continents and islands of
the globe has now passed the three thousand mark. A contract has been
signed for the purchase of a three-