te surprising and two of their chief
leaders have not only become Baha'is, but have started an admirable little
weekly, I think, through which they hope to bring many of their colleagues
over. By the way, I believe the leader of the sect who is himself a young
man is coming over to London to represent his sect at the Conference.

The confusion and disorder in Persia which had aroused so much
apprehension on the part of the helpless Baha'is and had even led in one
case to actual martyrdom, has apparently subsided for the moment.

Here in Haifa everybody is in good health. With heartfelt greetings to all
the friends in London....

Letter of 23 September 1924

23 September 1924

MAY WEMBLEY (sic CONFERENCE) FULFIL YOUR FONDEST HOPES PRAY CONVEY
AUTHORITIES MY SINCERE REGRET AT INABILITY TO BE PRESENT I WISH THEM FULL
SUCCESS IN THEIR NOBLE ENDEAVOURS.

SHOGHI

Letter of 24 September 1924

24 September 1924(4)

The beloved of the Lord and the hand-maids of the Merciful in Great
Britain.

Care of the National Spiritual Assembly.

Dear Friends,

I return to the Holy Land with an overpowering sense of the gravity of the
spiritual state of the Cause in the world. Much as I deplore the
disturbing effect of my forced and repeated withdrawals from the field of
service, I can unhesitatingly assure you that my last and momentous step
was taken with extreme reluctance and only after mature and anxious
reflection as to the best way to safeguard the interests of a precious
Cause.

My prolonged absence, my utter inaction should not, however, be solely
attributed to certain external manifestations of unharmony, of discontent
and disloyalty--however paralysing their effect has been upon the
continuance of my work--but also to my own unworthiness and to my
imperfections and frailties.

I venture to request you to join me in yet another prayer, this time more
ardent and universal than before, supplicating with one voice the gracious
Master to overlook our weaknesses and failings, to make us worthier and
braver children of His own.

Humanity, through suffering and turmoil, is swiftly moving on towards its
destiny; if we be loiterers, if we fail to play our part surely others
will be called upon to take up our task as ministers to the crying needs
of this afflicted world.

Not by the force of numbers, not by the mere exposition of a set of new
and noble principles, not by an organised campaign of teaching