Your letters of June 18 and 24, July 29, August 11, October 9, November 27, 1952 and January 5, February 26, March 12 and 18, April 5, May 6 and 31, 1953 have been received by the beloved Guardian, and he has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.
The work has been greatly added to, here at the International Center, owing to the inauguration of the Ten Year Crusade. In fact, the beloved Guardian is finding it more and more difficult to keep up with his letters, even the important National Spiritual Assembly ones.
In regard to various matters you have raised in your correspondence with him:
The National Bahá’í Convention must be held during the twelve days constituting the Ridván period. Each national assembly is free to choose the dates that suit its convenience during that period.
The question of adhering strictly to the principle that every Spiritual Assembly must be composed of voting members living within the civic limits of the town, and that the Bahá’í Community of that town must likewise be composed of residents within its civic limits, is of the utmost importance. It is a matter of fundamental principle, and the Bahá’ís all over the world must conform to it, especially now that the Cause is becoming firmly established in so many nations. There is no objection if the believers living in a certain area comprising a number of civic units, join together to commemorate Bahá’í Holy Days, but Nineteen Day Feasts should be held apart by each Assembly in question. There can be no exceptions to these rules, and although it may temporarily diminish the number of assemblies in your country, you should establish the Cause on this firm foundation by next Bahá’í election.
Please send the Guardian ten copies of the “Paris Talks” and ten copies of “Some Answered Questions” for the international libraries here, and ten copies of any future publication in German.
He was very happy to hear that the visit of the Hands and of other Bahá’ís traveling in Europe, was of such stimulation to the friends.
He hopes that as many of the German believers as possible will attend the Stockholm Conference, which is very important for the future work in Europe, and to which they can contribute a great deal by their presence....
As regards the purchase of the land for the future Temple: He thinks it does not need to be in the heart of the city; it could be in the suburbs and an area of ten thousand square metres would be sufficient, less if necessary. The Chicago Temple only seats 1200 people so it is not a very large building. Your Temple could be smaller and competitive designs be submitted. But the first step is to investigate the sites available and inform the Guardian.
The step to which he attaches at present the greatest importance is the dispatch of pioneers under the auspices of your Assembly to the virgin territories alloted to the German and Austrian Bahá’ís under the Ten-Year Plan. Naturally, at present it is out of the question to think of sending anyone into the Soviet-dominated countries. But every effort should be made to get someone off to Greece, a very important country and far too long neglected. This Holy Year should witness, or at least this calendar year, the filling of all goal posts which are not behind the Iron Curtain. He hopes that some one of the friends will be able to find a position in Greece, or to be sent there by you.