Letter of 10 February 1955

Shoghi 10 February 1955 Dear Mrs. Grossmann:

Your loving letter of December 27th is here on my return from Europe.

I am under the impression you asked me when in Germany whether the message of our Beloved Guardian of +P227 November 27th, should be shared with the Friends. In any event, the Guardian surely does wish this important message shared with all the Friends. While the wording of the last paragraph might seem a little obscure, yet the Guardian's intention was that all National Assemblies should be sent a copy, and they in turn release it to the Friends.

We have corrected the records to show that the number of declared Adherents to the Faith in Iraklion, Crete is one, and not two.... 10 February 1955 Dear &Baha'i Friends:

The Beloved Guardian has directed that I write you in connection with the Temple project for Germany.

He is anxious to receive the latest word with regard to the purchase of the site for the Temple, hoping all the problems have now cleared up, or will soon be cleared up and ownership be vested with your body.

He also feels that you should proceed with the preparation of designs for the Temple, which he understands you will arrange by means of a competition of architects. He feels you should proceed with this phase of the Temple regardless of the question of land ownership. Time is moving along rapidly, and he hopes it will not be too long before the design is chosen.

In passing, there is one point to be mentioned; and that is that the Temple in Wilmette does not constitute a pattern for other Temples, nor does it represent a new type of &Baha'i architecture. Therefore it is not necessary for your architects to endeavour to follow that pattern. What should +P228 be done is to follow the Master's instructions as to the Temple, and then create something that will be desirable and appropriate for your area.... 23 February 1955 Dear &Baha'i Friends:

The beloved Guardian is very closely watching the development of the Ten Year Crusade on all fronts. One of the goals of the second phase of the Ten Year Crusade is the incorporation of local and national assemblies.

The Guardian is hoping that your National Assembly may take this important matter in hand, so that during the coming &Baha'i year, as many as possible of your local assemblies will become incorporated. He feels this is a very important activity, and one which you should follow up just as closely as possible.

Will you please send me a report for the Guardian of any activities along this line which are underway; and if not, what can be done to set such a program in motion.

It is needless for me to comment of course on the fact that another one of the major objectives of the second phase of the Ten Year Crusade is the multiplication of &Baha'i centers, and particularly the development of &Baha'i groups into assemblies. The way in which this can be best accomplished is by the &Baha'is in the larger centers dispersing to weak areas or to entirely new centers.

The Guardian sends you his loving greetings.... +P229 23 February 1955 Dear &Baha'i Friends:

Please refer to copy of my letter of April 20th to Dr. Giachery, with a copy to you, with regard to specifications for &Baha'i Temples.

The Beloved Guardian has asked me to write to you, explaining that while the question of a Dome for a &Baha'i Temple, is not specified in the Teachings, yet he feels that for the Temple in Germany, you should plan a building with a central Dome. He thinks it would enhance the beauty of the structure now being planned for Frankfurt.... 8 March 1955 Dear &Baha'i Friends:

The beloved Guardian is very anxious to secure, as quickly as possible, data concerning the &Haziratu'l-Quds which have been acquired in connection with the goals of the Ten Year Crusade. To this end, he would very greatly appreciate your sending me by return air mail the information concerning the &Haziratu'l-Quds in Vienna.

He would like to know the area of land involved, the size of the building, so far as number of rooms is concerned, the original purchase price of the &Haziratu'l-Quds, the expenses of the transaction, and then the total cost.

The Guardian asks that this be sent to me by return air mail.... +P230 11 March 1955 Dear &Baha'i Sister:

Your loving letter of February 25th has just come to hand.

It was a great pleasure for me to have been able to visit the friends in Frankfurt and Stuttgart; and we will long remember the loving hospitality which was extended to us by all the friends.

I do not know what more can be done in behalf of... Certain members if the American N.S.A. are in close touch with the authorities in Washington; and if they have written you that nothing more can be done, I think that is the last word; at least I have nothing more which I can suggest.

Please give my deep love to all the members of the National Assembly.... 29 March 1955 Dear &Baha'i Friends:

On April 21st we will enter the last year of the second phase of the Ten Year Crusade. As you know, one of the objectives of this second phase is the rapid multiplication of Assemblies, Groups and Centres throughout the world.

During the past year, a great deal has been accomplished by the friends in their efforts to disperse from the large centres of population in order to build up the goal cities and establish new centres. However we have not accomplished a great deal in the way of increasing the number of &Baha'is, nor the number of Spiritual Assemblies. +P231

The beloved Guardian sincerely hopes you will make it a point of major study and consideration on the part of your Assembly, so that the entire Community may lend itself to the accomplishment of this great goal during the coming year. Foundations must be laid for many more Assemblies. The friends must disperse from the large centres of population. Our teaching work must become so sanctified and penetrating that many, many souls will be confirmed. The friends should go forward on this great task in a very determined manner in order to establish as many new Assemblies during the coming year as are possible.

In letters which have come to the beloved Guardian, he has noted the friends feel there is no need to establish new Assemblies until 1963.

The Ten Year Crusade ends in 1963; but as many of the goals should be won as quickly as is possible. It should certainly be clear to all of the friends that we cannot hold off on winning the various goals of our tasks until the last year of the Crusade. They should be won just as quickly as possible. Furthermore, there are many tasks of the Crusade which the Guardian is not launching until preliminary goals have been won. For instance, it would be impossible to establish National Assemblies in all of the areas proposed until there are more &Baha'is, more Groups and more Assemblies in those countries.

On the home front, further tasks are dependent upon the winning of victories now. The Guardian hopes the keynote of the teaching work on the home front during the current year will be the dispersion of the friends on an unprecedented scale, and the winning of as many Assemblies as is possible.... +P232 20 April 1955 Dear Ugo:

I have your favor of April 10th, telling of your visit with the German Architect, Prof. Dr. Bartning, and his explanation to you of the elements to be incorporated in the new Temple for Germany.

The Beloved Guardian explains that there is no requirement for one window to be oriented toward the East. In fact, he feels this should not be done; otherwise it will take on a practice of the Moslems with regard to their prayer niche, etc. I am sending a copy of this note to the German NSA, so they will understand.

The Guardian has also indicated that there is nothing in the teaching requiring one dome for the building, in fact, any dome. It is of course more beautiful, generally to have a dome, or even domes, but that is not a necessary requirement of the Temple.

Likewise the Guardian indicates, it is not essential that there be nine doors.

The real requisite is that the building should be circular in shape, having nine sides; that there should be nine gardens, walks, etc.... 1 May 1955 (Convention) DEEPLY APPRECIATE MESSAGE. URGE DELEGATES ROUSE ALL COMMUNITIES EXERT SUPREME EFFORT COURSE LAST YEAR SECOND PHASE CRUSADE MULTIPLICATION CENTERS ASSEMBLIES CONSOLIDATION ALLOTED NEWLY OPENED TERRITORIES INTENSIFICATION TEACHING ACTIVITIES INCORPORATION +P233 ASSEMBLIES ESTABLISHMENT ENDOWMENTS PUBLISHING TRUST. URGE CONCENTRATION EXTENSION WORK AUSTRIA EXPEDITE PRELIMINARIES CONSTRUCTION TEMPLE SUPPLICATING ABUNDANT BLESSINGS