ne, the evacuation and restoration of the Mansion, the devastating
loss in rapid succession of outstanding leaders and spokesmen, backed by
the support of the perfidious Sohrab, engaging the services of a clever,
hostile lawyer, unitedly challenged the authority conferred by
'Abdu'l-Baha's Testament, and instituted legal proceedings against the
Guardian of the Faith, questioned his right to demolish dilapidated house
situated within the precincts and constituting an affront to the Most Holy
Shrine of the Baha'i World, were rebuffed through the intervention of the
Israel government denying the competence of the civil court to adjudicate
the matter, subsequently threatened to appeal the government decision to
the Supreme Court, provoked the authorities who, in consequence of my
representations to both the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign
Affairs, issued authorization to demolish the ruins.

Short-sighted action prompted by blind, uncontrollable animosity, resulted
in the irretrievable curtailment of long-standing privileges extended to
the Covenant-breakers during the course of six decades on the occasion of
the celebration of the Baha'i Holy Days.

The signal success in the removal of the ruins was immediately followed by
landscaping the approaches to the Shrine, the erection of a gate and the
embellishment of the surroundings of the Tomb of Baha'u'llah, long denied
a befitting entrance through the deliberate obstruction by the enemies of
the Faith. Public access to the heart of the Qiblih of the Baha'i World is
now made possible through traversing the sacred precincts leading
successively to the Holy Court, the outer and inner sanctuaries, the
Blessed Threshold and the Holy of Holies. Recent events prelude the
acquisition and development of over thirty acres of property surrounding
Baha'u'llah's resting place and are paving the way for the erection in the
course of future decades of a befitting Mausoleum destined to enshrine the
Dust of the Founder of God's Most Holy Faith.

--Shoghi

[Cablegram, June 11, 1952]

THE SUMMONS OF THE LORD OF HOSTS

The steady expansion of the activities conducted so devotedly and so
efficiently, during the last twelve months, by the members of the valiant
and exemplary American Baha'i Community, under the aegis of their elected
national representatives, is such as to evoke feelings of deep and sincere
admiration in my heart, and will serve to heighten the esteem in