d spirituality combined with practical vision and
purpose." I am deeply convinced that if the Annual Convention of the
friends in America, as well as the National Spiritual Assembly, desire to
become potent instruments for the speedy realization of the Beloved's
fondest hopes for the future of that country, they should endeavor, first
and foremost, to exemplify, in an increasing degree, to all Baha'is and to
the world at large the high ideals of fellowship and service which
Baha'u'llah and the beloved Master repeatedly set before them. They can
claim the admiration, the support and eventually the allegiance of their
fellow-countrymen only by their strict regard for the dignity, the
welfare, and the unity of the Cause of God, by their zeal, their
disinterestedness, and constancy in the service of mankind, and by
demonstrating, through their words and deeds, the need and practicability
of the lofty principles which the Movement has proclaimed to the world.

The efforts you have displayed, and the considerable success you have
achieved in consolidating the forces of the Movement in the United States
and Canada have been a source of inspiration to every one of us, and, I am
certain, will spur the friends throughout the East to combined and
sympathetic activity for the promotion of the Cause.

My fervent prayer at the three Holy Shrines is that the bountiful Lord may
bless His American friends who constitute the vanguard of His host in the
Western world, and prosper them in their material affairs and pursuits,
that the Cause which stands today in sore need of material help and
assistance may advance, rapidly and unhindered, towards the fulfillment of
its destiny.

The Baha'i Fund

With regard to the Baha'i Fund, recently established amongst the friends,
I trust that the matter now stands clear to every one throughout the
country. As I have previously intimated, although individual friends and
local Assemblies are absolutely free to specify the object and purpose of
their donations to the National Spiritual Assembly, yet, in my opinion, I
regard it of the utmost vital importance that individuals, as well as
local Assemblies, throughout the land should, in view of the paramount
importance of National Teaching and as an evidence of their absolute
confidence in their national representatives, endeavor, however small at
first, to contribute freely towards the upkeep and the increase of the
National Baha'i Fund, so that