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Messages to the Bahá'í World: 1950-1957
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Pages 1-5
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Review of World Progress of the Faith
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1 |
Hail the valiant acts during the course of the last twelve months
of members of firmly knit, world embracing, divinely propelled Bahá'í
Community, singly, collectively, both sexes, all ages laboring in
near, and distant fields, in Eastern and Western hemispheres, gathered
from diverse classes, creeds and colors; as administrators, in
the respective home lands or as settlers or itinerant teachers overseas;
whether serving in private capacity or in official association
with authorities.
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2 |
Second half of opening decade of second Bahá'í century befittingly
ushered in.
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3 |
Recent exploits in virgin territories of Western hemisphere,
Arabian Peninsula, South and East Asia raised to one hundred the
number of sovereign states, and dependencies, enrolled under the
banner of the Faith.
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4 |
Forthcoming celebrations, commemorating the Hundredth Anniversary
of the Martyrdom of the Herald of the Faith, doubly
glorious, through association this historic victory, representing an
increase of no less than twenty-two countries in the brief span of
six years, since the Centennial of the Declaration of His Mission.
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5 |
Number of centers in Australasia now exceeds sixty; Canadian
Community nearing ninety centers already established; Alaskan
territory eleven centers; European goal countries thirty-five, number
of newly declared believers almost doubled during course of
past year.
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6 |
Bahá'í literature enriched by translation into Welsh, Eskimo,
Swahili, Hausa, Chinyanja, raising the total number of languages
to sixty-three.
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7 |
Languages in process of translation, eleven.
Official recognition, constituting a unique victory in the annals of the Faith in the East, and West, extending to newly formed
National Spiritual Assembly of the Dominion of Canada, through
granting act of Parliament, enabling the National elected representatives
to incorporate as religious organization.
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8 |
Additional contract placed for the construction of the parapet,
crowning the Arcade of the Báb's Mausoleum on Mount Carmel,
raising the total tonnage ordered to almost eight hundred.
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9 |
The erection of the ornamental columns of the Temple interior
commenced; ventilation and heating systems installed; number of
visitors since the opening of the edifice to the public, over four hundred
thousand.
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10 |
Six year plan of the British Bahá'í Community triumphantly
concluded; almost quintupled number of Assemblies in the British
Isles; laid basis administrative structure of the Faith in the capital of
Eire and in the chief cities of North Ireland and Scotland.
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11 |
Plan initiated Persian Bahá'í Community consummated 31 Assemblies,
17 Groups, 11 Isolated Centers formed beyond prescribed
objectives.
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12 |
Recognition, long last, accorded by Iráqí authorities to all marriages
solemnized by Bahá'í Assemblies in `Iráq through official
registration of the marriage certificate by court, first instance setting
a momentous precedent throughout the Muslim East, constituting
a significant landmark in the process of the emancipation of
the Oriental followers of the Faith from the fetters of religious
orthodoxy.
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13 |
Certificate authorizing the celebration of Bahá'í marriages issued
by the District of Columbia court.
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14 |
Eight islands of Hawaii granted authority to recognize Bahá'í
marriages.
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15 |
Bahá'í marriage contract legalized by attorney general throughout
the territory of Alaska.
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16 |
Bahá'í Holy Days recognized by Educational Department of
the State of Victoria, Australia.
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17 |
Second European Teaching Conference convened in the capital
city of Belgium, attended by hundred and thirty representatives
from nineteen countries.
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18 |
The historic first all-Swiss Bahá'í Conference the latest, most
promising fruit of the transatlantic enterprise initiated by the
American Bahá'í Community, held in the Swiss capital, presaging
the acquisition by the goal countries of an independent status within
the family of Bahá'í national Communities.
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19 |
The process of extension of Bahá'í endowments accelerated
through the donation of twenty acre property near Anchorage,
Alaska; purchase of twenty-two acres in neighborhood of Auckland,
site of projected New Zealand summer school; grant of burial
ground by Egyptian authorities to Port Said Bahá'í Community.
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20 |
Ties binding the Bahá'í International Community to the United
Nations reinforced through participation in European Regional
Conference of nongovernmental organizations in Geneva; and in
Latin American Conferences in Chile, Uruguay; and in similar
conferences in Kansas and Lake Success; through submission in
response to the request of the UNO Committee of statement on the
Bahá'í concept and method of community worship, subsequently
transmitted to the Secretariat responsible for the planning of permanent
headquarters in the United Nations.
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21 |
Last but not least, nay the crowning achievement of the year
just concluded, are the stupendous exertions of the vanguard of the
resistlessly advancing Bahá'í World Community resulting in the
raising of half a million dollars, virtually attaining the objective
set for the two-year drive to ensure the completion of the interior
ornamentation of the Mother Temple of the West in anticipation of
its approaching jubilee.
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22 |
First stage of austerity period resolutely embarked upon, successfully
traversed.
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23 |
Resolution no less grim, self abnegation no less heroic, solidarity
in sacrifice no less striking, must needs distinguish the final
phase of the stern struggle, still facing the dauntless highminded
spartan-souled American Bahá'í Community, designed to liquidate
the deficit in the General Fund, marring the otherwise spotless record
of collective achievement, as well as to provide financial support
imperatively required to meet, through prompt despatch of substantial
number of competent pioneers, the emergency existing in
Central and South America, thereby ensuring the glorious consummation
of the thirteen-year-old enterprise through the formation
of the projected twin National Assemblies in Latin America.
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24 |
--Shoghi
[Cablegram, April 25, 1950]
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