LETTER OF 18 JANUARY 1938

18 January 1938

To the Friends in Esslingen. Beloved co-workers,

Shoghi Effendi has been deeply touched by your very cordial message of the
31st December, and is moved to write to you again and to assure you of his
best wishes, and of his continued prayers for your protection and guidance
in those hard and trying times.

His thoughts often turn to you and to our well-beloved German brethren in
dear remembrance and loving appreciation of your services to the Cause. He
is daily supplicating the Beloved to cheer and comfort your hearts,
strengthen and guide your steps, and keep you ever steadfast and loyal in
His path.

On the occasion of this New Year which we have just entered he further
wishes me to convey to you his warmest greetings, and to reciprocate
heartily the good wishes you have so kindly expressed...

[From the Guardian:]

May the Almighty bless and protect you, guide you in your devoted and
continued endeavours and fulfil your highest hopes and dearest wishes,

Your true brother,
Shoghi

LETTER OF 1 FEBRUARY 1938

1 February 1938

The Guardian was pleased to receive your letter of the 22nd January which
you had written him on behalf of the Vienna Assembly regarding the method
of Baha'i elections.

He wishes you to kindly inform your fellow-members that this question of
Baha'i electoral procedure has been explained and elucidated by him in one
of his communications to the American N.S.A. which you will find
reproduced in the book "Baha'i Administration", a copy of which is being
mailed to you for presentation to your Assembly.

As you will notice from that letter the method of assembly elections is
exceedingly simple, and the Guardian wishes the friends to desist from
adding any more regulations to those few ones which he has felt it his
duty to lay down for the conduct of the believers.

In closing kindly convey to the friends in Vienna, and in particular to
your fellow-workers in the Assembly, the assurances of his prayers for the
success of their elections, and for the promotion and guidance of their
community...

[From the Guardian:]

May the all-conquering, all-embracing Spirit of Baha'u'llah overshadow you
and your dearly-loved co-workers at all times and under all circumstances,
and enable you to raise the Call of God throughout the length and breadth
of your country, and establish firmly the basis of the administrative
order of the