the Mission bestowed by 'Abdu'l-Baha,
this repeatedly blessed, much envied community deserves to be acclaimed
the Torchbearer of the civilization, the foundations of which the Faith of
Baha'u'llah is destined unassailably to establish in the course of the
Second Baha'i Century. I am moved to pay a well deserved tribute at this
great turning point in the career of so privileged a community to the
gallant band of its apostolic founders whose deeds heralded the dawn of
the Day of the Covenant in the West, to its intrepid pioneers who labored
to enlarge the bounds of the Faith in the five continents, to its
indefatigable administrators whose hands reared the fabric of the
Administrative Order, to its heroic martyrs who followed in the footsteps
of the Dawn-Breakers of the heroic age, to its itinerant teachers who with
written and spoken word pleaded its cause and repulsed the attacks of its
adversaries, to its munificent supporters whose liberality accelerated the
expansion of its manifold activities, and last but not least to the mass
of its stout-hearted, self-denying members whose strenuous, ceaseless,
concerted efforts so decisively contributed to the consolidation and
broadening of its foundations. I desire to direct a particular appeal to
the Latin American representatives participating in the Centennial
Convention to deliberate on measures to reinforce the ties binding them to
their Sister Community, unitedly devise means for the inauguration of
teaching campaigns in their respective Republics, the dissemination of
Baha'i literature, the multiplication of Baha'i administrative centers as
preliminary steps in the formation of Baha'i National Assemblies, and lend
impetus to the prosecution of any enterprise launched to carry still
further the Plan conceived by 'Abdu'l-Baha for the American Baha'i
Community.

May 15, 1944

CONSOLIDATION OF NOBLY-WON VICTORIES

The magnificent victories achieved in the teaching field and the sphere of
administrative activity by the American Baha'i community crowned with
glory the historic services rendered by the followers of Baha'u'llah
throughout the West during the last fifty years of the first Baha'i
Century. I rejoice in the brilliant celebrations befittingly consummating
the record of splendid achievements. Immediate attention should be focused
in the course of the opening year of the Second Century on consolidation
of the nobly-won victories through reinforcement of ne