Arohanui: Letters from Shoghi Effendi to New Zealand | Page 9

with the precepts of the Cause.
Shoghi Effendi wishes me to assure you of his prayers for you as well
as for the other friends in New Zealand. He hopes that they will
increase both in number as well as in spiritual understanding and
insight. The reports that we occasionally receive from there are most
encouraging and hopeful. It seems that the people there due to their
breadth of mind and lack of traditional draw-backs show better
prospect than many other places.
With deepest loving greetings,
Yours in His Name, Ruhi Afnan

[From the Guardian:]
My dear co-worker:
Your letter rejoiced my heart. I request you to persevere and renew
your splendid efforts for the consolidation of the work already achieved.
I have great hopes in the 'Herald of the South' and trust that the Editor
will be guided and strengthened in his noble undertaking. I shall be
obliged if you send me copies of any newspapers that may publish
anything on the Cause as I am preparing a collection of them in the
Holy Land. Please assure the friends in New-Zealand of my continued
prayers at the holy Shrines for the success of their pioneer work.
Your true brother, Shoghi

(15) November 3rd, 1926
Dear Spiritual Sister:
Shoghi Effendi wishes me to acknowledge the receipt of your letter
dated September 13th 1926. He was most gratified to read the nice and
encouraging news it contained.[+E5] He hopes that the "Herald of the
South" will daily increase in importance and now that it is coming out
in printed form, obtain a great number of readers. You should try from
the very start to maintain a high standard for its articles. They should be
broad in view, clear in style and scholarly in their development of the
different subjects. In short the 'public' should be taught to consider it as
a paper fully worthwhile to read and meditate upon. Shoghi Effendi
will remember in his prayers all those who are working in this noble
field of service.
Shoghi Effendi desires that you should extend his loving greetings to
all the friends in Auckland. He hopes that through their endeavours and
the Master's invisible guiding hand they will succeed to raise the
standard of the Cause in that land to such heights that it will arouse the
interest of all the seeking souls and in due time win their support.

The members of the Master's family are well and send you their loving
greetings.
Yours in His Service, Ruhi Afnan
[From the Guardian:]
My dear co-worker:
I shall pray from all my heart for the steady development and the
growing influence of the "Herald of the South". May its voice grow in
strength and power, and may its pages increasingly reflect the dynamic
spirit of the Faith and mirror forth the ever-expanding activities of the
friends in Australasia as well as in distant lands. Persevere in your
efforts, let not obstacles damp your zeal and determination and rest
assured that the Power of God which is reinforcing your efforts will in
the end triumph and enable you to fulfil your cherished desire.
Shoghi

(16) January 11th, 1927
Dear Bahá'í Sister,
Our beloved Guardian has asked me to write to you for him. He is very
pleased with your letter of Dec. 8th which reached him on Jan. 10th and
he is very glad to hear of your activities in New Zealand. He will pray
earnestly that your sincere efforts to make Bahá'u'lláh's Revelation
widely known will bring forth much fruit and have a great result. In the
newer countries minds are more open, and the people more ready and
willing to receive this Great Message.
With regard to the Queen of Rumania's 3 articles--he will see that you
receive them correctly. He considers the last one in which she
acknowledges Muhammad as a true Prophet of God to have great
importance for the East and especially in Persia. This evening, I
personally have had a most interesting conversation with Dr. Habíb of

Kermanshah[+E6] who is now on a visit to Shoghi Effendi with his
wife and little girl. He was telling us of the continued fanaticism of the
Moslems of Persia--and how during two periods of the year especially,
the fanatical Mullahs preach against the Bahá'ís from their
pulpits--saying to the ignorant "No matter what evil things you have
done during your life, or what sins you have committed, if you kill a
Bahá'í who is an enemy of Islam, or even if you take his property or
severely injure him, all your own sins will be wiped out and forgiven
for the sake of this good deed of destroying an enemy of the
Faith!!"--in this way they incite the people to deeds of violence and
persecution. He said that the Bahá'í teachings