ation and
self-sacrifice as has truly merited the crown of martyrdom.

To Keith Ransom-Kehler, whose dust sleeps in far-off Isfahan; to Martha
Root, fallen in her tracks on an island in the midmost heart of the ocean;
to May Maxwell, lying in solitary glory in the southern outpost of the
Western Hemisphere--to these three heroines of the Formative Age of the
Faith of Baha'u'llah, they who now labor so assiduously for its expansion
and establishment, owe a debt of gratitude which future generations will
not fail to adequately recognize.

I need not expatiate on other, though less prominent, events that have
contributed their share to the furtherance of the Seven Year Plan, or
marked its systematic development. The association of the Fund,
specifically inaugurated for its prosecution, with the hallowed memories
of both the Mother and Brother of 'Abdu'l-Baha; the establishment of at
least one pioneer in each of the Republics of Central and South America;
the ushering in of the last phase of the external ornamentation of the
Temple; the conjunction of the institutions of the Haziratu'l-Quds and the
Ma_sh_riqu'l-A_dh_kar in the heart of the North American continent; the
founding of yet another institution designed as a training school for
Inter-America teaching work; the steady rise in the number of groups and
Assemblies functioning within the Administrative Framework of the Faith of
Baha'u'llah--these stand out as further evidences of the animating Force
that propels the Plan towards its final consummation.

Varied and abundant as have been the past manifestations of this driving,
resistless Force, they cannot but pale before the brilliant victories
which its progressive and systematic development must achieve in the
future.

The American believers, standing on the threshold of the fourth year of
the Seven Year Plan, pursue their God-given task with a radiance that no
earthly gloom can dim, and will continue to shoulder its ever-growing
duties and responsibilities with a vigor and loyalty that no earthly power
can either sap or diminish.

April 15, 1940

BAHA'U'LLAH'S SPIRITUAL SOVEREIGNTY

Message to 1940 Convention

Overjoyed, elated that dynamic energy, invincible valor of American
believers impelled them far outstrip the goal fixed for third year of
Seven Year Plan. Temple ornamentation has been uninterruptedly pursued.
The theatre of operation of the teaching campaign is already embracing
entire Cen