Messages to the Bahá'í World, 1950-1957

From early 1922 until 1950, the letters and cablegrams written by Shoghi Effendi in his capacity of Guardian of the Baha’i Faith were addressed to individual National Spiritual Assemblies or national Baha’i communities conveying directives or explanations of matters reported to him as Head of the Faith and Interpreter of its Message. For example, the letters written to the American Baha’i community between 1927 and 1932 were later published under the title, Baha’i Administration. A later series of letters sent to America were published as, The World Order of Baha’u’llah. In 1950 the Guardian changed his emphasis from the needs or activities of national Baha’i bodies to the Baha’i world community, culminating in his initiation of the Ten Year World Crusade launched in 1953 and for the first time calling upon the participation of all Baha’is in one common world plan. These letters likewise announced the establishment of the International Baha’i Council and the institution of Hands of the Cause. The present volume reprints the major communications which Shoghi Effendi addressed to the Baha’i world from April 25, 1950 to his last general letter dated October, 1957. For Baha’i readers they possess unique importance in reporting the achievements of the World Crusade and determining its progressive unfoldment to the year 1963, the Centenary of Baha’u’llah’s announcement to the followers of the Bab of His prophetic Mission as the One whose coming the Bab foretold. The World Crusade is not only establishing the Faith of Baha’u’llah throughout the world, but is also preparing the way for the formation of the Universal House of Justice, the goal and apex of the new world order of Baha’u’llah. For students of religion this volume attests the vitality of the Faith of Baha’u’llah and demonstrates its power to unite men and women of all national and cultural backgrounds in a common worship, a common understanding of the purpose of human existence and a common consecration to create the unassailable foundation of world justice and world peace. - Horace Holley

Review of world progress of the faith --
An enterprise transcending any national institution --
Opening door to pilgrimage --
Formation of first international Bahai council --
Spiritual and administrative world center --
Transcending in sacredness --
Pilgrim kings to pay humble tribute --
Epoch-making events --
Reorientation --
Invite valiant co-sharers in holy enterprise --
Acquisition of area on Mount Carmel --
Old and new covenant-breakers --
Jubilee centenary --
Appointment of hands of the cause --
Second appointment of hands of the cause --
Triple announcement --
The historic process --
God's avenging wrath --
Irresistible march of the faith --
Rapid progress of world center-decline in fortune of covenant-breakers --
The summons of the Lord of hosts --
Fulfillment of national teaching plans --
Launching the world-embracing spiritual crusade --
Acquisition of vitally-needed property --
Representatives for intercontinental conferences --
Twofold victory in holy land --
Treacherous Ruhi Afnan --
The paramount issue --
Sealing the triumphant festivities of holy year --
Roll of honor --
Twenty-one virgin areas --
Fast-dwindling band of covenant-breakers --
World crusade forges ahead --
Hands of cause-third appointment --
Appeal for pioneer settlement --
Hands of cause-fourth appointment --
Roll of honor-additional inscriptions --
Institution of hands of the cause --
A divinely-guided faith --
Glad tidings --
A succession of victories --
Administrative seats of divinely-appointed institutions --
International archives building and design for temple in Persia --
Achievement of second year of ten year plan --
Achievements-supplementary report --
Prayers for faith in Persia --
Appointment to international Bahai council --
Implications and requirements --
Archbreaker fo Baha u llah's covenant --
World-wide reverberations --
Hands of cause-Fifth appointment --
So significant a victory --
Evidences of the resistless march of the world crusade --
Epoch-making victory won over the covenant-breakers --
Call to hands of cause and national assemblies --
Restitution of Bahai properties in Persia --
Purification of Haram-i-Aqdas --
Announcement of series of five international conferences and appointment of eight additional hands of the cause.

First collection to bring together letters of the Guardian's addressed to the entire Bahá'í world. The Ten Year Crusade, launched in 1953, was the first worldwide teaching plan, and most of the messages deal with the prosecution of that plan.