pirit of Baha'u'llah sustain, guide and bless your meritorious
efforts, aid you to render notable services to our beloved Cause, and
consolidate its new-born and God-given institutions,

Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi

LETTER OF 26 FEBRUARY 1947

26 February 1947

Dear Baha'i Friends:

Your letter to our beloved Guardian, dated Sept. 25th, 1946, was received,
as well as the minutes of your meeting of Nov. 2nd and 3rd., and he has
instructed me to answer you on his behalf.

Regarding the question of Herr Joern: Smoking is not forbidden by
'Abdu'l-Baha; He advises against it for reasons of health, but we have no
right to prevent anyone from smoking. But drinking and the use of drugs
are strictly forbidden and the Baha'is should obey this command.

The Guardian has received a number of letters from the Baha'is of ..., and
in the interest of promoting unity among the friends in Germany he is
going to write them instructing them to cooperate with and obey your
Assembly; he feels that you should send capable Baha'is there to teach
them and strengthen them in the Faith, and to make sure no political
elements are allowed to enter into their discussions or be a part of their
group.

He has recently had fifteen hundred dollars sent from the Relief Fund in
Tihran to America for the immediate purchase of food parcels for the
German and Austrian Baha'is, and hopes these will soon reach them. It is
very distressing that so much money over ten thousand pounds (L10.000)
should be held in the name of the German friends, and yet no way of
sending it be found. He hopes your Assembly will make every effort to
arrange for this money to be received in Germany.

He is also very anxious to receive news of exactly what is happening about
the National Baha'i Headquarters in Frankfurt; he gathers from your
minutes that negotiations are in progress for a building in that city? He
attaches great importance to this undertaking, and urges you to press the
matter constantly.

The reports he received of the young peoples' Summer School and the Summer
School at Esslingen were most encouraging, and he is delighted to see that
in spite of so many handicaps the friends are so devoted and active! He
was also very happy to note that new spiritual assemblies are in the
process of formation, and hopes you will concentrate on their
establishment and the formation of many new groups. In spite of the
conditions in Germany it is of t