which in
time will prove indispensable if the sublime vision of 'Abdu'l-Baha is to
be realized. I appeal to you, and through you to every earnest and
conscientious believer, to safeguard in particular the land extending
southward from these Shrines which now, alas! is gravely exposed to the
assaults of covetous and speculating interests. I am loth to press further
claims on friends who have displayed so magnificent a spirit of
self-sacrifice on several occasions in the past, but I feel the urge of a
sacred and impelling responsibility to call your attention to what I
conceive to be one of the worldwide issues of the greatest moment
requiring a prompt, generous and collective response. I may add that
whatever land is purchased will be registered in the name of the
contributor, and I would therefore request every contributing believer to
forward together with his donation such power of attorney as will legally
empower me to transact in his name and on his behalf the purchase of the
plot he desires to acquire. It would be desirable to forward small
contributions to the National Spiritual Assembly, who will then decide
upon the manner in which the transaction should be conducted.

Persecution of Persian Baha'is

The compilation of newspaper clippings with regard to recent persecutions
in Persia which has been sent by our dear brother, Mr. H. Holley, to the
Greatest Holy Leaf has been forwarded to the National Spiritual Assembly
of Persia, that they may witness for themselves and share with the rank
and file of the Persian believers the results of the extensive and
vigorous campaign so promptly undertaken on their behalf by their
sympathetic brethren in the West. It grieves me to inform you that this
sad tale of barbarism and unrestrained aggression on the property, the
lives and the honor of the heroic sufferers in that land is still
continuing to reach our ears, and the campaign of obstruction, of
intimidation and plunder is, but for short periods of comparative lull,
being systematically pursued with unabated vigor. I am certain that the
members of the National Spiritual Assembly, fully alive to the
uncertainty, the confusion and the seriousness of the present situation,
will seize the first opportunity to redress as much as it lies in their
power the interminable grievances that are being inflicted upon harassed
yet law-abiding citizens.

Wishing you success from all my heart, and assuring you of my continued