ilitating settlement of
some devoted Persian pioneer there who no doubt will be of great help to
the work....

He feels that, although it is preferable that the three pioneers to each
virgin country should be in one town or at least as near each other as
possible, it should not be considered the essential point at this
juncture.

The most important thing of all is to get the pioneers out there and
established if possible in some self-supporting work. Once this has been
done, the work within the country itself can be gradually organised and
plans made to consolidate it in a more practical manner.

He used the word "tribes" loosely to mean the peoples of Africa and not
necessarily individuals still living under tribal system.

The Guardian does not feel that it is necessary to specify any particular
prayer to be said for the Africa work. The main thing is that the Baha'is
should pray for its success.

He approves of your getting out the edition of the "New Era" which you now
have in the press; but feels very strongly that any future editions should
strictly conform to the 1937 American edition, in order to preserve
uniformity in this very important Baha'i publication.

Regarding your question about military service, the Guardian sees no
reason why the Baha'i in question should not bring a test case, and press
the matter. It is now, since he has become a follower of Baha'u'llah,
against his conscience to kill his fellow-men; and he should have the
right to explain his position and ask to be exempted from combatant
service. During the hearing of such cases the Baha'is should make it
absolutely clear that we do not fear being placed in danger, and are not
asking to be given a safe berth in hours of national crisis--quite the
contrary--any dangerous service the Baha'is can render their fellow-men
during the agonies of war, they should be anxious to accept.

The work that the British Baha'is are accomplishing is very dear to his
heart; and he wishes your Assembly to constantly encourage the friends (as
of course they are doing) to go on with all phases of their Baha'i work
and maintain the tempo they achieved during the past few years. They have
distinguished themselves so much that now their fellow Baha'is in other
lands expect them to lead the way in new fields, and to continue being the
pace setters for at least the British Empire, if not other countries as
well! Success brings burdens; and the British Baha'is who we