e British and the Egyptian National
Spiritual Assemblies to convene the aforementioned Conventions falling
within the respective jurisdiction of these Assemblies and urge as many
members of the African Auxiliary Board as possible to attend the sessions,
and lend their support to the deliberations, of these gatherings. I feel,
moreover, moved at this juncture to stress the urgent necessity for all
groups established throughout the African continent as well as in the
islands situated in its neighborhood--already four score in number--to seize
their present golden opportunity during the fast-fleeting months
separating them from next Ridvan, and exert every effort to attain
assembly status which will enable them to participate in the election of,
and contribute to the broadening of the foundations of the projected
National Spiritual Assemblies.

I earnestly appeal to all Baha'i communities, and in particular to their
national elected representatives in Latin America, Europe, Asia and
Australia to brace themselves and vie with one another in emulating the
example of their African sister communities ranking among the youngest in
the Baha'i world. I entreat them, through a greater dispersal and an
intensification of teaching activity, to lend an unprecedented impetus to
the multiplication of local spiritual assemblies in their respective
areas, accelerating thereby the dynamic process of the formation of
National Spiritual Assemblies--a process destined to usher in the third and
most brilliant phase, and constituting unquestionably the noblest
objective, of the most stupendous crusade ever launched in the course of
eleven decades of Baha'i history.

Share this message with the Hands of the Cause and the National Spiritual
Assemblies throughout the Baha'i World.

--Shoghi

[October 1, 1954]

ADMINISTRATIVE SEATS OF DIVINELY-APPOINTED INSTITUTIONS

I hail, with feelings of thankfulness and relief, the signature, on the
eve of 'Abdu'l-Baha's ascension, of a contract for the immediate
expropriation, by the Israeli Finance Minister, on the recommendation of
the Mayor of the City of Haifa, of a thirteen-hundred meter plot, owned by
the sister of Fareed, notorious enemy of the Center of Baha'u'llah's
Covenant. This historic act paves the way for the early transfer of the
title deed of this plot by the State of Israel to the Baha'i Community,
now engaged in establishing and consolidating its World Administrative
Cente