He was shocked and indignant to hear of the conduct of certain of the Persian Bahá’í students in Germany which had been so criminal as to lead to their imprisonment. He feels that your Assembly must keep before its eyes the balance specified by Bahá’u’lláh, Himself, in other words, justice, reward and retribution. Although the Cause is still young and tender, and many of the believers inexperienced, and therefore loving forbearance is often called for in the place of harsh measures, this does not mean that a National Spiritual Assembly can under any circumstances tolerate disgraceful conduct, flagrantly contrary to our Teachings, on the part of any of its members, whoever they may be and from wherever they may come. You should vigilantly watch over and protect the interests of the Bahá’í Community, and the moment you see that any of the Persian residents in Germany, or, for that matter, German Bahá’ís themselves, are acting in a way to bring disgrace upon the name of the Faith, warn them, and, if necessary, deprive them immediately of their voting rights if they refuse to change their ways. Only in this way can the purity of the Faith be preserved. Compromise and weak measures will obscure the vision of its followers, sap its strength, lower it in the eyes of the public and prevent it from making any progress.
The National Assembly is the guardian of the welfare of the Faith, a most sacred and heavy responsibility and one which is inescapable. They must be ever vigilant, ever on the lookout, ever ready to take action, and, on all matters of fundamental principle, refuse to compromise for an instant. Only in this way can the body of the Faith be free of disease.
He feels that you should investigate the situation in ..., find out who is and who is not a Bahá’í, and insist that its affairs be conducted in a Bahá’í manner by registered Bahá’ís, and that those who have not yet gotten credentials from Persia should be placed in a different category, entirely, from those who are registered by your Assembly as voting members, and accepted as believers. The Persian Bahá’ís in many cases, who have either gone to Germany to study or to assist in the work of the Faith with a pure motive, have rendered the German Community inestimable services, and everyone should be duly grateful to them for both their spirit and their example. However, we should not confuse the true believers with those who are not quickened with the spirit of faith, have some ulterior motive, or are indifferent to the reputation they have personally, and the damage they may do the Cause in the eyes of the public. There is all the difference in the world between these two categories, and your Assembly must be ever watchful and ready to take action when necessary.
It is not a normal condition for one-quarter of a community to be composed of a foreign, and therefore floating, element. In spite of the fact that in such countries as England and Germany, in particular, the Persian friends have been of great help in maintaining, and indeed in establishing, new Assemblies and Centres, the National Body must bear in mind that this is not a normal state of affairs. It is the German people in Germany, and the English people in England, who must be the back-bone and the vast majority of the Community. Otherwise, if for some reason the foreign element returns to its home or is forced to leave the country, the Communities dependent on it disintegrate for lack of numbers.
Every effort should be made to encourage the German Bahá’ís, who are so numerous in some of the cities in Germany, particularly in Stuttgart, to go out and take part in the establishment of new Spiritual Assemblies in their own country. This is both their duty and their privilege. The Guardian has pointed out, over and over again, that it is sufficient for fifteen active believers to remain in any one city, even such cities as New York, Chicago and San Francisco. This also applies to Germany, and the Bahá’ís should be encouraged to pioneer on their Home Front, and establish new Spiritual Assemblies, new Groups and new isolated centres. In this way the affairs of the Faith will attract the blessings of Bahá’u’lláh and the believers will be rewarded by Him for doing their duty and accepting the challenge of the present hour. If and when another upheaval takes place in Europe, it will be the big cities that are the danger points. Why then do the Bahá’ís cling to them so tenaciously, when they would be much safer, and serving the interests of the Faith, if they moved away to smaller places?
He does not want the friends to be fearful, or to dwell upon the unpleasant possibilities of the future. They must have the attitude that, if they do their part, which is to accomplish the goals of the Ten Year Plan, they can be sure that God will do His part and watch over them....
He has been very happy over the formation of the first historic Spiritual Assembly in Athens, an achievement made possible this year through the direct efforts of German pioneers. He greatly appreciates their spirit, and he hopes that, in spite of the departure of some of the American pioneers, the Community will grow in numbers, and the Assembly be preserved next April. Your Assembly should devote particular attention to this matter.
He hopes also that reinforcements can be sent to Crete, as well as to Frisian Islands, where the first results of the devoted labours of the pioneer are beginning to be shown through the enrollment of some natives of those islands....
He has also been greatly encouraged to see the progress made in Austria during the past year. The formation of four Assemblies marks a tremendous step forward in the work in that country, which has too long lagged behind the progress made in Germany. At last, Austria is beginning to bear fruit, and he hopes, through the activities of the Austrian believers and the pioneers who have rallied to their support, as well as through the wise guidance of your Assembly, that the centres will be increased very rapidly and the Spiritual Assemblies multiplied to such a point that he can fix a date for Austria to have her independent National Body. The achievement of this goal rests entirely upon the teaching work and is dependent on the creation of more Assemblies.
He was glad to see that there is great need in Germany for more publications, for more of the literature to be made available in German. Naturally these things are dependent on financial means. However, he was happy to know that a News Letter had been consistently published in Frankfurt, and had been of help to the friends, especially in connection with their Nineteen Day Feasts. Such activities should be stimulated and encouraged by your Assembly. The Bahá’ís are widely spread over the whole country, many of them far from well-to-do, and, however humble the instrument that reaches them, it nevertheless fulfils a great purpose in stimulating and encouraging them. Travelling teachers should be sent out more regularly to visit the different centres, as the two Hands of the Cause in Germany are so overburdened as to make it impossible for them to travel as much as they would like to or should do in the interests of the Faith. Therefore your Assembly should encourage itinerant teachers or teaching trips by any of the friends who are able to offer a certain amount of time to such activities.